Isla Santa Cruz Trips & Tours

If ever there was a ‘hub’ of the Galapagos, Isla Santa Cruz would be it. The second-largest of all the islands – and the one that completely disproves the myth that the Galapagos is uninhabited by humans – the main port, Puerto Ayora, is the start and end point for most boat and yacht trips, day excursions or longer. The Charles Darwin Research Station and the Information Centre are also here, and there’s an airport (on nearby Baltra) that supports inter-island flights, as well as back to mainland Ecuador. But, back to the fun stuff, which, on Santa Cruz, are the giant tortoises that roam wild in the forested highlands next to coffee farms and tiny villages. There is also an incredible network of lava tunnels to explore, the glorious, white-sand Tortuga Bay where marine iguanas float in the water and your neighbouring sunbathers might include pelicans and flamingo, and picturesque lagoons to kayak alongside blue herons and sea turtles. Some may tell you to give Santa Cruz a miss, but for those who stay longer, there’s a whole world to discover.