Puerto Ayora Santa Cruz
Enjoy Galapagos at bargain prices when you base yourself in Puerto Ayora Santa Cruz island.
When you travel to Galapagos islands: your fixed price plain ticket has been paid for, your $100 for the park entrance fee and the island tax has been paid for, no matter how long you stay.
The bargains are joining "last minute" organized cruises from Puerto Ayora. Most boat tours to Galapagos islands will sell last minute tickets at bargain basement prices.
It was my favorite laid back pass time on Galapagos: just strolling around the harbor, waiting for a boat with a last minute berth and hopping along for a dirt cheap price. Just be prepared that there can be a complete week between these utterly cheap trips to Galapagos islands, but if you love to relax on your holiday, this is a great way to save money.
Strolling around in Puerto Ayora Ecuador
Puerta Ayora is your little "Spanish puerta" or door to both Ecuador and Galapagos:
- no need to spend time in Quito to enjoy Ecuador before boarding on a Galapagos cruise. Just head straight to the Galapagos islands and get acquainted with the people of Ecuador in Puerto Ayora.
- strolling around the harbor you will see much of sea creatures already, like this sea lion having an appetite for human legs.
Puerto Ayora Santa Cruz is small and easily navigable, so its straightforward to find your own way around town: the main drag, Charles Darwin, runs east-west along the bay
- at the west end of town you will find the Academy Bay port, the main grocery store, hardware store and the post office
- at the east end of town is the famous Charles Darwin Research Station
- in between are most of Puerto Ayora’s hotels, bars, shops and the only bank, El Banco del Pacifico.
The hotels in Puerto Ayora are plentiful: from cheap hotel rooms for backpackers for about $6 only in the low season to luxury hotels and oceanfront bed and breakfasts for around $ 75 single / $ 115 double per night.
Overall staying as long as you can in Puerto Ayora Santa Cruz will be worth every penny when you are looking for an affordable stay in what most likely will be your one in a life time travel to Galapagos islands.
