Protected Areas

The Galapagos Islands are home to many islands on which tourists can appreciate and explore the pristine state of the complex and the constantly evolving ecosystem that has made the Galapagos so famous. On the island of Floreana, for example, you can visit Post Office Bay, The Black Beach, Flamingos Lagoon, Cormorant Point, or The Pirates’Caves. There are also areas to scuba dive, such as La Corona del Diablo. On Genovesa, the frigate birds, furry seals, marine iguanas, tropical birds, red-footed boobies, and masked boobies all stand out. On Fernandina, there are sea lions, iguanas, pelicans, penguins, and cormorants. On Española, you can appreciate the dance of the Blue-footed Booby or the courting of the Albatross.

Other points of interest in the Galapagos Islands are El Géiser, El Soplador, and Cucubes, all of which are home to a variety of exotic and rare birdlife. Santiago is well known for having some of the best and most accessible scuba diving in the Galapagos Islands and also because it offers the chance to walk between lava flow formations all the way to the volcanic conic peak of Bartolomé, where furry seals and sea lions dwell. On North Seymour, there are colonies of frigate birds, sea lions, and blue-footed boobies. The Plazas Islands are an important habitat of sea lions, iguanas, cactus, and seagulls. Santa Fe is a bay surrounded by forests of giant cactus, sea lions, sparrow hawks, and iguanas. Isabela is home to a nursery of turtles and constant volcanic activity. In 1998, after twenty years of activity, Volcano Cerro Azul suddenly erupted.

The Galapagos Islands are home to a Marine Reserve which has been declared a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site. There are 62 destinations to visit in the islands.