Garrapatero Beach - Beach Puerto Ayora - Ecuador

Located outside of Puerto Ayora, Garrapatero Beach is a favorite among locals and visitors alike. It’s a gorgeous white sand beach perfect for swimming, lounging or even a bit of snorkeling. There are mangroves around it and even the little trail to the beach is interesting.
Getting there is a bit of a trick: you’ll have to take a taxi and the ride is about 40 minutes or so. The taxi will not wait for you, but will come back for you if you tell him when. There are usually no taxis waiting there. Once you reach the parking lot, there is a 15 minute walk to the beach along an easy trail. You can also get here by bike: it’s about a two hour ride from Puerto Ayora.
There are no souvenir stands, restaurants, drink vendors or anything else at the beach: that’s the whole charm of it, but be sure to bring everything you need. There are no trash cans either, so bring a bag for your garbage.
Beware of the manzanillo trees: they’re poisonous. They’re labeled, so just don’t eat the little apples or sleep under the tree.
Although it’s part of the park system, it’s public access, so anyone can go there from Puerto Ayora with no need of any naturalist guides. There is a park ranger patrolling the area to make sure all regulations are complied with. Keep an eye on any valuables as petty theft is not unheard of.
Hike Difficulty (From parking lot): 1/5
Highly likely to see:
Sally Lightfoot Crabs
Marine Iguanas
Probable to see:
mockingbirds
Finches
Possible to see:
Galapagos Pintail Ducks
Flamingos (in a little lagoon nearby)
oystercatchers
Stilts
Herons

Location:


Puerto Ayora, Ecuador

Beach

Getting There

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