Travelling in Galápagos has been a truly magical experience.. if it was not for the photos, I would think that it was nothing but a beautiful dream.. It feels surreal that not so long ago I was exploring different beaches every day, observing sea lions playing in the sand, snorkelling with colourful fish and immersing myself in the world where animals are not afraid of human beings. Here I am with iguanas in front of me, and pelicans and blue-footed booby behind me.
Stunning beaches
I have visited countless beaches on 3 main islands and many more during various boat trips. Many of the beaches were completely deserted, it was strange and magical being in places of such stunning beauty all on my own. I don’t think I have ever spent so much time along with nature…I also watched countless stunning sunsets.
Sea Lions
Sea lions are virtually everywhere in Galapagos… Their presence is most noticeable on San Cristobal island. They can be found on every beach, sunbathing in the sand and on the rocks. They happily rest on the docks, climb benches and fishing boats and they are usually quite loud too… Sea lions are happy to swim really close to you and even play with you in the water… They can get a bit upset when you get too close to their babies… I have observed them sleeping, walking around, feeding babies, playing, flirting with each other and even kissing (please see the photos if you don’t believe me)…
Turtles
Glalpagous is famous for it’s giant land and sea turtles. I visited two breeding centers for giant Galapagos tortoises, and Charles Darwin Research Center and learned a lot about these amazing creatures – it was like doing a university course about them! I’ve seen turtles of all ages, from a literally a few days old babies to 200 years old ones…And I also had a chance to see many giant turtles in the water, and swim really close to them – it was truly breathtaking.
Iguanas
Just like sea lions, iguanas can be found everywhere… unlike sea lions, they are silent and often perfectly still, so you would not even realise that they are sitting on the rocks, as they blend in so nicely. Sea iguanas are black and they usually sunbathe on black volcanic rocks on the beach. Land iguanas have very beautiful skin that allows them to camouflage with the grey rocks – can you see the difference?
Flamingos, Pelicans, Penguins and Blue Foot Boobies
These are famous inhabitants of the islands and I am happy to report that I’ve managed to see all of them – had to travel to the Isabela island to find the penguins and it was well worth it.
Other sea creatures
Crabs are plentiful on the rocks and the variety of fish is amazing. On most beaches it’s enough just to enter the water and put your head down, and there you are seeing fish, manta rays, baby sharks and fish of all kinds and colours.
The cacti
Galapagos is home to some of the tallest cacti in the world – reaching heights of up to 14 meters. These impressive plants are everywhere and they are the main source of food for many animals of the islands, including turtles.
Sustainable Development
What really impressed me, how much emphasis there is on recycling and reusing old things in Galapagos. Plastic bottles are forbidden on the islands, everyone needs to use refillable bottles and water is available everywhere free of charge.
These are some photos from a place in San Cristobal Island where bottles are used for building walls of the pub and the fence, and an old boat is used for a hotel on a tree.
