An amazing beach at the end of a torturous walk in crazy heat! The first main beach is incredible with fine white sand, iguanas, and beautiful waves. The walk to get there is very interesting but make sure you take water and hopefully you're in good shape. The 2nd beach is like a swimming pool. Warm water,no works, and no waves. Very peaceful, fair amount of people. We went with a group of older people so we had to take the boat back, which was a great solution.

Great walk from town to this soft sand beach with lots of marine iguanas. However, this beach is not for swimming. Keep walking, and around the corner is another beach that is for swimming. Visibility is horrendous, so don’t bother snorkeling. But there are a lot of birds, Iguana’s, and most importantly you can take a water taxi back to town for $10 a person.

So Santa Cruz was our last island and so this beach didn’t seem as cool compared to some of the others on Isabela or San Cristobal. I will say it’s very clean and vast but I didn’t see too much wildlife compared to the other beaches. It’s a nice hike in and definitely worth the visit for the island.

It's about a 35-40 minute walk. We enjoyed the beach here. We got to see baby hammerhead sharks, iguanas, some fish, and birds. The water was clear and not too cold. The sand was fine and very soft. We also enjoyed kayaking and got to see some rays and baby sharks. Definitely worth a stop if you are in Santa Cruz!

Fabulous beach - according to Conde Nest one of the top ten beaches in the world. A great walk from the main port - bring water. The walk from the ranger station to the beach is paved the entire way. (See pictures). Tortuga Bay is actually two beaches - a “rougher” water beach and the calm side. We walked to the first beach - considered the rougher one and it was beautiful and on this Sunday afternoon had very few people on the beach. The white sand is remarkable. Had we walked further we would have reached the calmer beach - which our traveling companions lamented was “packed”. Wall to wall people. We were happy for the semi-isolated beach we enjoyed. An easy walk from town- will take about 45 minutes.

Lovely place to spot marine iguanas and some wild life! Easy walk from the city and it was free!! Please beware that the park closes at 16:30.

Nice walk from Puerto Ayora. Unfortunately it started pouring before I got there so didn't get much exploration done. Looked very pretty though. Make sure you pay attention to the flags of you are going here to swim. The currents are very strong. In fact a person drowned a few days before because they went swimming when it was a red flag. I left my hotel at 645 to walk down there and there were only a few other people on the trail, mostly runners. It was about 2.6km from my hotel which is about 5 mins past the main dock. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the area with some free time. The water taxis from the dock will take you as well and save you a one way walk if you choose.

Very beautiful place. Not great for spotting wild life / marine life but we did see small sharks, marine iguanas and a sea lion. The views are great and the water warm, as advertised :)

Tortuga Bay lies at the end of a half hour walk along a paved pathway through interesting landscapes. It has a stunning white sand beach, with the finest almost powder like sand I've seen. The beautiful different blues of the water are incredible, changing like a gradient as the water deepens. We weren't allowed to swim at Tortuga Bay due to dangerous water conditions, but it was still stunning to see, and at the other end of the bay was a natural pool where marine iguanas sunbath next to mangroves. Just past that is another smaller beach which was lovely to swim at with some shade under the small trees by the beach. We saw a baby hammerhead shark swimming for hours in the shallows there. There was kayak hire at the other end of the small beach. Other tourists seemed to come by boat from town and land in this small bay too.

It was really cold. You better rent a wetsuit at the time of this year. If you want to see sharks, just go to the end of the beach and you don't even need snorkeling gear. They are swimming/resting in knee deep area almost.

Most beautiful beach in all of the Galapagos! Free entrance but it’s about a 40 minute walk from the road to the beach and it is hot!! Bring water, food, and sunscreen because there is no one selling it once you’re there. They do have sea turtles if you swim further into the ocean/ we saw two! Water Taxi is $10 one way if you prefer that (much easier and it will save you almost 2 hours).

