Santa Cruz

Island

By Karey Fuhs

Santa Cruz is the most tourist-friendly island with close proximity to the main airport at Baltra and the largest resident population. It is also the second-largest island in the Galápagos Islands.

In addition to its easy access and tourist infrastructure, Santa Cruz offers visitors the opportunity to explore lava tunnels and sinkholes, creep next to a giant land tortoise in its natural environment, swim at the beach or in a rocky crag, learn about scientific methodologies being utilized on the islands to confront the conservation threat of introduced species, or dance the night away in Puerto Ayora.

Other island highlights include:

The Charles Darwin Research Center in Puerto Ayora with the famous Lonesome George, the last of a subspecies of giant Galápagos tortoise to survive introduced predators.

The beaches around Puerto Ayora offer excellent surfing, swimming and sun soaking.

Two hills: Cerro Crocker, the highest point on Santa Cruz, and El Puntudo require a guide, but offer great hiking, biking or horseback riding from the main road, taking in the typical highland flora and fauna.

The Tunel del Mirador, is a lava tube extending more than one kilometer underground. You can explore the tunnels on your own or with a tour organized in Puerto Ayora.

Two visitor sites reached by boat: Bachas Beach, where you can walk along the white-sand beach and see flamingoes, and Black Turtle Cove, where you can kayak in the clear waters and see sharks, rays, and other marine creatures.