When I was planning for my around-the-world trip, I almost skipped the Galápagos. It’s so darn expensive! But my brother who went last year convinced me to go now while I had the chance - who knows what’s going to happen to the delicate ecosystem with global warming?
I’m so, so glad I went! The Galápagos is a paradise on earth unlike anything else I had ever seen* (maybe Raja Ampat in Indonesia is a close second). Here, the wildlife takes center stage, the landscapes so unique, and the conservation efforts top-notch. I have to confess - it’s hard to write about the Galápagos. How could one capture the marvelous wildlife and nature through words? But I’ll try my best.
Within the first minutes of arriving at the tiny airport on Baltra Island, I was already so excited to see Daphne Major, which I recognized as the island where groundbreaking work on evolution has been done since 1970s. In the next hour, I was on my way of snapping hundreds of pictures at the small fish market in Puerto Ayora (the largest human settlement in the Galápagos). I saw pelicans fighting for fish scraps against a fierce heron, a sea lion napping and another one begging for food right beside a fisherman cleaning his catch, a group of student researchers measuring the stats of some of the biggest lobsters (or crayfish?) I had ever seen, and tourists gawking (and sometimes, terrorized by the pelicans) at all this commotion at the market. I was mesmerized, but nothing prepared me for what I was about to see on the other islands on my cruise aboard Eden Yacht.
The cruise brought us to many of the Galápagos famed islands, and allowed us more time to spend observing the wildlife. Everywhere I looked, I saw extraordinary animals in action. I’m just going to let pictures do the talking to show some of my favorite wildlife moments. To make it fun, let’s follow the circle of life. It won’t be the same type of animals, of course, but it’s even better because it shows the diversity of Galapagos’ wildlife!
Everything started from the act of procreation. But even before then, a lot of the animals in the Galapagos had to compete to attract the opposite sex.
These two sally lightfoot crabs were fighting; the marginally bigger crab was firmly grabbing the other crab’s claws. This fight might end with the smaller crab losing its claws - survival of the fittest in action. A quick research indicated that the crabs fight to win the females. It was one of the most *fascinating* thing I witnessed during my Galápagos trip. When was the last time you amputate another man’s arm to win a lady?
This male blue-footed booby was doing a mating dance to attract the female... who was not paying attention to him.
Maybe heart-shaped wings would be more eye-catching?
But nothing was more eye-catching than a bright red chest of a magnificent frigate bird, especially against the grey sky at dawn.
With all that mating display, some were successful in finding a mate to give birth to the next generation. A male flightless cormorant (of which there are less than 500 pairs left) was guarding its chick in its nest, located just *right* by the visitor trail at Punta Espinoza on Isla Fernandina - we were very lucky to see this up close and personal!
Once the babies got a little older, the parents could leave them in the nest while they looked for food. Pictured here were very fluffy magnificent frigate bird juveniles. As they grew, they would shed the white down, to be replaced by black feathers which were more streamlined for flying.
A baby doing what babies do best - drink its mother's milk. But it stopped for a few seconds to take a good look at this human with a long lens camera.
A baby Galapagos penguin that had almost completely molted is sunbathing at Elizabeth Bay on Isla Isabela. It's all part of growing up!
Next, comes the hard part of hunting for food. The birds (pelicans here, but there are boobies and frigate birds too) were on a feeding frenzy in the late afternoon. They flew, dove down to capture fish, and flew back up again - the resulting scene was a sky full of birds and splashes of water everywhere, like pictured below.
The birds could be very opportunistic. The blue-footed booby in this picture dove and stole a piece of fish from the poor flightless cormorant. Not such a cute booby anymore!
Some other animals enjoyed a much more relaxed meal though, like this giant tortoise calmly munching on flowers.
And this sally lightfoot crab picking algae off the rocks.
As well as this land iguana eating its grass diet.
And after the all the hard work, it's time for a siesta!
