Places to Visit in Santa Cruz Island, Ecuador, America

Places to Visit in Santa Cruz Island, Ecuador, America

Santa Cruz Island is an island in Galápagos Islands (archipelago) belonging to the Galápagos province of Ecuador, is the 2^nd largest island in the archipelago behind Isabela Island with an area of 986 sq. km. and Puerto Ayora is the capital as well as the most populated city in Galápagos Islands.

There is Tortuga Bay situated on the island of Santa Cruz that is home to galapagos crabs, marine iguanas, galápagos tortoise and white tip reef sharks as well.

Geography of Santa Cruz Island:

Santa Cruz Island is placed in the heart of the archipelago between 00°38′ S latitude and 090°22′ W longitude at a highest elevation of 864 meters. It is home to a large dormant volcano and 2000 meters long giant lava tunnel that draw tourists from all around the globe.

How to reach Santa Cruz Island?

Seymour Airport on Baltra Island is the closest airport to Santa Cruz Island offering flights to Guayaquil, Quito and San Cristóbal, catered by TAME, LAN Ecuador and Aero Gal. To reach Santa Cruz Island, take taxi from the airport to ferry terminal of Baltra Island where tourists can get ferries to Santa Cruz Ferry Terminal at regular intervals.

There are taxis and buses always waiting for tourists at the ferry terminal of Santa Cruz and pick up visitors to Puerto Ayora.

Collectivos and taxis are available to move within the island.

Food and Shopping in Santa Cruz Island:

Puerto Ayora is a main urban area on the island boasting many standard shops as well as handicraft product centres. It is advised for tourists to bring local currency to island because all the shops do not accept cards.

The prominent food corners in Santa Cruz Island are listed below:

Il Giardino
Galapagos Deli
F. WIlliam
La Garrapata
The Rock

What to do in Santa Cruz Island?

Mountain biking
Surfing
Snorkeling

What to see in Santa Cruz Island?

Charles Darwin Station:

Charles Darwin Station is a typical site, open for public without entrance fee. It is located 1.5 from the centre of the Puerto Ayora city with a turtle breeding area and it also describes about the environmental features of Galapagos Islands.

The Punta Estrada beach:

The Punta Estrada beach is a small and pleasant beach offering memorable snorkeling experience. Nice relaxing point as well.

Galápagos National Park:

The 1^st national park of Ecuador, Galápagos National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site established in 1959 in the area of 7995.4 km². Enter with permission.

Other places of interest in and around Santa Cruz Island include:

Giant Tortoise Preserves
Black Turtle Cove
Cerro Dragón
Lava Tunnels
Los Gemelos
Tortuga Bay
Itabaca Channel
El Chato Tortise Reserve
Las Grietas
Garrapatero Beach
Floreana
San Cristobal
Isabela
North Seymour
Mosquera

When to visit Santa Cruz Island?

From December to May is the best time to enjoy the natural beauty of Santa Cruz Island.

Accommodation options in Santa Cruz Island:

Santa Cruz Island hosts an equal number of lodges and hotels, lodges are fewer inexpensive compared to hotels. Apart from the common facilities and services, the hotels also offer a variety of crunchy and crispy traditional delicacies. List of major hotels in Santa Cruz Island is: