Things to Do in Puerto Ayora
Puerto Ayora is the largest town in the Galápagos, on Academy Bay (Bahía Academia) on Santa Cruz Island. Most of the best things to do are a short walk, a water taxi hop or a drive into the highlands away, and several of them cost little or nothing. Prices here are in US dollars, so carry cash in small bills for boat taxis, reserves and Las Grietas.
Check current government advice before you travel. The islands sit outside the mainland areas named in UK advice for Ecuador .
Costs to plan for first
Visitors pay the Galápagos National Park entry fee in cash at the island airport. Currently it is USD 200 for most foreign adults and children over 12, and USD 100 for foreign children under 12. Citizens of Andean Community and Mercosur countries pay USD 100 for adults and USD 50 for children under 12, and Ecuadorians and resident foreigners over 12 pay USD 30. Children under 2 are free. Check the park’s official schedule, because fees change. The Transit Control Card is about USD 20 and is issued before you leave the mainland, at Quito or Guayaquil airport.
Beach and snorkel stops
Tortuga Bay. A paved stone path of about 2.5 km leads from the edge of town, and the walk takes 30 to 45 minutes. Sign in and out at the park booth at the trailhead, and expect it to be open from about 06:00 to 18:00. The first beach, Playa Brava, has rip currents and is for surfers and iguana watching only. Playa Mansa, about 20 minutes further along the sand, is the sheltered bay for swimming, snorkelling and kayaking. There is no road, so the options are walking or a water taxi from the pier at about USD 10 each way. The park can close the beach at short notice when the sea is rough.
Las Grietas. The visit is guided only, at about USD 10 per person with the guide. A water taxi from the pier costs USD 1 to 2, then you walk 15 to 20 minutes past Playa de los Alemanes. Allow about 1.5 hours for the tour and book through a licensed operator.
Playa de los Alemanes. A free beach stop on the same path, handy for a break before or after Las Grietas.
Tortoises
The Charles Darwin Research Station is open daily from 08:00 to 18:00 and admission is free. Its exhibition hall holds whale skeletons and natural history collections, and the giant tortoise breeding programme has run there since 1965. Next door, the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center is reached on the guided Tortoise Route, about USD 10 with a guide, from 08:00 to 16:45.
In the highlands, El Chato and Rancho Primicias sit side by side on the road to Santa Rosa, 30 to 45 minutes from town. Entry is about USD 10 with a guide, lava tunnel included, and you can usually turn up without booking. Tortoises roam freely, so stay 2 m away.
Diving
Gordon Rocks is the dive many people come for, a drift dive with hammerhead sharks. It is for advanced divers only and runs with a licensed operator.
Wildlife rules that apply everywhere
Stay at least 2 m from animals on land and while snorkelling, and never touch or feed them. Skip flash photography. If you plan to fly a drone or film professionally, ask the park for permission about two months before you travel. Wear reef-safe sunscreen and keep single-use plastics out of protected areas. Every protected visitor site, including all island day trips, needs a licensed operator and a naturalist guide.
Read more: day trips from Puerto Ayora and walking tours in Puerto Ayora cover the longer and slower options.
Sources: Charles Darwin Foundation visitor centre and the National Park rules . Compare guided options on GetYourGuide .