But what's better than a siesta? A group siesta! Some islands in the Galápagos have SO MANY marine iguanas, that they crawl over each other to get some sun, which they need to help digest their algae diet. I particularly love this group - they seemed to get along well with each other!
Sometimes it could be hard to nap in peace, though. Your neighbor might be disturbing you.
Some inhabitants enjoyed such a long life. This giant tortoise was probably over a century old. It had not always been this way, though. The first humans who arrived on the islands used to carry them off on their voyages to eat because they could last for a couple of years without food and water.
To complete the circle of life, what nature creates, it also takes away. (Although I have to say I love how this iguana die sunbathing!)
This poor baby sea lion's mother likely died (possibly eaten by a shark?), and as a result the baby couldn't nurse and died.
But death gives way to new life, always.
The Galapagos is such a heaven for wildlife, thanks to its extremely robust conservation efforts. There is a limited number of people who can visit the islands, and they must visit at a designated time with official guides. The guides themselves are not your average guide - they are very passionate and extremely knowledgeable, some with Master's degrees. Permits are required to live on the few inhabited islands (Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, and Floreana), even for Ecuadorians - and the other islands are off-limits. Visitors are not allowed to come any closer than 2 meters (6 feet) from the animals.
But outside of the Galapagos, we still have a long, long way to protect our fellow beings. For example, one of our guides told us that there was a Chinese boat that accidentally drifted into Galapagos waters and was caught with over 3400 tons (!!) of dead sharks. He said that there are around 500 more of those boats in international waters - imagine how many more sharks are being killed on a daily basis!
If nothing else, I hope these pictures convince you to visit the Galapagos, learn how to live with and respect all lives - human and non-human, plants and animals - and be an advocate for conservation.
Until next time, love our fellow beings and love our earth. Adios!
Don't go just yet! Here's how you can plan your trip to the Galapagos:
What was my itinerary like?
Aug 15: Leave New York for Quito
Aug 17: Fly to the Galapagos
Aug 19-26: 8-day cruise on the Galapagos aboard Eden Yacht
Aug 27-30: 3 days of diving with Academy Bay Diving and 1 day trip to Bartolome Island
Aug 31: Fly back out to Quito
When is the best time to go to the Galapagos?
Different times of the year give you different experiences. I personally went at the end of August, which was Galapagos' dry season with colder temperatures (don't get confused, you read that right!).
One of the pros of going in the dry season was the presence of big marine animals (whale sharks, molas, hammerhead sharks) that love the cold open waters. One of the cons was that I had to wear a 7mm wetsuit, an additional inner vest, plus a hood to stay warm when diving. Regardless, I had a great time and saw so much wildlife.
This page has a good month-by-month animal events on the Galapagos.
How can you get there?
Everyone goes to the Galapagos by plane - there’s no other way. All flights to the Galapagos come from either Quito or Guayaquil.
Be careful when you purchase your flight; there are two rates available - one for Ecuadorians and another for foreigners. Read the terms and conditions as well as footnotes carefully. If you're buying the ticket in Spanish, there is a higher likelihood that you are on a wrong page.
I accidentally bought one for Ecuadorians (it was a lot cheaper), but I had to pay a fine when the airport crew found out about it. It ended up being slightly more expensive than the correct ticket type for foreigners.
How much does it cost?
Here are some indicative prices at the time of writing (August 2018):
US$100 to enter the Galapagos
~US$500 for flights (plus the miscellaneous transport cost - bus and ferries - depending on your itinerary)
~US$25/night in a budget hotel
~US$5 to $20 for a meal
~US$2,000 for an 8-day last-minute cruise ticket. I went with Eden Yacht, which was the best experience ever
~US$180 for a day of diving (2 dives). I went with Academy Bay Diving
Where can you stay?
Aside from 7 nights on the cruise itself, I stayed at cheap hostels to make sure that I have enough money for the cruise! On Santa Cruz, I stayed at Hostal España and Hostal Gardner (the latter has dorm rooms). On San Cristobal, I stayed at Hostal La Posada De Jose Carlos. All of them provide good basic accommodations.
