5 Things To Know Before Visiting the Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are unlike anywhere I’ve ever visited before. But in advance of our trip, I actually didn’t do a ton of research because I felt overwhelmed. First of all, most information out there seems to pertain to cruises, and we obviously weren’t doing a cruise. And second, a lot of it comes from travel agencies trying to convince you to book their tours and services.

When we went, I kind of just showed up for our flight and figured it out from there. Which worked out! But not everyone loves traveling that way. So, now that I’ve been there, I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the things I wish I’d known before we went.

1. Galapagos Islands Entry Requirements

Flights into the Galapagos only arrive via Quito and Guayaquil airports. And there are some extra steps you’ll need to take in the airport before going through security and boarding your flight.

First, you’ll need to have your bags X-rayed to make sure you aren’t bringing anything with you into the Galapagos that shouldn’t be there. Next, you need to get in a special line to pick up your “Transit Control Card” (TTC). You can sometimes apply for them online (depending on if the website is working) and it can make the process a little faster once you get up to the window pictured above. But I was behind a group of high school students, so I had to wait in line for about 45 minutes anyway. Make sure you get to the airport with plenty of time.

If you don’t fill out your information online in advance, make sure you have your flight information in and out of the Galapagos, as well as the names and addresses of the places you are staying and the dates. It costs $20 per person for the TTC. This must be paid in cash. When you get your card, it will come in two parts — one part, you turn in during arrival on the island. The second part, you need to hold onto throughout your time in the Galapagos.

When you arrive on the island, you’ll need to wait in line at “immigration,” where you’ll get your passport stamped (yay!), turn in your TTC, and pay $100 per person in cash.

*As of March 2022, all travelers to the Galapagos Islands must be fully vaccinated.

2. Bring Lots of Cash — Especially Small Bills and Coins

Okay, so not only do you need $120 in cash per person just to enter the Galapagos Islands. I’m sorry to tell you… you’re going to need a lot more cash, especially in small bills and coins, for the rest of your trip. (The good news, though, if you’re American: Ecuador uses $USD.)

Unlike mainland Ecuador and many other places in the world, you’re not going to have much luck paying by credit card on the islands. You may be able to use your card in some places on Santa Cruz in Puerto Ayora, but not so much on Isabela in Puerto Villamil.

But besides that, you’re going to have to pay petty cash for SO MANY different things. Not only are there bus tickets you’ll need to get from the airport ($5 for the first bus and $5 for the second bus), but any time you take a water taxi, it’s going to cost you $0.50 to $1. For example, if you take a ferry between the islands, you’ll be water taxi-ing from the dock to your ferry, each way.

Also, we randomly needed to pay a couple of extra dollars just to pick up our ferry tickets, which we had already paid for. And then when we arrived at the dock in Isabela, we had to pay a dock tax when we arrived. (Don’t remember how much, but it wasn’t more than $10.) And when we got back to Santa Cruz, we had to pay a few dollars in dock taxes again.

All these small unexpected expenses can really add up. So make sure you take out plenty of cash before you go to the Galapagos, and do what you can to split those bills into smaller denominations. One other note: nowhere in Ecuador will take bills larger than $20.

3. What To Wear in the Galapagos Islands

I’m not sure what it’s like in Guayaquil… but in Quito, wearing shorts is sadly a no-no. Unless you want to stand out more as a tourist than you already do. As someone who constantly runs hot, the two months we spent in Quito were hard on my shorts-loving soul, especially since daytime highs could be around 70F.

But in the Galapagos Islands, all those fashion “rules” went out the window. Thankfully. In Puerto Ayora and Puerto Villamil, the dress code was “tropical island.” And rightfully so. It gets hotter than it does in the mountains of Quito. Plus, there are hardly ever clouds. The combination of the direct sun + being extremely close to the Equator + not a lot of trees = it’s really hot.

Plus, there’s the risk of sunburn. That being said…

4. Pack Your Own Sunscreen

Sunscreen in Ecuador — even mainland Ecuador — is extremely expensive! At least by U.S. standards. After we went to the teleférico in Quito, I noticed my chest and neck had gotten some sun even though it had been a cloudy day. So we went to the pharmacy in our neighborhood to buy sunscreen. Even a very regular bottle was more than $20. The same thing in the U.S. would have been been about $10 max.

We didn’t check bags for the Galapagos, since we were just coming from Quito and were only staying for a week. But I made sure to squeeze as much of that sunscreen bottle as I could into a small travel bottle for our trip. Because I could only imagine just how much more sunscreen would cost on the islands.

If you check a bag, I highly recommend packing your own full-size bottle of sunscreen for your trip. If you don’t, I recommend filling multiple travel-size bottles with your sunscreen and bringing it with you. You’re going to need a lot!

5. Be Aware of the Creatures

The Galapagos Islands are full of wildlife. And not in a way where you have to go looking for it. They are just part of the landscape — no matter where you go.

Like, when we arrived at the airport and were waiting for the bus, there was a gigantic yellow iguana laying on the rocks behind where I was sitting and sipping my coffee. When Matt pointed it out to me, I was startled. I didn’t know at that time that, in the next week, I would come across hundreds more iguanas and not even bat an eye.

On your Galapagos trip, even if you don’t go into the water, you’re basically guaranteed to see iguanas, pelicans, crabs, sea lions, and geckos without even trying. The iguanas are literally everywhere. The sea lions are just laying on the sidewalk and sleeping on park benches. The geckos might be in your hotel room. (They were in ours.) There were also massive bugs in our room. It’s just the tropical climate, so be prepared.

Also, the Galapagos Islands are home to certain endemic species, meaning they aren’t found anywhere else in the world. One such example is the marine iguana. So not only are these iguanas everywhere on the islands, but they also SWIM. It’s kind of disconcerting to see one floating by you while you’re in the water (I tried to stay away from them), but just know that nature rules the Galapagos. You’re just a visitor. And the creatures here are weird and wonderful.

Find things to do during your Galapagos Islands trip.

 

Okay, I think that covers some of the big things you should know before your trip to the Galapagos Islands. Let me know what questions you have or what you’d add to this list. 🙂

-Cathy

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Originally Published on April 6, 2022.