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Galápagos Islands

The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Eastern Pacific, located around the equator, 485 nautical miles west of the mainland of South America. They form the Galápagos Province of the Republic of Ecuador, with a population of slightly over 33,000 in 2020.

Type Island

Why go

  • Ecuadorian volcanic archipelago.
  • Served by General Villamil Airport (IBB).

History

The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Eastern Pacific, located around the equator, 485 nautical miles west of the mainland of South America. They form the Galápagos Province of the Republic of Ecuador, with a population of slightly over 33,000 in 2020. The province is divided into the cantons of San Cristóbal, Santa Cruz, and Isabela, the three most populated islands in the chain. The Galápagos are famous for their large number of endemic species, which were studied by Charles Darwin in the 1830s and inspired his theory of evolution by means of natural selection. All of these islands are protected as part of Ecuador's Galápagos National Park and Marine Reserve.

Restaurants & places to go

Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 07:00-18:00 · Parroquia Santa Rosa via oeste, 200106 · galapagosranchoterramar.com
Indoor

2 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Airports

Seymour Galapagos Ecological Airport (GPS) 22 km to the centre
Isla Baltra, W, EC — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day. ✈ 2 airlines (Aerolane, TAME) · direct flights to 1 destination incl. Guayaquil (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 2 airlines, 1 direct destination
  • Aerolane XL (A319) · 1 route: Guayaquil
  • TAME EQ (A320) · 1 route: Guayaquil

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor | Outdoor
General Villamil Airport (IBB) 74 km to the centre
Puerto Villamil, W, EC — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Indoor | Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Muelle Pescadores
Ferry terminal · 14 km from the centre
Outdoor
Gus Angermeyer Ferry Terminal
Ferry terminal · 14 km from the centre
Outdoor
Muelle de Carga
Ferry terminal · 14 km from the centre
Outdoor
Ferry a las Grietas
Ferry terminal · 15 km from the centre
Outdoor
Finch bay hotel pier
Ferry terminal · 15 km from the centre
Outdoor
Ferry
Ferry terminal · 18 km from the centre
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
October – March

The warmer, longer-day half of the southern-hemisphere year.

Shoulder season
April – May, September

Milder and quieter, with better value.

Worth avoiding
June – August

The southern winter — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is General Villamil Airport (IBB). Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Muelle Pescadores, 14 km).

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Galápagos Islands. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.