We like to mark major birthdays with travel to once-in-a-lifetime destinations. For Ramiro’s 40th this was the Galápagos Islands. Six hundred miles off the coast of Ecuador — the distance of New York to Chicago — the chain of isolated islands straddle the equator, smack in the Pacific Ocean. Flights to and from the highly sensitive, UNESCO World Heritage protected ecosystem are strictly limited to two airports in Ecuador.
An internet search quickly revealed the complexities of flights, lodging, required permits, language, and inter-island transit. Though highly experienced as a global traveler, I know my limits and decided the use of a travel agent would be best.
And good thing we did! By the time I had contacted the agent there was already a wait list for our target travel dates. Luckily, cancellations freed up seats on flights and boats, enabling us to secure an itinerary.
Travel Tip: non-refundable business class fares to South America on Copa Airlines through Panama cost about the same as economy on American or Delta. From Washington, many South American cities require a connection anyway so I highly recommend skipping the cheap seats through Miami or Atlanta and flying Copa in style!
One night in Quito
A late arrival in Quito and an o’darkthirty flight the next morning meant a short night in a nearby airport hotel. Photos of airport hotels are rarely featured in travel write-ups but The Eurobuilding in Quito was a welcome surprise; very beautifully designed! The manager who checked us in also personally arranged a return airport transfer, ensuring we made the early flight to San Cristóbal.
Playing with sea lions
There are 15 major islands in the Galápagos, only three of which are inhabited: San Cristóbal, Santa Cruz, and Isabela. Our travel agent wanted us to experience all that the Galápagos has to offer so arranged for us to stay a few nights at each island. Not only did this enable us to experience each island’s attractions, it provided multiple launch points to explore many of the uninhabited environments that surround them.
Home of the the Parque Nacional Galápagos Welcome Center, San Cristóbal was the perfect starting point. Day one included a private tour of the 1 square kilometer town, a visit to the Welcome Center, and hikes along trails that lead to the Mulle Tijeretas snorkeling bay and Playa Punta Carola beach where we first encountered the Galápagos’ spectacular wildlife!
The VERY FIRST time in the water we encountered a sea lion pup. Apparently, they want nothing more than to play all day. When other sea lions are in the water they will play with them. If other sea lions aren’t around, however, they will play with whatever is in the water, which happened to be Ramiro and I.
Point Pitt
Staying in San Cristóbal also enabled us to explore Point Pitt. Accessible only by boat, Point Pitt is home to the very rare, blue-footed boobies. Viewing the exotic birds requires a 3-hour hike along the island’s steep cliffs, though the effort is completely forgotten when you experience them up close. In addition to bird watching, the 9-hour excursion included 2 snorkeling stops and lunch of fresh caught ceviche.
High Adventure Holiday
If you’re seeking rum-soaked days relaxing at beaches and poolside cabanas followed by nights filled with drinks and dancing, this is not the destination for you. Only Santa Cruz had bars — three I think — and only a few hotels actually faced the sand or had pools, certainly none had a swim up bar.
Which is okay, because that’s not why you travel to the Galápagos. Visiting the Galápagos is an adventure … and I mean ADVENTURE. Our itinerary included excursions every day that began with a driver picking us before 7:00 AM and only returning to the hotel well after 5:00 PM. Even if notable nightlife existed, we would have skipped it: staying awake for even a minute past sunset was a challenge.
Accommodation is comfortable but basic. There are no chain hotels. Comforts that are customary in global hotel brands are absent: robes, slippers, flushable toilet paper, None of the rooms had televisions, which I appreciated. Research before departure prepared us for what we were getting into … wildlife. And wild it was. Only change I would make: high speed internet! Uploading a single photo to Instagram often took more than an hour, faster on the 3G network than available WiFi. No connection was fast enough to post to Facebook.
That said, San Cristóbal is an excellent launchpad for a vacation in the Galápagos. Three days and nights proved plenty to explore its many attractions and enjoy the wildlife. Next stop: Santa Cruz!
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