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Top Isla Santiago Attractions & Experiences
Top Isla Santiago Experiences
- Visiting James Bay, a sea turtle nesting site, as well as perfect place to observe seals and other famous Galapagos wildlife.
- Hiking among dormant volcanos and seeing beautiful vegetation, which many have worked hard to rehabilitate to the island of Santiago
- Snorkeling around the lovely "Chinese Hat" site and observing sea lions, rays, and penguins.
- Photographing the incredible lava flow at Sullivan Bay, which occurred in the second half of the 19th century.
- Snorkeling at Puerto Egas where sea lions and blue footed boobies often fish, competing for the best catch.
- Holding still as a Galapagos Flycatcher, endemic to Santiago Island, landed on my camera to observe it's own reflection. Then flitting around in a circle to other cameras in the group.
Isla Santiago Tours & Travel Guide
Isla Santiago Attractions & Landmarks Guide
Santiago Island was originally named James Island for King James II, is comprised of two volcanoes and one of the smaller islands in the Galapagos at 221 square miles. This was the second island Darwin visited on his first voyage to the Galapagos in 1835. Also playing host in the early 1800s to pirates and traders who took advantage of the abundance of wildlife to trade in whale and tortoise meat.
The fragile ecosystems on the island of Santiago have been put through the ringer over the years. In the 1800s, domestic farm animals were released, including goats and pigs. Their complete incompatibility with the other wildlife and their foraging caused great disruption, and heavy conservation efforts have been in place to restore Santiago to its natural balance. In the 1930’s colonization attempts were made to take advantage of the salt mining opportunities, but these attempts ultimately failed.
Oddly, land iguanas used to live on Santiago, which we know from Darwin’s journals, where he notated an abundance of this most unique animal; today none have survived on Santiago and live only on the other islands of the Galapagos.
Main Sights on Santiago Island
Santiago provides an opportunity to observe two very different, quintessential facets of the Galapagos: lava flow and wildlife. It is one of the best places for taking a long walk over and through barren, relatively young lava fields, offering incredibly unique photography opportunities.
It is also one of the best islands to walk along beautiful shores, plentiful with sea lions playing, nursing, and mating, and enigmatic iguanas sunning upon the rocks, frozen so still they seem unreal.
Santiago is fairly small, so there are only three official visitor sites around the entire island. But there are several dive and snorkel sites, including Puerto Egas, which is one of the most popular for spotting penguins swimming around. The Puerto Egas shore is also home to the striking Galapagos Hawk, which is only found on three of the islands in the Galapagos.
1. James Bay - James Bay is one of the main visitor sites on Santiago Island, featuring three exciting stops: a turtle nesting site, fur seal grottos, and the Salt Mine Volcano. Start at the turtle nesting site which is located at Espumilla Beach in the northern part of the island.
A lovely trail walk links the fur seal grotto and Salt Mine Volcano, passing through a lagoon where you can spot flamingos and white-cheeked pintail ducks. See the fur seals basking in the shade at Puerto Egas before continuing on to come to the salt mine crater, a site for mining in the 1920s and 1960s. Keep an eye out for the powerful and striking Galapagos hawks often seen here!
2. Sullivan Bay - Learn about lava flows as you walk over one that has existed since the end of the 19th century at Sullivan Bay. This intriguing landscape is very photogenic, so be sure to have your camera ready! Follow a trail among the rare vegetation that thrives in this environment and marvel at nature’s oddities.
There are two main trail options, a long walk and a short walk. Each will feature the incredible lava formations. These hikes are over a lot of uneven terrain, so if you have difficulty balancing, you may want to consider the short walk. You will observe a noticeable lack of wildlife in this part of the island - making this a journey all about the volcanic history of the Galapagos.
3. Chinese Hat - Also called Chino sombrero, this small satellite island just off Santiago’s shore. is a classic snorkeling spot. A small volcanic cone, resembling the shape of a sombrero or Chinese hat when viewed from the north, the islet features a nice trail which offers beautiful views. You may also catch sight of a penguin or two swimming through the blue waters.
What to Pack for the Galapagos
The Galapagos are remote, surrounded by beaches, waters, and lava rock. Your packing list should be light, but you definitely want to make sure you have all necessities with you. The benefit of going on a Galapagos cruise will be the ability to bring a little bit more, as you’ll only be unpacking once.
1. Bring multiple bathing suits. Though it’s generally warm, and clothing will dry quickly, you’ll definitely want more than one suit because you’ll be in and out of the water constantly. It will also be a good idea to bring water clothes, to protect from the sun. It’s easy to forget your exposed neck and arms when you’re floating on top of the water gazing through goggles at the incredibly world below!