Breathtaking white sand beach full of wildlife. Bring a snorkel and check out the creatures that live in the lagoon.

About a 40-minute walk from town through a forest of cacti and Palo Santa trees. Really beautiful nature walk, but LOTS of water, sunscreen, and a hat are a MUST, as there's almost no shade, and it's very hot. The expansive first beach you arrive at is gorgeous. Keep walking to the right and you'll see lots of iguanas and pelicans. Just a few minutes past that area, you'll come to a really nice, calm swimming area in a bay. There are some trees for shade to put your towel under, and posts with hooks to hang your things. Some snorkeling can be done here as well, although I didn't. Mostly kids were snorkeling, so I'm not sure there was a ton to see. It's a really nice relaxing area to swim. You can take the water taxi back to town for $10, but the last one is at 5pm, and you need to ask around and find the person wandering the beach to book it. Great way to spend an afternoon, or morning.

Beautiful beach, but you cannot swim due to strong currents. There is another beach nearby, where you can swim. The water is not clear sue to Sand, so you can skip snorkeling.

Beautiful bay. Bring your own snorkel and equipment because i couldn’t see anywhere to rent. Saw baby hammerhead in the water. Lots of iguanas

beautiful beach. clean and an abundance of iguanas. not for swimming however due to strong undertow. surfers were getting g some short rides. walk about a mile or so to a smaller beach more like a lagoon where water is calm.

Beautiful beach, about 40 minute walk from the entrance. Worth a stop here to relax and enjoy. So I went there first time on a Sunday… way more crowded. Went back on Monday and it was way better in terms of crowds. The beach in the cove is beautiful and relaxing.

This is the best beach in the area period if you want to see a breathtaking place this is the one. I was so shocked when I got here. there is two sides to this place playa brava wich have very strong tides snd it is not recommended to swim here and the other side is playa mansa wich is perfect for swimming, snorkeling and kayak in this side there is boats incoming every couple hours that you can reserve for 10 dollars to come back to the dock you can walk too but is a 7km round walk.

Get ready to walk 2.5 Km from the main entrance to the beach (around 30 to 45 mins). Wearing sneakers and then switching to sandals is the way to go, bring some bottles of water and lots of sunscreen. Bringing your own snorkel equipment along with your goPro is the way to go so you can enjoy the marine life there, beach is quite shallow and you can swim inside the permitted area with no issues or renting the kayak.

This is a free beach to visit in the Galápagos. You'll have to walk here from Puerto Ayora or take a water taxi to a neighboring beach and walk a little bit backwards. Walking here from town takes maybe 50 minutes. There's a check in booth near the trailhead just past the energy center. You'll find restrooms there, but even that's still a 30 minute walk to the beach. It's a beautiful area. The sand is extremely fine and perfectly white. Iguanas are everywhere. Turtles sometimes use this beach for laying eggs as their nests are marked. Be careful with the tide as it swings fast. I'd visit again any time.

My favorite and most beautiful beach during my visit to Galapagos Islands. You will see iguanas, friendly sharks and a lot of fish to see under water..We did the hike and it's not difficult but it is somewhat challenging due to the heat. There were 1-2 ppl on my way back sitting catching their breath. They were of an older age. I gave one my water as she was red as a tomato, so make sure to bring at least 1 bottle of water per person. My wife and I did the hike and it was approximately 45 mins one way. They do say there is a boat that can take you back for $10 a person but I never saw that boat. IG: love_to_exist

Check out the tortoises. Definitely a must see. We had the luck of having a very knowledgeable guide. It’s $10 a person, children half the price, but definitely worth it.

This research station has its own small beach as well as beautiful tortoises. you can access from 7 until 5, but the one side is with a guide only tour. it was very informative, and we learned a lot about the diverse and unique wild life in the island.

