Puerto Ayora
This city is found on Santa Cruz Island. It has a population of 12,000
people. In Puerto Ayora there are sufficient commodities for tourists
like first class restaurants, four star hotels, exquisite gift shops,
telephone offices, travel agencies, postal agencies and others. One
hour to the north of Puerto Ayora--going across Santa Cruz island--is
the airport on Baltra Island.
The Baltra Airport was constructed by the United States during the
Second World War for supplies during the battle in the Pacific Ocean
against Japan. This is an ideal place for scuba diving.
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
This small city located on San Cristobal Island is the capital
of Galapagos. Smaller than Puerto Ayora, the city boasts a population
of 5,400 people among whom the majority are fishermen. This city has
an international airport. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is an excellent
place if you want to have a peaceful time exploring the surroundings.
Among its attractions is the "Cerro de la Tijeretas" where you can
snorkel. To the west is the Cabo de Horno Beach or the "Beach of Love"
from its mangrove trees that provide a peaceful environment and calm
surroundings. Near the Cabo de Horno Beach is Punta Carola where there
is great surfing. There are also beautiful beaches like La Loberia
inhabited mainly by the sea lions and iguanas; there are also the
beaches of El Progreso, El Junco Lagoon and Puerto Chino.
Puerto Velasco Ibarra
Inhabited by nearly 70 people, this port is located on the
Santa Maria Island also called Floreana or Charles. This small town
does not have many tourist attractions except for an eccentric and
curious history of the founders of the port. Naturally, as in almost
all of the Galapagos, it has beautiful natural sites like a black
sand beach with a vast colony of sea lions and a lake with flamingos.
At this port this is a hotel that receives tourists that love tranquility.
To come and go from the island, there is a ferry every month; there
is also a place to fix boats that go from Santa Cruz Island to Puerto
Velasco Ibarra.
Puerto Villamil
This port is on Isabela Island, the largest of all of the
islands. Around 1200 people live in Villamil, of which some work as
guides for tourists. The most important attraction is the Santo Tomas
Volcano (1490 meters) also known as the Sierra Negra Volcano, from
where you can have a spectacular view of the islands and the Pacific
Ocean. The beaches are also very calm like Urbina Bay to the west
of the island and Punta Moreno that is decorated by petrified volcanic
lava.
