If you want to visit the Galapagos--some suggestions and highlights

sunset in the Galapagos

We just spent 2 weeks in the Galapagos, on a boat, the Majestic, so that we could see virtually every island you can visit.  We wanted to decide what we liked best, what the highlights are and what we think is the best way to visit the Galapagos.

About half the visitors now take land-based trips to the Galapagos.  If you hate boats or get seasick, this is certainly an option.  You can fly to both San Cristobal and Santa Cruz Islands and stay in hotels there.  But, you will miss the best of the islands because, from land (i.e., Santa Cruz or San Cristobal islands), you can only visit a couple of places that are close to the towns of Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz Island) or San Cristobal (San Cristobal Island).  And, of course, since the Galapagos are all islands, you have to take a boat to get to other islands you will want to see. 

the Majestic, our 16 passenger boat, with catamaran in background

On both San Cristobal and Santa Cruz, there are good visits, but these are very limited.  Both islands have giant tortoise reserves where you can see the huge land tortoises.  And both have lots of birds, iguanas and sea lions.  But, they are very limited in terms of really seeing the Galapagos.  We think the best islands to visit are those you can only see on a cruise.

What we enjoyed most were the incredible breeding grounds for boobies, cormorants, and albatrosses.  Our favorite islands were Espaniola and Genovesa, both with amazing breeding colonies of birds who return year after year to produce and raise their young.  The Majestic anchored off these islands so we could take our pangas (Zodiacs) ashore and walk the trails the National Park Service has authorized that both protect the wildlife and allow visitors to enjoy the birds and animals.

albatross nesting ground on Espaniola

On Espaniola and Genovesa, the number of breeding birds is astounding.  They are nesting even oails, fighting over the best nesting spots, sharing the job of hatching and raising their chicks, warding off predators like rats and other birds, heading out to sea to feed and return with food for their mates and babies and continuing to seek a mate if they haven't been successful so far. 

Bartolome, a tiny islet only slightly more than a square kilometer, has minimal wildlife because of its recent volcanic birth.  It's an astonishing new island of lava flows, craters, turquoise water and beautiful moonscapes.  You can climb its 335 stairs to the top of its main crater and snorkel off its lava rocks, seeing turtles, penguins, sharks and lots of fish.  You can't get here on a day trip, though.

Bartolome looking across channel at Santiago

The Galapagos National Park Service sets specific itineraries for each boat in order to spread the tourists out among the islands and not create excessive impacts on the islands.  These itineraries sometimes change after you've booked your tour, which can be disappointing.  So, you want to make sure that your cruise or tour includes enough variety to enable you to see what is most important to you.

giant tortoise on Santa Cruz

Here are my thoughts and suggestions for a perfect trip to the Galapagos.
 1.  Take a cruise.  If you get seasick, as I do, try wearing a patch that goes right behind your ear.  Even in rough water, I never felt a twinge of seasickness.  Alternatively, take dramamine or something similar.  It's worth it to be able to see the best of the Galapagos.
 2.   While I'm sure a 5 day trip will give you a great glimpse of the Galapagos, I'd encourage you to take a 7 day cruise so you can really see the variety of animals, birds and terrain that makes the Galapagos so spectacular.
 3.   We saw almost all the islands you can visit.  We thought the eastern Galapagos were more interesting than the western Galapagos.  These islands include Floreana, Espaniola, San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, Genovesa if you're lucky, and some smaller islets.  Your cruise may not include all of these, but I'd look for an itinerary that includes as many as possible (you will often visit 2 islands in one day).  Espaniola and Genovesa have the best bird breeding colonies, though you'll see breeding birds on some other islands, just not in the same number.
 4.   For snorkeling, Kicker Rock, off the coast of San Cristobal, was superb--the best.  We saw Eagle Rays, sharks, and hundreds of thousands of fish.  It was unbelievable.  Do make sure you snorkel at Kicker Rock.
 5.   What you miss if you only visit the western Galapagos is a large number of marine turtles, which are incredible.  You may see them, but we saw dozens of them, swimming with us as we snorkeled, off Isabela and Fernandina.  Penguins are also found in the western Galapagos.
 6.   San Cristobal and Santa Cruz both have land tortoise reserves.  We thought the one on Santa Cruz was better, though both give you the chance to see these remarkable and enormous animals.  San Cristobal also has an enjoyable information center with a great set of paths to high points above the town where you get wonderful views of the island and coves.
 7.   Both these islands have highlands that have different climates than the hot and humid lower elevations.  They also have villages and farming, which you won't see on other islands.  Some cruises (maybe most) give you more free time in the towns of San Cristobal and Puerto Ayora than you want.
 8.   The only places you'll have phone or internet access will be San Cristobal and Puerto Ayora, so plan for that.  Both towns have internet cafes where you can access the internet on your own computer or theirs for a couple of dollars an hour.
 9.   If you take a cruise, cabins are very small.  Pack lightly.  A carry-on suitcase and daypack are really all you need.  There just isn't room for a big suitcase.
10.  The water is cool in the Galapagos.  We took shorty wetsuits and thought they were perfect.  In addition to keeping you warm in the water, they provide excellent buoyancy which is really helpful when you're snorkeling.
11.  Take lots of extra sunscreen.  You'll be putting it on in quantity several times a day.  We took 4 3 ounce tubes and wished we'd had 4 more.
12.  Take a small waterproof bag for your camera.  You'll feel much safer.  Make sure it is sealed carefully.  In one of our wet landings, I got dumped out of the panga into the water.  If I hadn't had my camera in a completely waterproof bag, it would have been toast.  And I would have been really unhappy.
13.  Ecuador is a U.S. dollar economy--makes it very easy.

mother and baby sea lions on Espaniola beach