Aerial view of the harbor and main pier Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos. Puerto Ayora is the most populous town in the Galapagos Islands, the population is about 15000 people.

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Puerto Ayora

This town, the largest in terms of population and size in the Galápagos, is a surprise to most visitors, who don’t expect to find anything but plants and animals on the islands. Puerto Ayora looks and feels like a fairly prosperous mainland Ecuadorian coastal town, despite the sea lions and pelicans hanging around the waterfront. Most of the hotels, restaurants and tourist facilities line Avenida Charles Darwin, and the airport is on Isla Baltra, around an hour away to the north. Several blocks inland, travel agencies give way to ordinary, humble dwellings and shops. Some descendants of the handful of Norwegian, Swiss and German families that originally settled here four generations ago maintain a presence in the tourism industry.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • MAPRAE

    MAPRAE

    Puerto Ayora

    The first of its kind in the world, this museum uses augmented reality to showcase a permanent exhibition of 55 pre-Columbian artifacts. The ancient…

  • Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, Galapagos giant tortoise

    Charles Darwin Research Station

    Puerto Ayora

    Just northeast of Puerto Ayora is this iconic national-park site, where over 200 scientists and volunteers are involved with research and conservation…

  • Playa Mansa, Galapagos Islands.

    Playa Mansa

    Puerto Ayora

    If you walk the length of Tortuga Bay, you'll reach this picturesque lagoon lined with mangroves. Here you can spot marine iguanas, brown pelicans and…

  • Tortuga Bay

    Tortuga Bay

    Puerto Ayora

    In terms of sheer white-sand beauty, this beach is the rival of any in South America. You’ll find it at the end of a 2.5km paved trail southwest of Puerto…

  • Laguna de las Ninfas

    Laguna de las Ninfas

    Puerto Ayora

    This peaceful lagoon has a short boardwalk path, where you can stop to take in the mangroves while looking for stingrays, baby sharks, sea turtles and…

  • Tortoise Statue

    Tortoise Statue

    Puerto Ayora

    Among the various statues of prominent Galapagos wildlife around Puerto Ayora, this is probably the most photographed of them all.

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