Barking sea lions. Crystal pools tucked between volcanic cliffs. Tortoise ranches. Fresh, sizzling seafood. Santa Cruz Island is one of the Galapagos’ most populated islands, and the central town of Puerto Ayora is as close to bustling as you’ll find in the Galapagos: docks send ferries to and from other islands, restaurants and sizzling kiosks tucked into hidden alleys sell grilled and fried fish, and tortoises roam the cooler inland air of the elevated Highlands.
Santa Cruz is home to many of the Galapagos’ best attractions, activities, and educational opportunities. It’s a must-visit whether you’re planning a land-based Galapagos trip or stopping by on a cruise – like, literally you can’t miss it: you’ll either fly here or stop here on a cruise.
Years ago, we published the story of our visit to Santa Cruz, Galapagos. It’s a great post and fun to read, but in typical 2016-travel-blog fashion, it’s not terribly useful. So we created this post: a definitely-very-useful travel guide that will help you plan your visit to Santa Cruz, Galapagos!
Psst: Planning a trip to the Galapagos Islands? Take a look at these other posts to help you plan:
We’ve also created a detailed 15-page downloadable guide to visiting the Galapagos Islands. Sign up below to get the guide send straight to your inbox!
How to Get to Santa Cruz, Galapagos
There are only two ways to get to Santa Cruz, Galapagos: by air or by ferry.
Santa Cruz’s airport is called Baltra, and you’ll be able to fly here from Quito or Guayaquil.
Once you arrive, everyone will board the shuttle to the docks. Santa Cruz Island is a free 5-minute ferry ride from the Baltra docks. From the docks on the Santa Cruz side it’s about a 45 minute drive into Puerto Ayora.
To get to Puerto Ayora from the airport, you can take a white pick-up truck taxi – you’ll find many waiting dockside. The price is set, but everyone is going the same direction, so don’t be afraid to split a taxi with…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Practical Wanderlust…