It’s Time to Truly Discover the Galápagos Islands
You’ve heard of them. You’ve seen documentaries and television specials about them. You know someone who’s been to them. But now it’s time for you to discover the Galápagos Islands for yourself.
Unlike Paris or Hong Kong, many people can’t even find the Galápagos Islands on a map. The islands (there are 21 of them) lie more than 530 miles off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. They were discovered in the 16th century but gained popularity in the 19th century by naturalist Charles Darwin and other researchers as they came to study the varied flora and fauna on the islands, something that continues today.
Getting to the Galápagos Islands is easier than ever with flights that go straight to the islands. From there you can take tours to visit the different islands as each features some different creatures. Trips can be by small boats or even by small cruise ships, which then launch smaller vessels to get even closer. To protect the environment, every tour is limited by size and time and led by a licensed guide. In fact, UNESCO named the islands a World Heritage Site in 1978.
Naturally, when people talk about the Galápagos Islands, one of two animals come to mind: either the Galápagos giant tortoise or iguanas. There are at least two types of iguanas found on the islands, the Galápagos land iguana and the Marine iguana, the only iguana which feeds in the ocean.
Other animals you might encounter once you make your way to the islands include the blue-footed booby, Galápagos sea lions and the Galápagos penguin and Waved albatross, the latter being the only species which live in tropical climates.
These and many other animals can be researched and learned about at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island. It also is home to the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The Research Station, which is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year, is open daily and is free. It recently opened its Marine World Exhibition, promoting its marine and conservation projects as well as offering fun learning tools for children.
Four of the islands have hotels and restaurants so you no longer have travel back to the mainland or sleep on a boat (unless you want to) once the day ends.
But the trip has to start sometime so call your AAA travel agent and get the ball rolling today.