Definitely worth visiting if you are in the area. Some great displays and a lot of turtle breeding going on (it’s more interesting than I can make it sound)

A good place to learn lots about the islands and the amazing wildlife. $10 PP entry as you cannot enter without a guide. Of course the tortoises are amazing. A great cause and worth the small entry fee. The tour was around 1 hour 45 minutes.

You'll need a tour guide if you want to actually know anything when you're walking. Otherwise, it'll be a plain walk in the park. When you do get one, you'll learn so much about the area, animals, people, and history. It'll be hot so bring water and a hat. The baby tortoises 🐢 were the best part.

A must-see facility dedicated to the protection of all animals in Galapagos, and also houses the largest tortoise breeding facility in the islands. Seeing the tortoises requires joining a group for $10, & some guides only speak Spanish so ask when checking in at the gazebo. The Exhibition Hall is Free & has lots of little exhibits, & the gift shop is perfect for souvenirs, all which contribute funding to the research station. There is a nice little beach located on the grounds which is free to access & provides a nice spot to get in the water that is much closer to town than the other two beaches on Santa Cruz. Pay respects to Lonesome George, the world's last Pinta Island Tortoise (now extinct), and appreciate how fragile our planet is.

A must-visit in Puerto Ayora. Of course you should see the tortoise breeding center and the exhibition hall is a nice little museum, but also check out the scientific library for a great selection of materials across biology and evolutionary theory, and be sure to visit the beautiful new sculpture of Darwin as the young explorer, adventurer, and field naturalist he would have been when he visited Galápagos during the voyage of the Beagle in 1835 at the age of 26! As an added bonus there are a couple of nice little beaches as well where you can do a bit of snorkeling or surfing. This is seriously pretty much my favorite place in the world.

Walking distance from center of Puerto Ayora. Interesting to learn the story of Lonesome George. Mostly exhibits. I was hoping to see more live things such as turtle hatching. But overall okay experience.

Definitely worth seeing. You're not allowed to see much if you don't take the 10 dollar guided tour but I think it's worth it. You can see different species of turtles you won't otherwise see on Santa Cruz.

Good place to understand a bit more about the biodiversity of the islands, ideal if you are curious about biology. The entrance is for free and is a good walk from Santa Cruz's Dock. Close to the station you will find several small beaches where you can interact with the local fauna, like zayapas and marine iguanas (see videos). Always 2 m away, of course!

Was told due to some European tourists complaining that they need to pay $10 to visit the center and this costs a lot for the whole family and now the government does not provide the tour guide in the center. (Hence is free). But tourists need to pay an external tour guide in order to have a guide tour and visit the center to see Lonesome George's body. It's double ridiculous. It's hard to find the external tour guide on the day or even in the morning.

This is a free museum and exhibition hall that showcases the importance of conservation in the Galápagos. They have wonderful wall exhibits and skeletons of creatures native to the islands that hell drove home the message. There are short films shown in the back as well. Wi-Fi isn't available. Souvenirs are available.

The Charles Darwin Research Station is located on the shore of Academy Bay in the village of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos Islands. The station is operated by the Charles Darwin Foundation, and the research station serves as the headquarters for the foundation and is used to conduct scientific research and promote environmental education. The Research Station, established in 1959 and dedicated in 1964, has a natural history interpretation center and also carries out educational projects in support of conservation of the Galápagos Islands, and in support of external researchers visiting the islands to conduct field work.

The entrance is not free. It’s obligatory to pay $10 USD for a national park guide to walk you through the site. Because you can only visit with a guide, there are timed entries for both English and Spanish visits (see attached photo for specific start times). The guide walks you through, and you must go at his pace, even when that means skipping certain areas altogether. Would be much better if they just charged an entrance fee and then stationed guides around to offer explanations, answer questions, and keep an eye on guests. The current setup is quite restrictive and made my visit less enjoyable. If you’ve already seen giant tortoises elsewhere on your Galapagos trip, you could skip the research station. You only see the babies for a few minutes, and the explanation about how the eggs are gathered from the wild and incubated at the center is one that could be easily picked up elsewhere. I didn’t dislike my time there, but I wouldn’t go out of my way again to visit; nor would I include it in a list of “must see/do activities in Puerto Ayora”. I’d say it’s only *really* worth it if that’s your only chance to see the giant tortoises.

