Garden Cottage Self-catering accommodation in the heart of Tipperary
The Galapagos Islands, which are a province of Ecuador, lie approximately 600 miles offshore, in the Pacific Ocean.
There are 15 main islands, 3 smaller islands and numerous rocks and islets. Five of the islands have populated areas:
San Cristobal,
Santa Cruz,
Isabela
Floreana
Baltra.
San Cristobal and Baltra (which serves Santa Cruz) have airports for flights from the mainland. Isabela has a landing strip for local island-hopper flights.
There are daily flights, from Quito and Guayaquil, to San Cristobal and Baltra . Most flights from Quito pass through Guyaquil en route to and from the islands.
The flight from Guayaquil to Galapagos, takes about 1 hour, 40 minutes. From Quito, via Guayaquil, takes about 3 hours, 10 minutes.
Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz) and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristobal) are 80 km (50 miles) apart. The crossing can be made in a speed-boat (about 1½ hours) or in an island-hopper plane (about 40 minutes)
Puerto Villamil (Isabela) is 80 km (50 miles) from Puerto Ayora and 150 km (94 miles) from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. The speed-boat crossing takes 1½ and 3 hours respectively. Isabela also has a small airstrip for the island hopper planes.
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, on the island of San Cristobal, is the provincial capital. The airport is only a 5 minute taxi-ride from the centre.
Galeodan’s head office is in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.
Puerto Ayora, on the island of Santa Cruz, is the most developed of the islands and is the commercial centre of the Galapagos, hosting headquarters for several organisations including the Galapagos National Park and Charles Darwin Foundation. Puerto Ayora is served by the airport in Baltra which is reached by a combination of bus rides and a ferry crossing (which adds about an hour to the trip).
Puerto Villamil, on the island of Isabela, boasts the most spectacular beach in the archipelago as well as numerous nearby points of interest, both natural and historical.
