Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz is a popular first port of call in the Galapagos Islands and this relaxed little town offers plenty of things to do. Whether you’re using Puerto Ayora as a base to island hop or you’re on a short break between cruises, here is a selection of interesting things you can do in Puerto Ayora; and best of all, none of them require a guide.
Tortuga Bay
In the list of things that make me miss travelling, this place is definitely near the top. Tortuga Bay (main picture) is regarded by some as one of the most picturesque beaches in the world. With roughly a mile of pristine white sand and not a parasol in sight, it's easy to see why. For every guidebook erroneously describing a tourist trap beach as ‘unspoilt’, this is the real deal.
At the southern end of the beach there is usually a large colony of iguanas basking in the sun amongst the scrub and there are hordes of multicoloured Sally Lightfoot crabs dotted on the rocks along the shoreline.
At the southern end of the beach there is usually a large colony of iguanas basking in the sun amongst the scrub and there are hordes of multicoloured Sally Lightfoot crabs dotted on the rocks along the shoreline.
The entrance to Tortuga Bay is at the southern end of Av. Charles Binford. After climbing the steps and signing-in at the gatehouse, it’s a lengthy 35 minute walk along the boardwalk that bisects the mangrove, but its definitely worth the wait. Entrance is free, but the path is only open during daylight hours.
The Charles Darwin Research Station
The Charles Darwin Research Station
The Charles Darwin Research
Station is ideal for learning more about the various tortoise breeding programmes in progress in the islands. It was once the focal point of a dispute between fisherman and Galapagos
conservationists in 1993. This led to angry fisherman briefly occupying the
station and making threats against Lonesome George – the iconic Galapagos
tortoise – in protest against conservationist opposition to sea cucumber
fishing.
Nowadays you can see
various breeds of young tortoises, which are nurtured here until they can be released back into the wild on their native islands. So far,
nearly 2000 young tortoises have been released back into the wild.
The research station is at the eastern end of Av. Charles
Darwin, about five minutes walk down the path to the right of the small
cemetery. A leisurely stroll around takes about an hour – entry is included in
the initial $100 entry fee payable at the airport upon arrival in the
Galapagos.
The Late Afternoon Fish Market
It’s more a collection of fish counters than an actual market, but it’s worth a visit in the late afternoon when the fishermen bring in their catches of the day. You can stand amongst the sea lions and pelicans as they patiently wait for the fishermen to throw them scraps.
On both our visits there were a group of pelicans and one solitary sea lion who alternated between excited puppy and sulky teenager as he badgered them for some fish. It’s a great way to end the day after a day trip out.
The fish market is about half way along Av. Charles Darwin on the seafront, to the north of Isla Grill.
Las Grietas
Las Grietas (the cracks) is a series of deep volcanic
fissures that collect a mixture of water from the Santa Cruz highlands and
tidal seepage from the ocean.
Las Grietas is known for its landlocked marine life, including
parrot fish and even hammerhead sharks. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much in the way of
marine life on our visit, apart from some faintly visible shapes deep down
below. Unfortunately, with only snorkels at our disposal, we couldn’t
investigate further. That said, it’s still an interesting place to visit and a
cool place to spend half a day, just keep an eye out for the locals leaping from the sides of the chasm!
To get to Las Grietas you'll need to take a brief water taxi across the harbour from the jetty. Once on the other side, walk past Finch Bay Eco Resort and Playa de Los Alemanes, past the pungent sulphur lake and then over the rocky, cacti strewn landscape that follow. Much of the walk from the jetty to Las Grietas is over rocks rather than a path so trainers are definitely an advantage.
Las Grietas is down the steep rocky steps tucked away in a chasm in the rock. Getting from the first section body of water to the second requires climbing over slippery wet rocks so tread with care!
