If you follow me on Instagram then you already know that my spirit place, aka the one place in the world that truly makes me feel whole, is the Galapagos Islands. Since Fall 2021 I’ve spent almost 6 weeks there in David Attenborough/National Geographic/BBC-ish bliss. I’ve done two different cruises to see (almost) all the islands that tourists are allowed to visit, and spent significant time based on the island of Santa Cruz.
There are far fewer resources out there than I would have thought with things you need to know before visiting the Galapagos Islands, so I hope this post helps you out!
Where are the Galapagos Islands?
If you’ve ever watched an episode of Planet Earth then I’m sure you’ve seen the mindblowing footage of beautiful vistas and blue footed boobies while dozing off to the peaceful voice of David Attenborough.
But have you ever found yourself wondering: what country are the Galapagos Islands in?
Psst…you’re not alone. I wasn’t even sure where they were when I booked my first trip…
The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago located about 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador with over 127 islands, islets, and rocks. Of all the islands, only four are inhabited (though you’re able to visit much more than that).
What is the currency in the Galapagos Islands?
The US Dollar.
Can I use a credit card in the Galapagos Islands?
Yes and no.
You’ll definitely need cash for things like ferries and water taxis, so make sure you bring plenty of small bills (think smaller than a $20 bill, preferably smaller than a $10). I would recommend bringing as many quarters, half dollars, and gold dollar coins as you can because these are widely used throughout the archipelago.
Many smaller businesses will also only accept cash. This includes a few smaller tour companies and restaurants. But that being said, most places that heavily cater to tourists will still accept credit cards.
If you’re not originating in the US and are worried about getting smaller bills or coins in general, check out the Instagram Reel I made about this below!
But I can use my credit card for the hotel, right?
I wouldn’t bet on it🙈 I learned this lesson the hard way. I try to give myself a cash budget whenever I travel somewhere. This essentially means that I take X amount of money out and that’s all I can spend on extra things like souvenirs, unplanned activities, Uber Eats while I watch Netflix in bed nights out with new friends, etc.
I planned on doing this exact same thing in Galapagos. I went to check in to my hotel and was ready to hand over my credit card to rack up those points…when they told me I needed to pay in full in cash😳 Bye, bye, 75% of my cash budget…
If you’re not prepared for this beforehand, it can feel a bit like a scam. I promise you it’s not. Unfortunately this is just one of those things you need to be prepared for when visiting the Galapagos.
If I forget to bring enough cash, are there ATMs on the islands?
Yes! There are definitely ATMs on the islands. However, remember that you’re on an island and everyone else needs to use them too. The ATMs have a limit on how much you can take out at a time, in addition to the limits set by your own bank, and they frequently run out of cash by the end of the day.
I’ve found that the best time to take money out of a Galapagos ATM is between 9am and 11am. They’ve usually been restocked at the point and the lines aren’t too bad.
What language is spoken in the Galapagos Islands?
Spanish is the main language spoken across Ecuador.
While I know it’s usually common for English to be pretty widely spoken in major tourist areas, don’t assume that will be the case in the Galapagos Islands. Any naturalist guides you have will be bilingual, but other than that it’s really Spanish or bust. Definitely brush up on some of your elementary Spanish skills before visiting.
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How do you get to the Galapagos Islands?
“How do you get to the Galapagos Islands?” is one of the most common questions I get asked. Unfortunately you can’t fly directly to the Galapagos Islands from anywhere but Ecuador, so the first thing you’ll need to do is get yourself to mainland Ecuador.
While there are a number of different airports you can fly into, your best bet is to either fly into Quito or Guyaquil. Plan on spending the night there because it’s rare to fly in in time to make your flight to the Galapagos. I haven’t been to Guyaquil yet, but Quito is a pretty cool city with a ton of history. Even if history isn’t your jam, just the views of the Andean mountains are worth extending your trip a few days more.
After staying up all night giddy with anticipation of adventures to come getting some rest, it’s time to make the final trek to the destination of your dreams! Only two airlines operate flights to the Galapagos Islands: Avianca and Latam. If you are doing any kind of extended tour like a liveaboard cruise, the company will usually take care of booking the flight for you.
If you’re booking everything yourself, there are two airports in Galapagos that you can fly into from the mainland: Baltra or San Cristóbal.
Baltra Island: So far, I have only ever flown into Baltra. The only thing on Baltra Island is the airport, but it is where you would fly into if you’re starting your adventure on Santa Cruz Island. Getting from Baltra to Santa Cruz is a mini adventure in itself, but more on that later.
