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Destination Galapagos: Santa Cruz
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Galapagos: Santa Cruz Island

Supports one of the largest human populations of the five inhabited islands. Some 4,000 residents are distributed between the cattle-farming communities in the lush highlands and the coastal town of Puerto Ayora. Santa Cruz, the most frequently-visited island in the archipelago, is often described as the point of embarkation for any Galapagos journey. Centrally located, it is only a short ferry ride away from the Baltra airstrip, the most common entry point to the islands. In the town of Puerto Ayora, travellers can charter smarter small boats to visit other Galapagos destinations.

Here too, you can visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to see the huge land tortoises, or galápagos, which once flourished in the islands. The populations were decimated in the early 1800s by the whaling ships that stopped in the islands to fill their holds with fresh meat. Tortoises could be stored by them without food and water for up to one year and still could be used for a good soup. Learn at the research station about their protection and conservation nowadays. Santa Cruz has a very differing landscape, vegetation, and animal life. Find at its shores mangroves and green, salt-tolerant plants.

The area just inland is arid forest, dominated by palo santo trees and prickly pear cactus. If you carry on more inland the vegetation becomes denser and more varied, slowly transforming into a region of tall trees, covered with mosses and liverworts. These beautiful forests are home to the vermilion flycatcher and many species of tree finches. Look for the evergreen scalesia trees. Further interesting are the miconia bushes and the pampa or fern-sedge zone. The variety found on Santa Cruz is manly due to its geological old age. The younger areas of the island are marked by volcanic formations. You can take a bus ride to the highlands and see the “Twins” (Los Gemelos), two deep pit craters situated in the Scalesia forest.

Here you can see interesting bird life or go for a trek through the giant lava tubes. The famous Cerro Cocker is also an interesting example of volcanic formations. On the north shore of the island, accessible only by sea, is an extensive mangrove lagoon called Black Turtle Beach. Here in the peacefulness of the mangroves you can see turtles, fish, rays, and small sharks.

Puerto Ayora

The Darwin Research Station is located here and there are wonderful opportunities to see the giant land tortoises up close. Plenty of unique shops and restaurants are open here so you can pick up some last minute souvenirs and postcards.

The Charles Darwin Research Station conducts and facilitates research in the Galapagos Islands and the Galapagos Marine Resources Reserve of Ecuador. The Darwin Station is part of the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands, an international non-profit organization dedicated to scientific research in the Galapagos Islands since 1959.

The Darwin Station provides:

• Information and technical assistance for the Galapagos National Park Service and other branches of the government of Ecuador.
• Support for resident and visiting scientists who work in Galapagos.
• Environmental education for island communities and schools and for the visitors that come to Galapagos each year.
• Hands-on training in science, education, and conservation for Ecuadorian university students who participate in the Darwin Station's volunteer and scholarship programs.

South Plaza

Conditions here can be exhilarating when strong currents are present, but even when the waters are calm, Gordon Rocks offers many spectacular marine encounters. This rocky formation is made up of a massive volcanic crater, about 300' across. You can dive on all sides of the crescent shaped rocks on both the inside and the outside. In the center of the crater the depth gets to about 150' but there is a pinnacle that rises up to 65' that makes a home for lobsters, eels and every kind of fish.

Hammerheads wait to greet arriving divers while stingrays and white-tipped sharks sleep on the sandy bottom. In some areas you'll find turtles sleeping around every corner. Between the breaks in the crater walls lie two large pinnacles that rise to 20'. If the currents allow you can park yourself here for a short time to watch for what swims by. Groups of spotted eagle rays, hammerheads and Galapagos shark are not uncommon. Along side the ridge king angelfish feed on sponges on the wall covered with black coral.