Galapagos Islands Beaches
If you are craving for a beach vacation with a little twist, a trip to Galapagos Islands beaches, Ecuador would be the ideal choice for you. Galapagos Islands beaches are truly unique. While you can rewind lying on the white sand beaches, surrounded by mangroves, you can also enjoy the beauty of the hidden cloves and black lava beaches at this place. In fact, there are beaches with green sand in Galapagos, where you can see friendly animals like pelicans, iguanas and sea lions, roaming around freely. If you are planning to visit, here’s a short list of the best beaches in Galapagos that you just can’t afford to miss.
Bachas Beach, Santa Cruz
With a stretch of one kilometer of blue water and white sand, this happens to be one of the most spectacular beaches of the Galapagos. Located at a distance of 2.5 km from Puerto Ayora, the beach is a nice place for surfing. Here, you can also enjoy snorkeling and other water sports and explore the amazing marine wildlife of Galapagos. If you would rather prefer a relaxing swim, you can walk to the end of the beach to reach the tranquil lagoon at Playa Mansa.
Gardner Bay Beach, Espanola Island
This is a beach with spectacular views, where the tourists can expect a close interaction with the friendly sea lions. This, too, is a great place for snorkeling as you can enjoy the views of white-tipped reef sharks and countless tropical fishes. It is also a great beach for the bird watchers, especially those who love Pelicans.
Puerto Villamil, Isabela
This is one of the most secluded beaches of Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, away from all the hustle-bustle of the city. This wide white-sand beach is home to a lot of marine iguanas, boobies, sea lions and a number of birds. This beach is shaded by dry tropical forest and coconut palms and is an excellent choice for those who are looking for a peaceful vacation.
The Red Sand Beaches at Rabida Island.
Located south of Santiago, the rare geology of Isla Rábida makes it stand out from the other Galápagos Islands. Rábida is made up primarily of spatter-cone volcanic lava and eroded hills in spectacular shades of red and brown. Visitors to Isla Rábida will land on the island’s dream-like northern beach with an unusual maroon-colored sand. Upon arrival, you are likely to see sea lions and marine iguanas lazing in and around the nearby caves. Brown pelicans can be spotted nesting in the vegetation just inland from the beach, while masked and blue-footed boobies nest on the cliffs above. Rábida can only be reached with a cruise.
Bartolomé Island Beach
The Bartolome Island, located about a few miles east to the Santiago Islands is a place that is known for the natural beauty formed by the volcanic eruptions that took place. It has a fascinating view of formations caused by lava flows and the spatter cones. The beaches on this island are picturesque and beautiful as one can take a look at the beautiful Pinnacle Rocks that the Island is famous for and also the breaking waves on the red sand beach. This kind of a beach is rarely found anywhere else in the world. The red sand beach on this island compliments that beautiful red sand that is found on the Rabida Island as well.
The sight of the Galapagos and Penguins and the sea lions makes these beaches look even more beautiful. Batolomé is often part of the itinerary in most cruises and land tours. Diving and standard day-trips to Batolomé are also porpular.
El Garrapatero, Santa Cruz Island
Located at 20 km northeast of Puerto Ayora, this 3 km long, white sand beach is lined by Manzanillo trees and mangroves. Marine iguanas, pelicans, penguins, shrimps and ghost crabs are regular visitors to this beach. It is also a great place for picnics, sunbathing, sea kayaking and snorkeling. Being a part of the National Park, this beach is free of any kind of development or construction. There is only an ecological toilet and a little park ranger hut, which serves as a changing place for the tourists. You can explore the other hidden beaches from this beach. There is also a large lagoon behind this beach, where you can find a number of nesting sea birds, including the pink flamingos.
Puerto Chino, San Cristobal
Puerto Chino is one of the most beautiful and secluded beaches of San Cristobal. It is a nice place for surfing and is backed by mangroves. So, the next time you set foot in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, make sure to visit these beaches.
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