There are a limited number of displays that you can access for free. However, if you want to walk the turtle trail think of it as a $10 admission fee and a free guide. The guide was informative and entertaining for our group of 10. You'll see several pens where they are raising turtles from the egg all the way up to old ones that never were released into the wild. The old turtles have a fence that is pretty close to the trail and you may get some good pictures there. Be aware there are other places in the interior where you could see turtles in their natural environment if that is your primary goal. You will also see a preserved Lonesome George who died a few years ago.

This was definitely one of the highlights of my trip to the Galapagos Islands. We were in a time crunch, so the tour went way too fast! What a great place to visit! I would definitely go back if I make it back to the Islands.

As of June 2022, if you are visiting without a tour you have to pay a $10 fee at the entry for a guide. We loved ours! It wasn’t crowded when we got there and we swam for about 45 min. Water was beautiful (and cold). One interesting thing we discover is that they are building another deck (see picture) for people who only go there by taking the “Bay Tour”, so it doesn’t get too crowded.

It’s about 20 minutes walk from the starting point and you can only go with a guide. It’s $10/person and the experience was amazing. We walked by some endemic cactus trees and then we got up on the hill and the view was spectacular. Las Grietas was right there , amazing view from the top if you don’t want to take a swim. But you can also experience that and do some snorkeling there.

Not super special, but a very nice side trip if you have a day to spare in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz. Probably a little overpriced, but found it worth it. Supporting the locals!

Mixed feelings on the experience over all. It's a good activity and families with kids will enjoy the feeling of seclusion and the water. The tour guide was nice and explained the flora and fauna on our way in. However, it's by far the most popular activity you'll see hear about around town, and I think it got me over hyped. We were discouraged from going any further in than the first pool, but I think the guide was just trying to make us understand that they wouldn't be liable for any injuries. Overall, it's a must try in Puerto Ayora

Nice place for a swim to cool off. As mentioned by others it's $10 per person, and tours leave the main entrance at 30 minutes after each hour. They will give you some basic info as you walk the trail and at the end you can swim for about 50 minutes. I would advise wearing closed toed shoes as the trail has a lot of rocks. You can bring water shoes if you want, but I didn't wear them.

Spectacular from the geological point of view, however not the best place for snorkeling as we only saw a few fish. Nevertheless, impressive underwater views, more than 10 m deep in some points! The tour is 12 USD in total as you have to arrive and come back by aqua taxi (10 + 1 + 1). It includes about 30 min talk/walk with a mandatory guide. Be careful with horseflies, there are plenty of them. Regarding your items, you can rely on your guide to watch them. It didn't look dodgy but be always careful of course.

To all tourists: Unless you've never seen a bird or a fish before, you can easily skip this one. The trail has very little to offer in terms of fauna (we literally saw a single bird from a distance and that's it). As for the grietas themselves, they were very disappointing, what you can see there is 2 kinds of fishes that you can barely see due to the muddiness of the water. I guess the price of 10$ makes this fair but I wouldn't come to Galapagos for that.

We had a lovely snorkeling experience here! I've posted the photo of the tour times below as you'll need to sign up and pay for one to enter if you're not a local resident (in that case it's free entry anytime). The tour was $10 and there are both Spanish speaking and English speaking guides available. You get to swim for 45min in the canyon and it's gorgeous, with super clear conditions and crisp cool water temperatures. If you're careful you can cross the rocks on the far side and continue all the way to the end, where there are steps leading up to a lovely oceanside view too.

Very impressive, you have to walk a bit to get there but it's definitely worth it!

