Volunteering overseas can be so rewarding, especially when you go somewhere as breath-taking and unique as Puerto Ayora in the Galapagos. But when charities are located in remote foreign locations, it can feel a little daunting to know what to expect- like what the town is like, where to go for food and what there is to do on the weekends.
When I travelled to Puerta Ayora, the Darwin Animal Doctors team of vets and nurses were so welcoming that I felt like a local in no time. To help you settle in a little faster, I’m sharing my favourite things to do and see, as well as the best places to grab a snack that I found while I lived on Isla Santa Cruz in 2018.
Remember, volunteering isn’t all about hard work, and it is possible to explore a new region and volunteer your skills at the same time! So whether you’re visiting Puerto Ayora for a week or a month, here are my suggestions to keep give you an authentic experience during your stay.
Puerto Ayora
Puerto Ayora is a fairly westernised town on the Island of Santa Cruz in the Galapagos archipelago. The island is the second most populated (behind San Cristobal), and has close connections to the Baltra Airport (code GPS).
The town’s main industry is tourism, so you’ll find plenty of restaurants and travel agents who speak fluent English. However, unless you want to spend the entire time feeling like a tourist, I suggest you dust off your favourite spanish app, step away from the water-front tourist boulevard and head into the parts of town where the locals hang out.
Top 3 Things to Do in Puerto Ayora
Want some suggestions of what to do on those sunny weekends in Puerto Ayora? Here are my favourite activities:
1/ Kayak in Tortuga Bay
Tortuga bay was the highlight of my time in Puerto Ayora, and I found myself hiking there at least once per week for my entire 6 week stay on the island.
Not only was the bay one of the most beautiful that I’d ever seen, but it was brimming with wildlife. And the best way to see the animals is from a sea kayak!
Getting there:
To reach the bay, it will take you about one hours walk each way along a mostly paved trail through national parkland. It will be warm and there is no treated water or shops out there, so you must carry plenty of drinking water, snacks, sunscreen and a towel.
The walk starts at the national park hut on the west side of town. You’ll need to pop into the hut to sign your name on a register- this is for safety, to ensure no one is left in the park after dark. From there, there’s only one path, which will you lead you on a 45 minute walk to the beach. Look out for birds and lizards between the cacti as you go.
The end of the path opens up on the stunning vista of Tortuga Bay- miles and miles of perfect white sand sprawls in both directions- however the currents are strong and dangerous here, so you mustn’t swim. Instead, follow the beach to the right for another 15 minutes to the end of the bay, looking out for marine iguanas near the rock pools as you go. When you reach the end of the beach you will see that you can turn inland to a smaller, shadier bay- this is where you should set up your beach towel and safely take a swim.
At the far side of this smaller bay, you’ll find the kayak hire. It costs around $10 per kayak, and you must pay in cash, so be prepared. We rented a 2 person kayak, which made the experience much less strenuous.
The kayak will allow you to get much further out into the bay than just swimming, and if you’re lucky, you’ll see an entire range of incredible marine wildlife! We followed a sea turtle the size of a coffee table through the waves, then caught sight of the dorsal fin of a small shark, which threw itself out of the water as we passed. We skimmed around to the other side of the bay and realised we were paddling over a huge school of stingrays. It was one of the most incredible thing I’ve ever done, and well worth the walk.
2/ Snorkel in Las Grietas
Fancy swimming in crystal blue pools in an ancient crevasse between towering rocks? If so, Las Grietas is not a place you will quickly forget. A popular swimming hole with the locals, the clear waters of Las Grietas is located an easy walk and water taxi ride from the port. The journey is part of the fun.
The crevasse consists of a series of (at least) 3 ponds, which can be explored by competent swimmers. The water is very deep, and gets pretty dark from a few metres down, but it’s easy to spot a whole range of coloured fish and eels. It does take a little rock scrambling to reach the final pool, but the snorkelling can easily be enjoyed from the first large pond for those who aren’t feeling quite so athletic.
Getting there:
Start at the main port of Puerta Ayora, and take a short water taxi ride across the bay to the dock by the hotels- it will cost you $0.80 USD in each direction. Once you disembark, follow the shady path inland, and when you come to a T-junction turn left onto a wooden boardwalk.
Cross the lovely beach known as “La Playa des Alemanes” (also a nice shallow beach for a snorkel), the sandy path continues on the far side. In a short while, you’ll pass a small kiosk (the only place where you can buy refreshments in the area) and some pastel-toned salt pans which are a curiosity in themselves.
The path continues a further 10 minutes, over scrubby bushland and between the cacti, before it starts to climb. There is an intersection at this point- if you’re not too hot, the left turn takes you on a short walk to a lookout over Las Grietas and the ocean bay beyond. Then, follow the right fork to the swimming hole, which is accessed by a sturdy set of wooden steps down to the waterside.
There are no facilities here- so make sure you have brought your own swimming equipment and drinking water. The whole excursion with a swim can be done in two hours, so definitely something you could do in your siesta break!
3/ Explore the Highlands by Bicycle
All of the Galapagos Islands were formed by volcanic activity hundreds of years ago- giving rise to some pretty unique landscapes and geographic formations.
And fortunately, there aren’t all that many roads on Isla Santa Cruz- meaning its not difficult to explore some of those geographical sights by bicycle- including the volcanic craters (known as Los Gemelos), lava caves and the highland tortoise ranch.