On that note, which island is the best to stay at?
This depends on what you are looking for.
Santa Cruz (with Puerto Ayora as the town) is the most developed out of all the islands, it is a good base to do day trips and also a good place to inquire about last minute cruise tickets. San Cristobal is calmer, but there are still shops and agencies around. Isla Isabela is the quietest, so you can go there if you want to relax and stay away from the crowd.
How do you choose the best cruise?
TripAdvisor is your friend. Join a Facebook group called Girls Love Travel to get travel advice. If you have some time on the islands, ask other visitors how their experiences aboard their cruise are. The latter was what my brother did when he was in the Galapagos, and he found Eden Yacht. I just followed my brother's recommendation and went with them - I believe that Eden was the best value for money (and no, I'm not paid to advertise for them).
Unfortunately, finding Eden Yacht's direct website is confusing. The boat is run by a family business called Aida Maria, but at the time of writing their website is down. I was able to book a spot through Margot at Adore Ecuador, who provided excellent service and advice. If you want more details on the boat and its itineraries, I found it here. But note that this is another agent's website and I did not book my trip there.
You can also go to Eden's physical office in Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz island).
On a related note, shout out to the wonderful crew at Eden Yacht for the hospitality (having a charming brother who took the same trip last year helped), and for my fellow guests: you are the best yacht-mates one could ever ask for. Thank you for such a memorable trip, and I do really hope we cross paths again one day!
Any recommendations for food and/or drinks?
The row of kiosks in Puerto Ayora (on the island of Santa Cruz) was good and cheap. $5 for soup, a main, and a drink! You can search for it on Google maps or ask around.
How can you maximize your time and money?
In my opinion, it’s much better to bite the bullet and get a 8-day cruise. I was advised that the West itinerary (the one that goes to the western islands) is more interesting than the East.
If your time is more flexible, get a last minute deal in Quito, or even in the Galapagos itself, to get a cheaper price (up to 40%).
How safe is the Galapagos for a solo female traveler?
In general, I felt that the Galapagos was very safe. The whole islands run on tourism, so the locals have incentives to keep the islands safe to keep tourists coming. I had no problems waking up and taking a walk alone before sunrise. But, as always, use common sense!
How can you ensure that you have a great time?
Only go with well-reviewed and well-reputed companies. TripAdvisor is your friend. Check, double check, and triple check the emails, websites, and phone numbers of the agencies you’re corresponding with. You don’t want to get ripped off of thousands of dollars and miss out on your cruise trip
Know how you react to motion sickness. I, for example, am lucky not to be affected by motion sickness. I slept on the top bunk on the second floor, which is arguably where it swayed the most on the entire boat - but I knew I was okay with it. If you have motion sickness, request a room on the first floor
Know whether you like roller coasters. At some point of your Galapagos trip, you may need to take a speed boat. If you hate roller coasters, sit towards the back of the speed boat, not the front, because the back of the boat is much more stable
Protect yourself from the rain. Rain shells and waterproof bags are very useful
Protect yourself from the temperature. The Galapagos, even though it's on the equator, is nothing like the islands in Indonesia, for example. It can get cold (think Bay Area weather). Layers are your friends.
Rent a wetsuit from your tour agent / boat if you come during the cold season. You’ll be able to enjoy your snorkeling activities a lot more, and also you don’t want to fall sick when you’re in the Galapagos!
Bring everything you need from mainland before you arrive at the Galapagos. Everything, including toiletries, are sold at a premium on the islands. A bottle of sunblock can cost US$30!
For the photographers out there: check that you have all your equipments ready before you leave, and bring zoom lenses. There are no good camera stores in the Galapagos and Ecuador in general. I tried finding a camera cleaner all over Quito, and NONE sell it. The only camera repair shop I came across told me to fly to the US to get the $6 cleaner.
