Thursday, February 8: Tortuga Bay Beach and Charles Darwin Station Research

 
Morning
Tortuga Bay is located to the southwest of Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz Island. Its name means turtle, since it is the favorite place for sea turtles to lay their eggs. Tortuga Bay with a beautiful while sand beach is considered the most beautiful of the Galápagos Archipelago. There is excellent bird watching along the path, with plenty of Darwin’s Finches and other sea birds.

There are two beaches at Tortuga Bay, the one on the west is perfect for swimming, snorkeling or relaxing as the water is calmer, and on the other one, separated by mangroves, is great for surfing. Sea lions, marine iguanas, pelicans, and more marine birds are commonly found along the beach. Return to the hotel for lunch. 
 
Afternoon
The headquarters of the Galápagos National Park Service and The Charles Darwin Research Station are located side by side on the outskirts of Puerto Ayora. There is an interpretation center open to the public and also one may view the tortoise rearing program. Unfortunately, the number of tortoises is so reduced in the wild that this is the only place where many visitors to Galápagos have the chance to see tortoises.