Isabela Island

Isabela is larger than all the other Galapagos islands combined, a seahorse-shaped mass built from six shield volcanoes, several of them still active, and it is the least developed of the inhabited islands: Puerto Villamil is a small settlement of sand streets on a white beach with a lagoon of flamingos behind it. The wildlife is exceptional even by Galapagos standards. Galapagos penguins, the only penguins living at the equator, breed along its shores; marine iguanas cover the lava; and the Concha de Perla lagoon and Las Tintoreras islets give easy snorkelling with turtles, rays and white-tipped reef sharks. The Sierra Negra volcano rises behind the town.

History

The settlements of Puerto Villamil and Santo Tomás were founded in 1893, and by 1905 the island had 200 people, who exported sulphur mined from fumaroles and lime made from coral and used the giant tortoises for meat and oil. Puerto Villamil, at the south-eastern tip of the island, is now the third-largest settlement of the archipelago, and Isabela, larger than all the other islands of the chain together, has a little under 2,000 permanent inhabitants (Wikipedia, Isabela Island).

Highlights

• Galapagos penguins - the only penguins breeding at the equator.
• Flamingo lagoons behind the town - the brackish pools of Puerto Villamil.
• Las Tintoreras - reef sharks and turtles in a lava channel.
• Sand streets and a white beach - the least developed inhabited island.

When to go

Year round; December to May is warmer with calmer crossings, June to November cooler with better underwater visibility for some. Three days. The boat crossing is often rough.

Practical notes

The crossing from Santa Cruz is small-boat and frequently very rough; people are sick regularly. Puerto Villamil has limited services and higher prices. Most of the island is closed to visitors without guides. Power and water supply are basic.

Nearby

Sierra Negra is above the town; Santa Cruz lies east.

Key facts