Santa Cruz Island
Visitor Sites - Accommodation - Bar-Restaurants - Internet Service
VISITOR SITES
There are more than 17 travel agencies which sell local tours, mainly day tours to other islands, bay tours, Galapagos dive tours and learning about their biodiversity, one can also enjoy the local cuisine, drink iced beers wile socialising with the local and above all relaxing: Life in Galapagos moves at slower, stress-free rhythm; a standard possibly set by the giant tortoise – how else do they manage to live for over 150 years. Here one can combine excursions to the harder places to reach, whit a day relaxing at beautiful Tortuga Bay beach, kayaking and snorkeling with the playful sea-lion and the abundant and diverse marine life, all the while learning about conservation techniques and the care of species, usually the responsibility of native guides and specialists form the Galapagos National Park and Charles Darwin Research Station. The main objective of all local public and private institutions is to guarantee your safety and that you enjoy the most pleasant stay possible.
Tourist sites near the populated areas of Santa Cruz Island: Bellavista, Tortuga Bay, Puerto Ayora, Interpretation and Breeding Centre, El Mirador, Playa Garrapatero, The Tortoise Reserve, Las Grietas, Los Gemelos, Las Bachas Beach, Black Turtle Cove and others.
PUERTO AYORA
Puerto Ayora, the small town in Santa Cruz is by far the busiest place in the whole of the Galapagos. It’s from here that nearly all pre-arranged cruises leave and it’s also the best place to organize your tours independently. With a myriad of travel agencies lining the streets, the best advice is to shop around for a day before choosing who to go with.
As well as cruises, there are other trips you can do around the Island including bird-watching, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, camping, snorkeling and other daily boat trips. Again, it’s worth shopping around before deciding who to go with. As well as paid tours, you can of course visit the Charles Darwin Centre to see the Giant Tortoises and the beautiful Bahia Tortuga where you can see huge Marine Iguanas crawling across the sands.
Although it’s quite a busy town, you never feel as though you are in a tourist hell where you can hardly walk the streets for the crowds, where space on the beach is but a reserved square meter or where consistent queues steal your precious holidaying moments. Puerto Ayora is a very laid back place where people stroll around in relaxed mode, enjoying the opportunity of being somewhere so special. At night, the place also has a chilled out vibe and it’s nice to feel safe as you walk the streets, deciding which of the excellent restaurants you will chose to dine at.
The harbour-side is beautifully lit at night and you’ll often find lovers sitting on benches, peering into the water, children playing in the park or local men gathered at a small kiosk drinking beers and playing cards. The Mercado Artesanal (Handicrafts market) is another nice place to hang out after a meal. It’s nice just to sit in the leafy courtyard, surrounded by swaying palm trees, listening to the waves rushing over the rocks. Here you can buy small souvenirs, t-shirts, ornamental boobies and other tiny local crafts. The shops here are well stocked and you will very rarely be short of any necessities. Although because of expense you may chose to buy toiletries, camera film, batteries, clothes etc from the mainland it’s unreasonable to weigh down a suitcase of things that can be bought here for a slightly higher price.
In comparison to other Islands that I’ve lived on in the world, Santa Cruz lacks the pretentiousness that other places seem to harbor. The Galapagos Islands doesn’t need to prove or sell itself and the people here seem to understand that.
Perhaps that’s why you are very rarely harassed or asked to buy things that you don’t want or need. The locals are genuinely friendly and within three days of my arrival I kept hearing my name as people greeted me in the streets. Although my heart lies in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, where I spent my time teaching English, Santa Cruz is most certainly a nice place to live and definitely worth spending some time there.
Galapagos Cruises: handpicked yachts and cruises in the Galapagos Islands, last minute deals and group discounts on Galapagos cruises.