2. Bring a pair of hiking boots or tennis shoes. You’ll do a lot of walking around on the Galapagos. Hikes range from strenuous to moderate, to easy, so if you think you’ll be interested in this activity, definitely use up some room in your suitcase for a pair of sturdy, comfortable, close-toed shoes.
3. Sunhat, sunglasses, and strong sunscreen. As you’ll be out on the water regularly, and enjoying time ashore along the coast where there’s little shade, definitely bring plenty of sunscreen, the stronger SPF the better.
4. A multi functional, small day pack. Because most shore excursions will typically last half day to a full day, you’ll want a small to medium sized day backpack for storing water, cameras, sunscreen, phones, and anything else you’ll need. Make sure this is something you don’t mind getting dirty or wet.
5. Rubber soled water shoes. Consider bringing a pair of water shoes to protect against sharp coral reefs and for walking around lava rocks. These can be very useful as well to avoid slipping on board the boats that take you around to the many beautiful snorkeling spots on the Galapagos.
6. Layers! Layers is key for most destinations around the world, but in the Galapagos you may need a light sweatshirt for at night, even though it won’t seem like it during the day. Also consider a pair of long hiking pants to avoid bug bites.
Photography tips for the Galapagos
Without a doubt, you will leave the Galapagos with thousands of pictures, mainly of the incredible wildlife. Here’s some tips to help you make sure you make the most of your trip and arrive home with some amazing shots.
1. Bring multiple lenses. - Learning from a photography professional, you’re going to want to be able to commit to several different types of shot, and this means different lenses. For the Galapagos, try to bring a telephoto lens and a macro lens. These are going to be the best way to capture the unbelievable wildlife on the islands.
2. Don’t be afraid to get up close. - The animals in the Galapagos are famously used to humans, and this makes it very easy to get up close for spectacular macro shots. The proximity means you have a greater ability to capturing the personality, expressions, and textures of the animals.
3. Bring a lens cloth - the last thing you want is a foggy lens to muddy up your image. Make sure you have a high end lens cloth ready to keep dust and condensation off your camera. In warm tropical environments, lens fogging is common - one good tip is to take your camera out with lens cap off a good few minutes before you plan to start shooting. This will give enough time to let any fogging dissipate.
4. Go on a Photography tour! - For serious amateurs and complete novices, photography tours are one of the best ways to learn and grow as a photographer. You’ll get to learn from a professional and get the best tips about how to best capture wildlife. When the wildlife is so entrancing, historic, and relatively easy to get close to, the thing that’s going to make your photos stand out is the composition and lighting - having an expert near to instruct you on angles, f-stops, shutter-speeds, and filters is an incredible asset. See all the Galapagos photography tours on Stride.
5. Get to know the animals - one of the key aspects to wildlife photography is knowing the best times to find them in action. Learn a bit about each major species to discover their habits. You may also learn when to best find them with the least amount of people around. Though sometimes you may want a human presence in your photograph - this can create a wonderful dynamic.
6. Get dirty! - Photography is about finding the best way to showcase your subject. In the case of wildlife, this often means getting down and dirty, wet and uncomfortable. To get the best angles, you will find yourself contorting on the ground on your stomach, or perhaps balancing as quietly as possible on a log or tree branch.
7. Bring underwater casing. - A lot of your time in the Galapagos will be spent in the water. While over the counter underwater cameras actually do an impressive job, if you want sharper and higher resolution photos, invest in an underwater casing for your DSLR or other point and shoot. If you’re wary of getting your nice piece anywhere near the water (understandable) look into smart-phone accessories. There are many ways you can make your camera phone into the perfect underwater photography tool.
Travel to the Galapagos: Practicalities and Logistics
Before You Go
Visa
The Galapagos are technically part of Ecuador, so the same visa requirements apply. Citizens of the United States, Canada and most European countries do not require a visa to travel to Ecuador, unless you plan to stay past 90 days. You will generally receive a free visa upon entry into Ecuador.
Insurance
General travel insurance should suffice for a trip to the Galapagos. You will be spending a lot of time on the water with your tour, and any insurance specificities related to this can be answered by the tour company.
Vaccinations
You do need a Yellow Fever vaccine for traveling to Ecuador. Proof of vaccination is required upon entry into the country.
Besides that, no additional vaccinations are required for travel to the Galapagos, but make sure all your regular vaccinations are up to date.
Safety
Zika has been reported in some parts of Ecuador, so those traveling with young children or who are pregnant do so at your own risk.
Bring hats and sunscreen! You will be outside and on the water for a large part of your visit, and the sun can be intense.
Isla Santiago Tours FAQ
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