Playa Ratonera - Beach Puerto Ayora - Ecuador

From Playa de la Estación, a path leads south to Playa Ratonera. This white-sand beach is a perfect place to watch the sun set over Academy Bay. Despite the rocky outcrops, this is a favorite place for Puerto Ayora’s surfers. Often sea lions swim by to wave to anyone hanging out. When the sea goes out, tidal pools form in the lava-rock basins in which sea slugs, eels, octopus and a myriad of fishes may be studied. Shore birds are also frequent visitors. At the north end are mangrove stands. Beach morning glory, saltbush and sea purslane embroider the sand.

Trail Difficulty: 2/5

It’s about 5 minutes past Playa de la Estación. Beware walking on the rocks when tidal pooling, as they can be slick.

Open Hours: 6 a.m.-6 p.m.

Highly Probable to See:

* Lava Lizards

* Marine Iguanas

* Sally Lightfoot Crab

* Finches

* Great Frigatebird

* Lava Gull

* Brown Pelicans

Probable to See:

* Sea lions

* Great Blue Heron

* Striated Heron

* Ruddy Turnstone

* Semipalmated Plover

* American Oystercatcher

* Wandering Tattler

* Whimbrel

* Sea urchins

Possible to See:

* Blue-footed Booby

* Moray Eel

* Panamic Nightsergeant

* Blennies

* Galápagos Hoffmannola

* Galápagos Onchidella

* Giant Galápagos Chiton

* Orange Doris

* Warty Seacat

Location:


Galápagos Island Visitor Sites, Puerto Ayora, Ecuador

Beach Types:
Beach, Surfing, Fauna observation, Sunbathing

Getting There

Travel Tips: Tidal pools form at low tide. Do not touch any of the creatures in them, or dusturb the water.

Price Description:

Relative price: Free

Open Hours from:6 a.m.

Open Hours to:6 p.m.

Travel Skills: None

You Need to Bring:

Currencies accepted
US dollar

About this Page

By Lorraine Caputo

Upon re-declaring her independence at age 29, Lorraine Caputo packed her trusty Rocinante (so her knapsack's called) and began...

Updated: 28 Dec 2010