San Cristóbal Island: The best part about the San Cristóbal airport is that all you need to do is take a taxi or bus straight into town after landing (I think you can even walk if you’re feeling adventurous). A Galapagueño friend also recently told me that sometimes it can be almost $100 cheaper to fly into San Cristóbal, so that may be worth looking into if you’re booking everything on your own.
Getting from Baltra to Santa Cruz
Once you land on Baltra Island and collect your luggage, you’ll need to make your way over to Santa Cruz Island where you’ll either be staying or at least meeting up with your tour group. (If you’re doing a multi day tour, your guide may meet you right at the airport. Confirm this with your tour company beforehand.)
Step 1: Take a bus from the airport to the pier. At the time of this writing, this will cost you $5 per person and the ride is about 10 minutes long. There is a counter that you’ll need to buy your ticket from. Don’t worry, it’s super obvious where you’ll need to go to buy it!
Pro Tip: Try to either snag a window seat on the bus or a seat in the first row if you can because the views of the Itabaca Canal are stunning!
Step 2: Take the ferry from Baltra Island to Santa Cruz Island. This is a super quick trip, maybe 5 minutes, and will cost you $1 per person. You’ll pay the fare right on board. Do yourself a favor and have exact change for this. Trying to pay for the ferry with a $20 bill is kind of a nightmare and you’ll get plenty of dirty looks from the crew. Enjoy laughing at the other people that do this and thank me later😜
Step 3: Make your way to Puerto Ayora, the main town on Santa Cruz. You have two options for this: Take a taxi or take the public bus.
The taxi will cost you $25 and you’ll arrive in town within about 45 minutes. One thing to keep in mind is that the number of taxis that will be at the pier when you arrive are limited. If this is what you would prefer, you’ll need to grab one quickly (unless you arrange one beforehand).
The bus will cost you $5 and you’ll get to the main part of Puerto Ayora in about an hour and a half. There is a stand for the bus where you buy your ticket and you’ll need to pay in cash. Your luggage will go under the bus like it would on any other charter bus, but you’ll be pretty cramped on the bus itself. Thankfully the windows are all usually wide open so there is plenty of airflow.
If it is your first time in Galapagos and you are taking the bus, get off at the last stop right at the pier. There are a few stops before that, but it’s easiest to use the pier as your starting point and there will be taxis there if you don’t want to walk.
Do I need a visa to visit the Galapagos Islands?
You’ll need to do some research to see if you need a visa to visit Ecuador (Americans can stay in Ecuador for up to 90 days in a year without a special visa), but you do not need a separate one for the Galapagos Islands.
However, there are two things that are visa-like that you will need before you can enter the archipelago.
First, you’ll need what is called a transit card. This costs $20 USD and you buy it at the airport you will be taking your Galapagos flight from (Quito or Guyaquil). You’ll need to provide proof of your return flight (just showing your phone will be sufficient) and I believe you can use a credit card for this if you need to…but don’t quote me on that.
Upon arrival to the Galapagos, you will need to pay the park entrance fee. As of right now, it is $100 USD and will need to be paid in cash. However, there has been a lot of talk recently that this park fee is likely to increase within the next two years so keep that in mind.
Is wifi readily available throughout the Galapagos or will I need a SIM card?
Wifi is like the joke of Galapagos. It’s there…you’ll see signs for it…your hotel will even claim that they have it.
But the wifi in Galapagos is nothing like it is in North America or Europe. Streaming your favorite Netflix show is nearly impossible and in general the wifi just isn’t reliable.
Do yourself a favor and get a SIM card.
You can either buy these at the mainland airport or there are plenty of places in Galapagos where you can buy one. But definitely buy a SIM card rather than relying on the less than ideal wifi.
Which SIM card should I get?
There are two main provider options for SIM cards in Ecuador: Movistar and Claro.
Claro has the best service in Galapagos.
I’m not sure if Movistar offers the same deal, but one thing I love about Claro is that using Whatsapp doesn’t count towards your data usage. Depending on which plan you get, some will even include Facebook and Instagram which is pretty great!
I know eSIM cards are starting to become more and more popular, and that’s what I use whenever I travel across Europe. However, because you can’t always choose which network you’re connected to and the Galapagos are already so remote, I wouldn’t bother risking one of those for the time being. There’s a chance that your service will be absolutely terrible and then you paid money for nothing. Go the old fashioned way and get a physical SIM card.
gacor slot says
Awesome article.