The snorkeling here is incredible!! There’s a new fee of $10/person to get in with a guide and you only get to snorkel for 45 minutes but it’s 100% worth it. I’d do it again in a heart beat. The third grieta is the best in my opinion.

I truly had a blast coming here, but it was quite a journey to arrive, around 15 minutes walking! Tour guide was nice, but I take a star off because he wouldn't allow us to jump from the rocks, it's "policy" now. Anyways, would definitely recommend to anyone in Galapagos.

Beautiful swimming hole. A bit of a walk to get there, bring walking shoes. The tour seems unnecesssry for tourists but you learn a bit about the plants there. Saw big fish and eels in the water. Careful because tours leave every hour and you can’t go without one - we did 2:30pm

Had a really great time with this tour. You take a water taxi $1 and then a small walk, you can stop at German beach before and after if you would like. It's $10 admission with a guide. The early the better, in regards to what you will see

Disappointing experience. Our guide Mariana didn’t explain anything and didn’t even wait for us at the end of the tour, we basically walked back on our own. Honestly paying $10 was a ripe. Las Grietas is nice to see from the dock, but snorkeling is useless, we maybe saw 3 to 5 fishes there.

A place you have to visit during your stay in Santa Cruz. It's a beautiful water filled ravine, where you can swim among local fish. To get here you have to take a water taxi from Puerto Ayora pier, which will take you to a jetty on the other side of the bay. From there there's a short walk to the admission booth (you'll pass beautiful Playa los Alemanes). From there you'll have to go with a guide which will take you to Las Grietas. Be sure to wear proper shoes and to take water as well as swimming suits with you. Also: come here early in the morning, when there is less traffic

Not a lot of wildlife in the water but it’s definitely something to see while on the island. Note that you need to join a tour to access this so be sure to look at the times.

Awesome, beautiful place to swim and see parrot fish and other marine life swimming.

they couldn´t be less interested in showing us the tortoises. We had to wait over 30 min for a tour to start. The whole tour was 10 min tops and we only saw 5 of them. The guide run through everything as fast as possible. The lava tunnel are short pieces. Wouldn´t go to this farm, there are 2 more arounds.

This is a nature preserve for the giant tortoises on Santa Cruz. The turtles are considered wild as they come and go as they please. The number of turtles here varies by season so you might only see ten or you might see a few dozen! Boots are provided for hiking the site as it gets muddy very quickly. The cost to enter is $10, water cost $1 to fill a bottle and is very cold, and free tea and coffee is provided. There's a restaurant with reasonable prices and also free restrooms. The tour takes maybe an hour tops and includes three laval tubes, and then you're free to roam the park alone. It's absolutely worth a visit. Consider taking the blue local bus here from town for only $1 each way. You can even take your bike and return on the bike. The bus picks up across the street from the Municipal Market. It'll save you lots of money instead of taking a tour, plus you can visit as long as you'd like.

Everyone should visit this place full of wild Giant Galapagos Tortoises

It was cool to see these giant tortoises, and the setting is different than the rest of the islands we saw. The bathrooms were clean, and they had refreshments and food for purchase. I like that they provided boots for us to wear because it can get so wet and muddy. There was a lava cave which was cool to see. It was probably our least favorite excursion though.

We had a few hours between ferries going from San Cristobal to Isabela. This was the perfect excursion to fill that time instead of hanging around in town. $40 cab ride, and the driver waited to take us back when we were done. You get to see the Giant Tortoises up close and in their natural environment along with the lava tubes.

There is a $10 entrance fee to this ranch and you can get a short guided tour of the property. It takes about 10-20 minutes to see a few giant tortoises roaming the ranch and take a look at the lava tunnels and walk thru those. There is a cafe with a few items there though I didn't buy anything. Open space. Worth a visit on your taxi trip from the port to the channel for trip to Baltra airport. Otherwise may not be all that great as you can't really walk there (biking may be possible but strenous).

