Posted September 22nd, 2008 by Bob the Sea Lion
Air
More information on flights to and from Santa Cruz . Reconfirming your flight departures at either the Aerogal (252 6798; www.aerogal.com.ec; Av Padre Julio Herrera) or TAME office (252 6165;www.tame.com.ec; Av Charles Darwin; h8am-noon & 2-10pm Mon-Fri, 4-6pm Sat) is essential. Flights are often full, and there is sometimes difficulty in changing your reservation or buying a ticket. EMETEBE (252 6177; Av Charles Darwin) has small aircraft that fly between Baltra and [...]
Tags: Transportation
Posted September 21st, 2008 by Bob the Sea Lion
Most hotels and some cafés rent bicycles
(per hour $1), a good way to get around
town and the highlands for the aerobically
ambitious.
To/From Airport
The airport is on Isla Baltra, a small island
practically touching the far northern edge
of Isla Santa Cruz. If you are booked on
a prearranged tour you will be met by a
boat representative upon arrival and [...]
Tags: Transportation
Posted September 21st, 2008 by Bob the Sea Lion
La Panga (Av Charles Darwin) The most popular
disco in town, next to Garrapata.
El Bongo (Av Charles Darwin) This popular bar
downstairs from La Panga is where most
people start out the night.
Limón y Café (Av Charles Darwin) An outdoor bar
with a gravel floor heavy on the maritime
and surf decor. Always busy on weekends.
Champions Bar (Av Charles Darwin) [...]
Tags: Entertaiment
Posted September 21st, 2008 by Bob the Sea Lion
Often it’s only higher prices that distinguish
the restaurants that cater to locals
from those that cater to tourists; although
all the latter are congregated along Avenida
Charles Darwin from the harbor to the
Charles Darwin Research Station. Most of
the hotels have restaurants as well. Proinsular
is the cheapest and best-stocked market
by the harbor.
Restaurants
Angermeyer Point (%252 7007; mains from $11) It’s
only [...]
Tags: Restaurants
Posted September 21st, 2008 by Bob the Sea Lion
Budget
Hotel Salinas (%252 6107; fax 252 6072; Av Bolívar
Naveda; s/d from $10/15) Some of the 2nd-floor
rooms at Salinas have high ceilings and
are much nicer than the dark and small
ground-floor rooms. All have hot water, TV
and tile floors. Look for the white building
with blue trim.
per person incl breakfast $13) This small place,
only four simple rooms in [...]
Tags: Galapagos Hotels, Hotels
Posted September 21st, 2008 by Bob the Sea Lion
Galápagos Tour Center (cnr Av Opuntia & Av Padre
Julio Herrera) Offers half-day snorkeling trips and half-day
trips to the highlands (each $25 per person). Also rents
mountain bikes (half-/full day $8/15), surfboards ($8/18),
snorkel equipment and body boards.
Galapatour (%252 6088; Av Rodriguez Lara &
Genovesa) Behind the municipal market.
Galaven (%252 6359; galaven@pa.ga.pro.ec) At the
harbor.
Metropolitan Touring (%252 6297; www.metropoli
tan-touring.com) Located [...]
Tags: Tours
Posted September 21st, 2008 by Bob the Sea Lion
Diving
Not surprisingly for a place whose underwater
habitat resembles a well-stocked
aquarium, scuba diving in the Galápagos is
world class. The conditions aren’t suitable
for beginners because of strong currents,
sometimes murky visibility and cold temperatures.
When the water is warm there’s not much of a current so it’s also a little
murky (January to March); there is better
visibility but colder water temperatures
from [...]
Tags: Diving, Surfing
Posted September 21st, 2008 by Bob the Sea Lion
Cultural Center
Casa de Lago Cultural Centre (%271 4647; www
.galapagoscultural.com) Occasionally has readings,
performances, live music, film screenings (on weekends)
and photo exhibitions, all with a Galápagos, Ecuador or
South American focus. Also a highly recommended place to
stay (see p365 ).
Internet Access
Some of the midrange and top-end hotels
offer Internet access. The stand-alone cafés
all charge around $2 per hour.
Chosen Internet [...]
Posted September 21st, 2008 by Bob the Sea Lion
This town, the largest in terms of population
and size in the Galápagos, is a surprise
to most visitors, who don’t expect to find
anything but plants and animals in the
islands. Puerto Ayora looks and feels like
a fairly prosperous mainland Ecuadorian
coastal town, that is if it weren’t for the
sea lion, iguana and albatross or two that
lounge around the [...]
Tags: Puerto Ayora