Galapagos / Galápagos

RetiredCormac
4 hours ago
4 min read

Hotel – Hotel Ninfa (Puerto Ayora)

Hotel Ninfa was OK. Actually, probably better than OK. It’s a budget hotel, and for a budget option it did very well in terms of comfort, facilities, and price.

One minor issue: beetles would occasionally come under the door. However, whatever they’d sprayed around the doorway meant those were the insects’ final few minutes of life.

The bar was quiet and reasonably priced. The pool was small and deep — perfect for cooling off after a hot day. The air conditioning in the bedroom was excellent, and reception were very helpful when it came to organising taxis and general logistics.

For what we paid, it was hard to complain.

Island Life – Santa Cruz (Puerto Ayora)

Santa Cruz — specifically Puerto Ayora, the island’s main town — caters for everyone. It’s relaxed and easygoing, and you can move at whatever pace suits you.

We walked along the waterfront most days and saw something different each time — seals, pelicans, the odd marine iguana casually blocking the path.

We were still battling jet lag, so we were in bed early most nights. The island seems to follow the sun: it starts early and winds down when it gets dark (unless it’s the weekend).

Tours

We visited the Charles Darwin Research Station just outside town. It’s an interesting walk and probably better with a guide. Somehow we missed picking one up and wandered around at speed without being challenged — although some sources suggest guides are mandatory.

We hired bikes via Viator — likely overpaying slightly by not going direct. The bikes were delivered and collected by Rony from Happy Bikes and Tours, with all communication handled via WhatsApp. Very smooth and very relaxed. Helmets were supplied, but no locks — which suggests bike theft isn’t a major issue.

We walked out to Playa Tortuga along a paved volcanic stone path. It’s popular, and rightly so. Allow 80–90 minutes there and back. It’s mostly flat, but the heat makes it more tiring than expected.

We also did the Giant Tortoise Watching and Lava Tunnels tour with Galapagos Frontier. They kindly rescheduled due to incoming weather and arranged a return taxi for $25. Again, all organised via WhatsApp — refreshingly simple.

The tour was excellent. Giant tortoises were everywhere. Seeing them in the wild — not in a zoo, not behind a fence — is quite surreal. The forest walk felt alive, and the lava tunnels were far more impressive than I’d expected. It was just the two of us, so it felt very personal, with a great guide.

We skipped snorkelling and scuba diving — neither of us are especially keen — although there was certainly no shortage of options.

Food

The food scene felt more American than South American — lots of burger-style menus and tourist-friendly offerings. Slightly disappointing, but probably reflective of the visitor mix.

We did find some more traditional options with a bit of searching. Overall, it was pleasant rather than memorable — and most importantly, no ill effects.

Charles Binford Street had some very reasonably priced food options, though the drinks were fairly average. $6 for soup, large main and a drink for lunch was an incredible deal. The fish soup was fantastic. Jane said the beef soup was as good. On reflection though hot soup on a hot day might not have been the best idea.

Drinks

Expensive — roughly on a par with the UK. It is an island 2 hours off the coast.

There were lots of promotions: “happy hour” that seemed to last most of the day. Club beer, craft beer, was maybe $6 to $9, or very cheap cocktails — often 4 for $10. Low alcohol content, but effective at cooling us down.

Weather

Hot and humid. Properly hot.

When there was no breeze, it could feel borderline unbearable. Being on the equator, the UV index is high — SPF 50, a good hat, and constant hydration are essential.

Transport

Airport to town: $5 bus, $1 ferry, then a $30 taxi waiting on the other side to take you to your hotel. Same process in reverse.

Your bag disappears onto the bus and reappears when you hand it to the taxi driver to load into a pickup-style taxi. Surprisingly efficient.

Around town: plenty of taxis and easy to flag down. Tours will arrange transport if needed.

Wildlife

Giant tortoises by the roadside and in fields — especially between the airport and town. When you approach, they hiss before pulling their head and legs into their shell. The hiss isn’t aggression — it’s them expelling air to create space inside the shell.

Marine iguanas everywhere near the beach. Completely unbothered by humans.

Large beetles and other winged insects — loud, low buzzing that takes a little getting used to. In reality, they caused no issues.

All this nature was everywhere - and after a while you stopped being surprised to see a giant tortoise, a seal, a pelican, or iguana. I’ll never get used to the huge flying bugs.

Final Thoughts

A fantastic trip.

I’d probably go back if I were into snorkelling or scuba diving. Without that, I feel like we’ve ticked the box — and very happily so.