Musts For Your Galapagos Vacation

Dazzling birds, tame sealions and clear water snorkelling are just three images that come to mind when you think about trips to the Galapagos Islands, but what else is there to see? This article will help you to understand what the Galapagos offers and what you have to see.

When people head to South America there are many things to stick on the itinerary, one of the big ones is the Galapagos Islands. Lying off the coast of Ecuador, they are world famous for their diversity in fauna and for being the place were Charles Darwin carried out his research on evolution. On both islands, the fauna and flora differ, and this leads to endemic species being found on individual islands. An eight fay trip is the most suitable for those of you who are heading to the Galapagos but tourists often choose a four day stop. Undoubtedly seeing the wildlife on the islands is the highlight of the trip, but the scenery should not be missed.

Bartolomé Island, to the north of the archipelago is included on most trips and is one of the highlights for many travellers. The island has a hiking trail, reaching the top of the island which affords great views over the volcanic scenery and out to the sea beyond. Pinnacle rock stands just off the island and makes for a great backdrop. The water in the vicinity too is teeming with wildlife. Sea lions frequent the waters and many other animals can be seen too including Galapagos Penguins and white-tipped reef sharks. The lucky ones among us may even get the pleasure of seeing an orca.

The usual time to go to the Galapagos can be changed by the months with diving enthusiasts seeing the most marine wildlife from June to November. There are numerous good dives sites to suit all levels of diver. The dive site Cousins, near Bartolomé Island is characterised by the vast amount of black coral that can be seen and which is endemic to the Galapagos Islands. Floreana Island is home to a vast array of different dive sites and this means that you can see sea turtles, sea horses and sea lions in addition to hammerhead sharks. Gordon Rock is perhaps the number one dive site, but is only recommended for experienced divers due to the rapidly changing currents. It's the large numbers of hammerhead sharks that make this a popular spot for tourists but there are multiple different marine animals to be seen.

If diving is not for you, don't miss the opportunity to visit Tortuga Bay on Santa Cruz Island. This is named because of the sea turtles that like to go along the white sandy beaches in order to lay eggs, and you can see them and a large number of marine iguanas basking in the sunshine.

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