A Dream Cruise in the Galápagos Islands
Judy Miron, a Travel Advisor with Martin Travel, recently took a small-ship cruise in the Galápagos Islands, a volcanic archipelago off the coast of Ecuador.
We asked Judy to tell us about her experience.
Advisor Adventures
What was it like to cruise the Galápagos Islands?
The Galápagos had been on my bucket list for a long time, so I was excited to go. Our tour group spent the first night in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, and then two nights on Santa Cruz Island, which is the tourism hub for the Galápagos, with hotels, restaurants and shops.
Then we took a six-day cruise with Enchanted Expeditions and visited several islands. We were on a smaller boat with only 16 passengers, which was a real benefit. To protect the environment, only 16 people are allowed on an island at a time. Our small group was off the boat at 6 a.m., and we were the first ones on the islands.
There’s an eastern and a western side of the Galápagos Islands. We sailed the eastern itinerary, which gave us the opportunity to visit numerous islands. Some days, we visited two.
What experiences were a highlight?
Every place we visited was different. We saw so much wildlife, from giant tortoises to blue-footed and red-footed boobies to sea lions and more. We even saw a Christmas iguana, so named because it’s green and red. The highlight was seeing penguins. We were told that penguins didn’t live on the particular islands we visited, but they were there anyway. We were thrilled to see them!
During the cruise, we got time to spend in the water. Most ships provide wetsuits and snorkel gear. Some of the snorkelers in our group even spotted hammerhead sharks.
What was one surprising find during your trip?
In Post Office Bay, there is the most unusual post office box. It’s not an official depository for mail. Instead, it’s a method of delivering letters that goes back several hundred years to early mariners, who would leave letters on the island to be hand-delivered by other sailors going to the correct destination. Today, visitors drop off their mail in what looks like a large birdhouse. Then they can sift through the mail and collect any letters going to a destination near their home. The idea is to hand-deliver those letters when they get home. That’s how the mail is delivered: by visitors.
What type of traveler is a good fit for this kind of trip?
If you enjoy nature, birds, sea creatures and other wildlife, then this is the trip for you. One important thing I learned is that you do need to be able to walk on uneven surfaces. On some of the islands, you’re walking on paths, but on others, you’re walking on volcanic rocks. The ship provided walking poles, which was a big help.
When is the best time to visit the Galápagos Islands?
December was an excellent time to visit. The weather was nice—not too hot or too cold—and many of the animals were having babies during this time.
What types of travel do you specialize in?
I’m happy to help anyone considering a trip to the Galápagos Islands, but I also specialize in many other leisure travel destinations and experiences, including Hawaii, Europe, Africa, cruises and more.