Beautiful place to see the turtles of the island

A novel experience walking alongside the giant tortoises here! The fee is 10 dollars per person for a guided tour, which includes a walk around the ranch looking for the tortoises as well as exploring the lava tunnels. Take a head torch if you want to go through the unlit section of the tunnels :) Gumboots are provided - take your own socks if you are wearing open shoes the day you visit, otherwise you'll have to purchase socks there. There is a restaurant, souvenir shop and bathrooms, as well as some tortoise shells to climb inside and understand their enormity! We hailed and shared a taxi between 4 people from Puerto Ayora for 45 dollars - the driver first took us to 'Los Gemelos' and waited for us whilst we did the 15 minute walk through the forest to look at the two sinkholes, and then took us to El Chato and again waited for us in order to drive us back. An awesome afternoon :)

Great place to see giant tortoises in Santa Cruz. We visited the place as a group and had our own guide. Rubber boots were provided. Short walk 30-40 minutes to see the huge turtles and the lava tunnel. Decent lunch was included. Impressive giant tortoises.

This ranch is a private place where they charge the entrance to go see the turtles and go through the lava natural formation tunnels as well as a coffee shop. this place was really good they provide you with a tour guy so you can ask them a lot of questions about the place and all of the things that they have to offer.

A perfect place to meet the wonderful Galapagos giant tortoises in their almost natural habitat. Around 45 minutes by cab from Puerto Villamil (20 $ per person). Guided tour of the ranch (7.50 $; with rental fee for rubber boots). Restaurant and toilets available.

El Chato is a natural reserve in Santa Cruz, Equador, where you can observe the giant turtles Chelonoidis porteri and also dozens of bird species. There are impressive volcanic formations where you can walk under the earth through long caves where lava once flowed, leaving behind a hollow tunnel through the volcanic rock above. The food is good and they have some great beers as well!

Joined a tour with an air con bus at $50. Save $10 entrance fee. As taxi cost the same. Visited a tunnel before and after visited the twin holes that were due to volcano activities before.

Best day on Santa Cruz! We took the rental bikes by bus to Santa Rosa (1$) and drove the last kilometers to El Chato Ranch with the bikes. Already on the way you get past many giant Tortugas. You have to pay $7.50 per person on the entrance. This includes borrowing rubber boots and a very good and detailed guide at the ranch. Our guide was Juan and he was great!! He took a lot of time and told many details about the animals as well as the Galápagos Islands in generell. The animals and their behavior are really fascinating and have completely captivated us. After the tour we ate in the restaurant - very very good, even if it is a little more expensive than in Puerto Ayora, it was totally worth it! The empanadas were really great! In addition, you still have very very fast Internet and can pay by credit card in the restaurant. Over all, highly recommended!!! Really a must do on the Galapagos Islands!

Short guided visit but you can explore as long as you want the ranch.

Went there mid morning and saw the fishermen cleaning their fish from early morning fishing trip. We bought Red Scorpion fish, about a pound for a little over $4! I pan fried it with light seasoning and it was delicious!! Don’t let the look of the fish keep you from trying it. It has a mild taste and flaky texture, very similar to grouper and sea bass…not fishy at all!! They also have freshly caught spiny lobsters!!

This is an incredible place to visit to see a variety of wildlife up close. The fishermen arrive with their catches and add they fillet and prepare them, they throw the waste to the wildlife that wait patiently. You can see seals, pelicans, herons, sea iguanas and the craziest thing are the large Frigate birds that repeatedly circle the market, waiting for the perfect chance to swoop in and steal from the other birds. I went to Frigate Hill on San Cristobal and was disappointed not to see any Frigate birds there, but this place more than made up for it. I'd recommend a visit to anyone. The fishermen even let children throw the waste scraps to the birds. Great close up photo opportunities await you here, as you can see from the photos that I'll upload.

