Stay with Pahoehoe

In San Cristóbal you can step off the ferry and be on a wildlife-filled beach five minutes later. Here's our guide to every beach on the island — how far each one is from the pier, how to get there, when it's open, and what each one does best.

Every traveler island-hopping the Galápagos faces the same fork in the road: the $30 fast boat or the nine-seater plane from about $140. As locals who've made both crossings often enough to know them well, here's the comparison — prices, routes, seasons, luggage, and where to book each one.

Española is the oldest island in the archipelago — and the only place on Earth where the waved albatross nests. From courtship dances to a blowhole that launches seawater 20 meters into the air, here's the guide to the Galapagos' wildest day trip.

Skip the cruise and explore the Galápagos like a local: base yourself on the four inhabited islands, master the ferries and fees, plan smart day trips — and know when a pre-built island hopping package is the better deal.