For people who need to check/send work emails, or need to stay connected in general: be warned that Internet connection is extremely slow, especially during the daytime. I would suggest not bothering to even try - just stay in the moment and enjoy all that the Galapagos has to offer. If you must, the Internet is slightly faster when everybody else is sleeping on the islands (so, midnight to 5am). It goes without saying that there’s no Internet while you’re cruising
When you are not on a cruise, wake up before sunrise to visit the beaches, miradors (viewpoints), and other places of attractions and avoid the crowd. I did this and was rewarded with quiet, tranquil, and beautiful sights. On my way back at 8am, a horde of 50 tourists were coming in. So glad to have dodged them!
What would I have done differently for my Galapagos trip?
I wouldn’t dive for 3 days. You go to the Galapagos to see the big stuff - that means the whale sharks at the Darwin and Wolf islands which can only be reached by a live aboard (not land-based diving). So, if you do a land-based diving, a day at the Gordon Rocks is enough. The rest of the Galapagos (corals, reef fishes, temperature, visibility) can’t compete with Indonesia’s dive sites. Gasp, yes, there I said it!
I wouldn’t spend a couple hundred dollars for a day trip to Isla Bartolome. Pulau Padar in Indonesia is way more beautiful, and way cheaper as well. This experience also furthered my argument that one should do a cruise instead of land-based trips. There was too much time traveling, and the day boat and its amenities couldn’t match the services provided on a cruise.
Finally, what book would I recommend in anticipation for a trip to the Galapagos? (I love reading about the place I'm visiting, so I thought it'd be fun to have a short book recommendation section on this post.)
I loved "The Beak of the Finch" by Jonathan Weiner, which I chose based on New York Times' review. Only Weiner can make a highly academic topic like evolution such a fun read. It was also very informative; I came away with a much deeper understanding of evolution that made me appreciate life in the Galapagos that much more.
Answering some reader questions…
Is the Galapagos expensive to travel to?
The short answer is yes - around US$2000 for an 8-day cruise. It’s breaking my bank and made me go over my intended daily backpacking budget for sure. It’s possible to do it more cheaply (by taking day trips), but then I’m not sure if you’d have an equally great time and see much wildlife. I would recommend saving until you can afford a cruise.
Also, note that the rest of South America is very cheap (even cheaper than Southeast Asia, I discovered!). It averages out when you go to other places.
Does it feel touristy?
The Galapagos runs on tourism. There are no two ways about it, that’s their economy and that’s how they fund their conservation programs. However, they are really, really good in regulating the tourists, so I never felt overwhelmed by the presence of too many tourists.
Is it possible to enjoy the Galapagos for a short holiday?
Yes, but you should budget out at least 9-10 days in the Galapagos itself. Maybe make it a two-week vacation and combine it with another place to visit in Ecuador (possibly Quito and Guayaquil since you have to fly through them anyway, and Otavalo if you have the time).
What’s the coolest animal I saw?
Man, there were so many! They were all cool!!
One sunset, we saw a feeding frenzy where hundreds, if not thousands, of birds were flying and diving into the water to hunt for fish. There were splashes everywhere. That was probably the coolest thing I saw.
Oh, snorkeling with four playful, yet super graceful, sea lions, was one of the highlights of my trip.
Oh oh oh, there was also a moment where a couple sperm whales showed up right beside our boat, played with their flippers for us humans to gawk at, and then swam RIGHT underneath the boat to surface again on the other side. Mind you, these gentle giants were almost the size of our boat!
Did I experience any moments of fear or anxiousness?
In the Galapagos specifically? Not at all! It was a very laid back and wonderful experience.
So, that’s the scoop on the Galapagos! In short, the Galapagos is expensive, but it was an experience of a lifetime that was well worth it for me and anyone who loves wildlife and photography.
Last note, to my fellow Indonesians: We don't need a visa to go to Ecuador. We can just pack our bags and go! I think it's a much more interesting place to visit compared to, say, overly visited Europe. What else are you waiting for?
Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions!