Santa Cruz Island Travel Guide
Travel to Santa Cruz Island - Heart of Galapagos
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The second largest of the Galapagos Islands, Isla Santa Cruz was originally named Indefatigable after a ship of the English Royal Navy. Located at the heart of the archipelago, close to the airport of Baltra, the island’s town of Puerto Ayora is the most densely populated settlement of the region, and is a lively hub of travellers, fishermen, cruise boats, researchers, tour operators and local workers. Santa Cruz is the most visited of all the Galapagos Islands and with its varied landscapes from dry volcanic coastlines, mangrove swamps to lush misty highlands it is also one of the most beautiful.
Home to the Charles Darwin Research Centre and headquarters of the Galapagos National Park Service, Santa Cruz is truly the centre of the Galapagos Islands. The nearby airport at Baltra and busy port at Puerto Ayora ensure that of the few settlements in the archipelago, almost everyone passes through this island at some point. The diverse landscapes here, range of hotels and plentiful choice of nearby attractions, such as the islands of Daphne, Seymour Norte, Plazas and Mosquera also make this island a very good option for people who wish to extend their cruise, or do a land-based tour of the islands.
Santa Cruz offers secluded bays and beaches, fascinating day trips, opportunities for longer tours, incredible wildlife and ecological diversity, conservation alongside agriculture, and a social hub amongst the peace of this wildly natural archipelago. There are opportunities here to surf, hire bikes, walk or horse ride, as well as lava tunnels and volcanic craters to explore. The tiny settlements of Santa Rosa and Bellavista in the highlands are the gateway to the El Chato Tortoise Reserve, where the endemic Galapagos tortoise and many indigenous birds can be observed in their natural habitat.
Attractions in Santa Cruz Island
Santa Cruz and its surrounding isles boast a vast number of interesting places to visit, whether independently, as an organised day trip or as part of a cruise itinerary.
Activities in Santa Cruz Island
Santa Cruz is the main centre for joining many of the activities available in Galapagos, such as biking, hiking, horse riding, scuba diving, surfing, snorkelling or boat trips out to the islands.
Relaxing
Make the most of your time off the boats and take a stroll to one of the quiet beaches just a short distance away from Puerto Ayora.
Getting Around
There are regular buses out of Puerto Ayora to the highlands and beyond towards Baltra airport. This is a 40 minute journey to the channel that separates the two islands. A short passenger ferry ride over to Baltra Island and 10 minute bus journey complete this trip. Collectivos and taxis are also common.
Flights to Isabela Island, San Cristobel Island and the mainland all depart from Baltra.
Regular boats depart the harbour – the majority of which are cruise vessels, but there are also many day-trips and several passenger ferries to the other settlements on the archipelago.
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