Cruise to the End of the World: Galapagos, Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is home to 80% of the population of the Galapagos (20,000 inhabitants), which for the most part resides in Puerto Ayora. It also houses Baltra, the airport which connects the Archipelago with Quito and Guayahqul, the two main airports in Ecuador.

Puerto Ayora is a beautiful town, clean and well maintained and offers a "synthesis" of all the wonders of the archipelago. But, in our view, is certainly not the one that we would recommend for a stay in the Galapagos. The bay is exposed to the sea and a costan swell makes uncomfortable anchoring also to a large catamaran as Angelique II.

The beach, even though beautiful, is more than 3 km from the town and can be reached only by foot.

Finally, the important human presence certainly affects the behavior of all other species, which in Santa Cruz appear much more timid (except for the "gang of fish") and in number certainly lower than the other islands of the archipelago.