Although not a touristy attraction, you can still appreciate the wildlife and in this case the interaction with people. Specially interesting to watch the small sharks at the piers and the birds and sea lions eating from the markets

What a terrific find on Sunday morning. So much to see - truly and authentic experience. Sealions and pelicans stealing fish off fishermen....this is what this place is all about. It's a free performance is when the fishermen return with their catches. Stand with the locals- watch the shopping - this is theatre and the show is fun.

Muelle de Los Pescadores is entertaining and colorful. The fishermen dock their boats here to be deboned. Sea lions, birds and iguanas behave like pets waiting for scraps. Locals and tourist purchase the fresh catch. Vhuntermassage LLC

One of a kind place were you can observe local families co-existing with the local fauna. A must see on Santa Cruz

Only one fresh market in the island. There will be one sea lion who is always here and wait for free fish. It quite a bit lazy to catching fishes by itself. You can find load of lobsters to buy but if your accommodation does not have kitchen appliances, it is better to go to restaurant which seafoods are also fresh. Good to visit this place.

Really small place but so nice to visit. Seeing all the animals battle for a small peace of fish is so funny. Would recommend this pier for sure.

A great place to check the local fish market. The animals know this to so you can see a lot of birds and sea lions waiting for some scraps. It's easy for some nice and funny pictures.

It's a lovely place. It's quite and calm. However, there are no amenities in the surroundings so make sure you're bringing the essential with you.

a lovely beach designed for swimming. no facilities at all. perfect for a dip after riding from Puerto Ayora!

Awesome beach with almost no other people. Many rocks in shallow water. Only on the very left side it is easy to go in. Often big and agressive horseflies.

Beautiful place, amazing kayaking. Make sure to bring food, water and mosquito repellent.

Absolutely beautiful beach.

Gorgeous and peaceful beach. Bring water & sunscreen. If you ride a scooter here a jacket is a lifesaver, the route is often chilly/damp through Bellavista.

Feeling restless on my last day in Puerto Ayora, I walked and walked from Mainao Hotel to Tortuga Bay Beach, enjoying the outdoor beauty. A white Pickup Truck/Taxi caught my attention on my way back to Charles Darwin Avenue. I inquired about the taxi fee to the airport for the following morning. We agreed on the fee $25.00, then he offered to drive me to Playa El Garrapatero, wait for me and return me to Mainao for $50.00. I explained that I did not have the $50.00 with me. He took a chance on me, while he drove we amicably communicated. Playa El Garrapatero is peaceful; it has a camping area, kayaks for rent and a pond where flamingos gather. Once, the driver returned me to the Mainao Hotel, he waited for me to return with his earned $ 50.00. The following morning, he drove me to the airport ( Santa Cruz Ferry Terminal ) Vhuntermassage LLC

Fantastic beach in Eastern Santa Cruz, Galápagos. We arrived there by taxi, normally 40 USD for a two way trip but able to get a better price after negotiation. Remember to pay after the return trip just to make sure you are picked up at the agreed time (it can be difficult to find a one way taxi from the beach in the evening). Idilic spot with plenty of sun and warm, turquoise sea water. Remember to bring plenty of sunscreen! We were lucky and found one of the few shades under a manzanillo tree. Horse flies might be a problem, particularly if you get closer to the mangles. We were told to bring mosquitoes repelent but fortunately they didn't bother.

I love this beach. It is more peaceful than the other beaches. There are fewer people here, maybe because it is further away from town. There is a shaded area and barbecues. You also have to sign in at this beach. It is perfect for kayaking.

A short taxi or car ride from Puerto Ayora is Garrapatero beach. Very nice and clean, with camping amenities for visitors. You can rent a kayak at the camping site.

Beautiful beach with some shade available. We enjoyed it on our last day in Santa Cruz! The ocean is shallow and great for swimming. The water is warm and has a turquoise color. Unfortunately there are horseflies! A natural bug repellent we had did not help much 🙁. Nevertheless we loved the beach even more than Tortuga Bay. The taxi was $40 to go both ways. It was worth it!