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Maybe you've been to Bolivia to see the Sky Mirror, snorkeled in Palau's crystal-clear waters and jellyfish lakes, entered the interior of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, or visited Mount Everest Base Camp. But if you haven't been here, I'm sorry, you're not a top-tier traveler!
Today I want to introduce a place that looks like an alien planet. Today I want to diss all the islands on Earth. This is the Galapagos.
The Galapagos Islands, also known as the Galapagos Islands, are an archipelago in Ecuador, located on the equator, more than 900 kilometers from the South American continent. It consists of 13 main islands (over 10 square kilometers in area), 8 smaller islands, and more than 100 reefs.
It is very far away from China. Taking Hangzhou as an example, the one-way distance is more than 25,000 kilometers. If you go round trip, it is equivalent to more than one circle around the earth.
The entire archipelago is made up of volcanoes (yes, there are real volcanoes under your feet).
This was the inspiration for Darwin's masterpiece "The Origin of Species" and the filming location for the BBC documentary "Galapagos". Here, 90% of the amazing species are different from those on the mainland, with brand new volcanic landforms and beautiful white sand beaches. This is an alien planet on Earth and the ultimate destination for island enthusiasts!
Far away from the South American continent and isolated from the world, species have evolved independently here, and there are many unique biological species; the large amount of nutrients brought by the Peruvian cold current has continuously washed away the species resources here, making the species resources here extremely rich; the archipelago was born in a volcano, and with the continuous cycle of the volcano's life cycle, each island has its own characteristics; and the distance between the islands is far enough, resulting in different species on each island.
In 1835, Charles Darwin spent five weeks in the Galapagos during his circumnavigation of the world, studying the islands' unique species. His most notable study was of Darwin's finches. Because each island's distinct ecosystems led to different vegetation, these birds, originally part of the same family, evolved into separate branches, with their beaks also developing distinct shapes. This ultimately led Darwin to propose the core principle of "survival of the fittest" and complete his theory of evolution.
In 1978, UNESCO designated the Galapagos Islands as one of the first World Heritage Sites. Here, humans and nature coexist in harmony. You can see sea lions lazing on chairs at the pier, giant tortoises crawling along the road, and sea lions and marine iguanas sharing the beautiful beaches with you.
Since all the islands here are made up of volcanoes, there are various minerals in the magma.
A pink beach full of girlishness
Iceland's black sand beach is like a cold wonderland
Pearl-like white sand beach
Mysterious and thick red sand beach
That’s right, anything you can think of, is available on this island!
Hike in the crater of an active volcano
Enter the lava tunnel
Dancing on freshly solidified lava
Walk through a jungle of cacti taller than a person
If you are tired of the beach, go explore the magical mangroves
The hiking resources here are too abundant!
Of course, the most important thing about traveling to the Galapagos is seeing the animals.
80% of the Galapagos' birds, 97% of its reptiles and mammals, 30% of its plants, and 20% of its marine life are endemic to the archipelago. That's right, nine out of ten animals you see will be ones you've never seen before. Here's a brief introduction to a few representative species.
Not enough land life? No problem, the marine life is the real treat! If you or your friends are divers, everyone's ultimate diving destination is the same: the divers' Mecca—the Galapagos. It's fair to say that a diver's diving career is incomplete without diving in the Galapagos (specifically, without visiting Darwin's Arch and Wolf Island). It's also known as the guillotine for divers, so don't venture in without a few hundred tanks and specialized drift diving training!
Hundreds of hammerhead sharks are floating by.
Giant whale sharks over ten meters long
Molamola, a cute fish among mythical beasts
There is even the killer whale, the king of the sea, standing at the top of the food chain
Play with groups of sea lions and penguins here
The divers who come here have long since left the level of watching turtles. Even snorkeling can make people excited to the point of blood rushing.
Ecuador currently offers visa-free entry to Chinese passports, allowing stays of up to 90 days, allowing you to embark on a spontaneous trip.
From China to Ecuador (transferring in Quito to Galapagos), you can choose to transfer in Europe or the United States and Canada. Among them, the United States has the most transfer options and the cheapest air tickets, usually around US$1,000. It is strongly recommended to apply for a 10-year US visa
【Tickets】Adults are $100, and children are $50. Before flying to the Galapagos, you'll need to undergo a rigorous luggage inspection (similar inspections are also required for travel between the Galapagos islands to prevent the invasion of alien species) and purchase a travel permit ($20). Your passport will be stamped at the airport...
The official language is Spanish, and tourism professionals are fluent in English.
US dollars. There are ATMs on Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal Islands in the Galapagos, but they often run out of cash. Most hotels and restaurants accept credit cards, but there's a 5%-10% fee, so it's recommended to bring plenty of US dollars in cash (preferably small bills under $20).
Meals average $15-30 per person; accommodations range from $50 to $350 per night. Postage to postcards is $2.75. I especially recommend the lobster dinner, which costs $25 per head.
The hotel has Wi-Fi, but the speed is average (good enough for general internet chatting, but not enough for watching videos online); mobile phone signals only work in residential areas.
Due to its location on the equator, all twelve months of the year are suitable for travel, and each month has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, May and June are the breeding seasons for frigatebirds and blue-footed boobies, where you can see the red air sacs of frigatebirds and the mating dance of blue-footed boobies. October is the best time to watch the mating period of albatrosses.
The year is divided into two seasons: December to May is the rainy season, with more heavy rains, sunny days after the rain, high sea temperature, small waves, blooming flowers, and wild growth of plants; June to November is the dry season, with more cloudy days, less precipitation but mostly thick, humid and foggy weather, low sea temperature, large waves, more nutrients in the sea water, and more abundant marine life.
The popular tourist seasons are from mid-June to early September and from mid-December to mid-January.
What are the options for visiting the Galapagos Islands?
For ordinary tourists, there are two main ways to visit the Galapagos: cruise and land-based tour. If you have enough time, you can combine these two methods.
So the question is, where should we go to such a cool island?
Don't worry, China-TravelNote has paved the way for you▼
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