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Top ten things to do and see in Isabela Island
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June 8, 2018
The Galapagos Penguin
June 19, 2018Isabela Island in the Galapagos is a bit further away than the main, centrally located islands that are visited on most Galapagos cruises. This means that when visitors are choosing between shorter tours that stick to the central islands, and longer ones that go to Isabela as well, they often ask, “What are the top things to do in Isabela Island?” Here we will answer that question by explaining the main Isabela Island activities. It is worth noting that some of the best Galapagos hotel packages will provide opportunities for visits to these places.
Concha Perla
One favorite among the Isabela Island activities is Concha de Perla. Translated, this means pearl oyster shell. One of the reasons that this is one of the top things to do in Isabela Island is the quality of snorkeling at this location. Concha de Perla is a very calm bay, with crystal clear waters, allowing swimmers and snorkelers to gain an excellent view of everything going on in the water. One of the great things about this is that there is a lot to see. You may get to snorkel with turtles, watch penguins underwater diving for food and swim with all varieties and colors of tropical fish. Another fabulous highlight here is the sea lions, and they love to play with the tourists in the water. Commonly, sea lions will tease their human water companions, swimming right up to their faces, as if they are going to crash, before darting quickly away at the very last minute.
Las Tintoreras
Another of the top things to do in Isabela Island is take a trip to Las Tintoreras. Las Tintoreras are a series of islets that are situated close by to Isabela Island. They also boast a wide variety of different marine life. One of the islands has mangroves located around a beach, and this allows marine iguanas to breed. This is important as there are not too many sites where they can do so. There are also excellent opportunities to view penguins, white-tipped reef sharks and marine turtles, among others. The islets are usually accessed by a dinghy (panga) which can sometimes seem like a mini adventure in itself. This visit is repeatedly commented on by visitors as being one of the best things to do on Isabela Island, particularly due to the abundance of marine iguanas.
Tortoise breeding center
A trip to Tintoreras is sometimes combined with a visit to the tortoise breeding center. This is an extremely worthwhile Isabela Island activity as it provides a lot of information about giant Galapagos tortoises. It is one of the best things to do on Isabela Island in terms of learning about conservation activities.
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Elizabeth Bay
This delightful spot to the west of Isabela Island can only be reached by taking a dinghy trip as it is not permitted to land here. There is a large colony of Galapagos penguins on the Marielas islets nearby, and this bay is also home to a group of large marine iguanas. It is another lovely spot for snorkeling, or just spotting the diverse wildlife that lives beneath the surface of the water. For example, white-tip sharks can be seen here, as can green turtles. There are also varieties of rays including spotted eagle rays and golden rays. One of the top Isabela Island activities is to kayak here. Some Galapagos hotel packages may offer this as an option.
Flamingo Lake
A visit to Flamingo Lake makes the top 10 list of Isabela Island activities for the spectacular color alone. This is continually rated as one of the top things to do in Isabela Island due to the chance to see these beautiful birds in all their splendour. Indeed, this place has the largest concentration of flamingos of all the places where they can be seen in the Galapagos Islands, so it is well worth a visit.
Wall of Tears
One of the best things to do on Isabela Island from a historical perspective is visit the Wall of Tears. Here, after the Second World War for 14 years, prisoners were held in a penal colony and were required to build the wall, which is 300 feet long and 65 feet high. It stands now as a marker to the many who died constructing it, as they worked in poor conditions, one of our favorite cruises visiting this important site is the Grand Majestic Galapagos yacht, consider their itineraries for a comprehensive tour of the archipelago.
Minas de Azufre
A great hiking option on Isabela Island is Minas de Azufre. These are sulfur mines that were used in the past, and the walk from the base of Sierra Negra Volcano to get to them is a very lovely one. There are a lot of interesting bird species to view along the way, such as hawks, paradise fly catchers and martins. For those that like to be active, this is commonly rated one of the top things to do in Isabela Island.
Los Tuneles
This site is excellent for snorkeling and enjoying the sea life under the water. Here, you can enjoy snorkeling with a beautiful variety of tropical fish, as well as eagle rays and lobster, and also sea lions and turtles. The spot itself is interesting geologically as there are lava formations in arches, and crystal-clear waters. If you are lucky you may even get to see seahorses.
Isabela’s Wetlands
Close by to Puerto Villamil, the Isabela Wetlands are one of the best things to do on Isabela due to the interesting array of bird species that can be found there. The wetlands are comprised of mangroves, swamps and lagoons and many shore birds live here. Examples include gallinules, common stilts and whimbrels, but there are plenty of others. For bird watchers especially, this surely must be one of the top things to do in Isabela Island.
Puerto Villamil visit
Finally, while most Isabela Island activities are focused on wildlife and geology, an outing in Puerto Villamil offers plenty of opportunities to entertain different types of people. The town is surrounded by lovely beaches to relax, and there is a chance to shop for souvenirs here too.