Getting there:
For this day trip, we hired bicycles from a shop in town, and then took a taxi on a 20 minute drive up to the highest point on the Island, near Los Gemelos (Pro-tip: check your bike has pumped up tyres and working brakes before you leave the shop!). The taxis in Puerta Ayora all seem to be open-backed utes, so they have lots of space for luggage and bicycles in the back.
From there, you can start by checking out the craters themselves on a couple of short walking trails, before cruising down-hill on your bicycles for an hour or so back to town. On the way, you can stop for lunch in the local village, or take a detour to the El Chato tortoise ranch, which features a free-range tortoise farm and a lava tunnel. This feels a little like a safari- basically you pay a small fee to wander around the park and look for the wildlife yourself, but it’s a nice way to see the tortoises in a more natural environment.
When you’re done, you can finish hurtling down the mountain on your bicycles and into Puerto Ayora.
Top 3 things to See in Puerto Ayora
1/ The Giant Tortoises at the Charles Darwin Research Station
Just a short walk from the east side of town, the Charles Darwin Research Station is an incredible, free experience that can’t be missed. The centre was founded to provide a base for scientists studying the in the archipelago, but also has a huge focus on sustainability and conservation of the irreplaceable local wildlife.
There is an exhibition hall on-site, where you can learn about the islands’ ecology and see original artefacts and specimens collected by early explorers. The centre also keeps tortoises and rare terrestrial iguanas for breeding and conservation purposes, which can be visited in the grounds.
While this experience is free, the CDRS does accept donations which help to fund their important conservation projects. It’s definitely worth checking out.
2/ The Farmers Market on Saturday Morning
One problem you’ll find if you go grocery shopping in Puerto Ayora is that fresh food can be hard to come by. Due to the islands’ remote location, shipments of supplies from the mainland often seem sparse and far between. Some days, the supermarkets run completely out of vegetables, so you have to learn to stock up when you can.
If you want to pick up your fresh veggies for the week, visiting the market on Saturday mornings is essential. It’s also a great way to get a taste of the real Ecuador, as you’ll be surrounded by locals hawking their wares, and can check out the strange fruits and curiosities that are on sale.
The market is located in a large undercover area on the corner of Islas Duncan and Karl Angermeyer. The market opens early, and the sooner you arrive, the better selection of produce that will be available.
3/ The Wildlife
You already know that the Galapagos Islands are famous for their wildlife. What you may not realise, is that you’ll see wildlife EVERYWHERE.
On your walk around the town, you’ll likely see sea lions sleeping on benches, pelicans squabbling at the fish market, marine iguanas snoozing on the sunny footpaths and frigate birds swooping around the supermarket. You might even have to delay your bike ride so a Galapagos tortoise can trundle across the main road (just like we did). And don’t even get me started on the marine life you’ll see snorkelling!
The wildlife in the Galapagos tends to be very habituated to humans, so the animals have no fear of living in close proximity to the townspeople. This is great for photo opportunities, but it does mean you have to take a little more care around town not harm or crowd around the animals- they are still wild after all.
Being surrounded by unique animals sure does lend something to the magic of the islands.
Top 3 Things to Eat in Puerto Ayora
1/ Empanada con Queso from the Empanada Lady
Empanadas are South America’s answer to the meat pie. These pastry pouches are stuffed with various fillings, from meat and cheese to seafood, and deep fried before serving with salsa. And the best place to get an authentic, street-cooked empanada is from the Empanada Lady at the City Market on Av Baltra.
The market is always swarming with locals in the evenings, so you know you’re having an authentic (and budget friendly) meal. The only challenge is that you’ll need to order in Spanish- but as long as you can string together the sentence “dos empanadas con queso por favour” (two empanadas with cheese, please), you’ll do just fine.
2/ Desserts and locally-sourced coffee from The 1835 Coffee Lab
Despite the fact that Ecuador is a significant producer of coffee beans, it’s not always easy to find a decent, western style cup. But this locally owned coffee shop blows the other vendors out of the water.
The setting is trendy and the menu is simple- but everything The Coffee Lab offers, is done well. The baristas really know their stuff, and will talk you through the various Galapagos bean blends on offer. You can even buy a bag to take home with you!
If you’re looking for a caffeine fix on Isla Santa Cruz, you really can’t go past this place!
3/ Almuerzo from Kiosk Street
If you want a tourist meal, go to the waterfront. If you want to eat like a local, head a few streets back to the kiosks on Charles Binford road. Here, dozens of restaurants compete for pavement space, setting up rows of tables to feed the hungry locals.
The food is mostly authentic and often fresh caught. There are often special deals on like the lunch special, advertised on chalk boards as “Almeurzo”. These deals will get you a soup, meal and drink, usually for around $5 USD, so it’s a cheap and tasty way to fill up.
Kiosk street is always a hive of activity, and the great atmosphere is sure to rub off on you! Just don’t head down there when its raining!
There’s plenty to do in the town of Puerta Ayora, and the longer you stay, the more you’ll learn about the locals and the wildlife. So make sure you spend at least a few days in town before cruising off to the other islands!
Ever wondered what its like to be a veterinarian in the Galapagos Islands? Check-out my interview with Justin and Stella here!
Want to read about the volunteer experience in other destinations? Have a look at the volunteer experience page!
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