Isabela is the largest of the Galapagos islands, its most westerly, and also its youngest with still-active volcanos. And yet, it is barely populated – 3000 inhabitants, or so – and very rustic in comparison to both Isla San Cristobal and Isla Santa Cruz. And it may have been my favourite, but for reasons that may also not appeal to everyone; the streets of Isabela are not paved and therefore when it rains, it’s a muddy mess, and a bumpy adventure if you’re on either two or four wheels. The town can easily be walked in about 40 minutes, at the most, and there really isn’t a lot of touristy things to do. But if you are looking for a place to unwind, decompress, and just relax, there really is nothing better.
A note to my readers: there isn’t a lot to do on Isabela and as relaxing as it is to sit sea-side and read, or nap, or whatever, it isn’t for everyone and you might be fine with two nights and one full day. But if you’re a walker, see below under “sites” for a hike that I think justifies a second full day. Three nights and two days would be my personal recommendation.
Nites
Mi Playa Beachfront Apartments (https://miplayagalapagos.com/en/) are outstanding! I honestly wouldn’t consider anything else! You have to book well in advance as there are only two apartments, but they are directly on the beach you all, with an outside table and sunbeds to dose that day way, while listening to the ocean. And if you’re lucky, a young sea lion will join you, making the experience that much more memorable.
The apartments are on two levels: downstairs is the full kitchen and sitting area, stocked with games for the afternoon shower, and the upstairs has the two bedrooms: one with a king-sized bed and the other with two full beds (slightly larger than a twin but not as large as a queen). The room with the king bed as an en suite bathroom and although the double room has a bathroom, it was locked but there is a full bathroom on the ground floor.
But here’s the keeper! When you check in, you will be asked how you want your eggs, if you have any dietary restrictions, and what time you want breakfast. Why, you ask? Because every morning, a lovely woman will show up about 15 minutes before you requested breakfast time to make you breakfast! Every morning, she brought eggs to cook, meats if desired, and another hot side like plantains, or small cheese-filled empanadas, along with cut fruit, bread, yoghurts, and cereals. Truly more than any person could eat for breakfast! And there was always coffee available, and local juices.
Now, maybe the above doesn’t appeal to everyone, or they don’t have availability, so I can propose a couple of other properties, although I obviously didn’t stay there.
Down the street, at the start of a road leading to the Wall of Tears, is Iguana Crossing (https://iguanacrossing.com.ec/). I considered this, in part because of its location and the fact that they have a pool that looks across the ocean.
In the other direction, at the “end of town” is the Hotel Albemarle (https://hotelalbemarle.com/en/), a gorgeous old Victorian looking hotel, right on the beach, or the Hotel Isamar (https://isamarhotelgalapagos.com/en/), a slightly more affordable property managed by the incomparable Steven that was always booked and also right on the beach. (It is here that you check in for the Mi Playa and where you can leave your bags before your onward journey.)
Bites
If I only had one night on Isabela, I’d have to go to El Cafetal (no website, but on social). A rustic restaurant set directly on the beach, they offer a variety of dishes, including a couple of vegetarian options and, at the time of this writing, loving dinner plate specials that really are a bargain for the money.
The other thing that I enjoyed about El Cafetal is that they are connected to the Pink Iguana bar (no website but on social), a crazy spot, also on the beach, with cocktails and live music. (And the people watching is outstanding!)
If you have a second night, Gracias Madre is a lovely Mexican restaurant. On the night we dined there, there was only one person in the front of house: taking orders, clearing tables, and serving dishes. And she was the loveliest, kindest person that made the experience that much better.
The Mangrove is a beautiful, well-appointed restaurant probably on what the locals would consider the higher-end of prices, but sitting outside, watching people walk along the streets is just a lovely way to spend the evening. The only reason that this wouldn’t be a must have is that they had very few vegetarian options.
And although not a bite, per se, there are two really well-stocked markets in Isabela which wasn’t the case on either of the other islands: my personal favourite is Estefania who has literally everything you would need for your home or Air BnB or Jazu, a smaller place that isn’t too far from Estefania.
Sites
As I said earlier, there isn’t a lot to do on Isabela but it wouldn’t be a trip without doing a tour to Las Tuneles and Tintoreras Bay. This is a half-day tour, at best, and only requires a short boat ride to the islet where you will observe blue footed boobies, lava flow, and then have the opportunity to snorkel in the inlet with tortoises, white-tipped sharks, and other marine mammals. From the islet, you’ll have another opportunity to snorkel on your own, also in calm waters, before receiving a snack of fruit and drinks before heading back to town.
Now, the other thing that I highly recommend and may not be for everyone is going to the Wall of Tears. If you don’t have the energy, or the hike seems too daunting, you can take a taxi all the way to the Wall of Tears, and walk back, or have the taxi wait for you. But for the adventurous among you, you can hike it or bike it. The hike will take about two hours in each direction, but on our walk out and back, we witnessed six different tortoises along the road in their natural habitat. It was truly the most gorgeous and awe-inspiring encounter. Oh, and the Wall of Tears is a humbling structure built by prisoners as part of their sentence.
Near the start of the road to the Wall of Tears is the Giant Tortoise breeding center (https://www.galapagos.org/conservation/giant-tortoise-restoration/). Here you’ll pay $10 each for a guide to walk you down the road to the official breeding center which really shouldn’t be missed. It’s important to note that your guide will likely not be yours alone: as other people show up, it’s highly likely that other will join your group.
Another activity but truly for the heartiest of souls, is a boat trip to Tortuga Island. This is open water snorkeling at its best. On the tour that we did, there were two snorkeling activities, both in the open water, and for about 45 minutes each. After the first dive, three people lost their cookies from the rough ocean water snorkeling. The second dive is closer to the sides of the island, but the water is still rough, and this does take a lot of strength and energy. I wish I had done the second dive but I was so tired from the first drive, and snorkeling isn’t overly natural to me, so be warned.
An additional note for my readers: you have two ways to reach Isla Isabela. For the faint of heart, you can take a ferry from Santa Cruz. If you’re coming from San Cristobal, as we did, this journey would require you to take a ferry in the morning to Santa Cruz, wait most of the day, and take a ferry from Santa Cruz to Isabela. A taxi from the port in Santa Cruz will cost you about $40 for up to four people, in one direction, and there’s nothing to do at the port, so think closely about your options.
For those who want to maximize time, you can fly with Emetebe airlines (https://www.emetebe.com.ec). But be forewarned: these are 9-seater planes, and the placement of luggage, including backbacks, is akin to a game of jenga when it comes to how to get everything on the plane. And the seats are not large and there is little leg-room, so just be prepared. I opted for the co-pilot seat which was amazing and highly recommended. If the added cost of this seat is price-prohibitive, then pay for row two; row three barely has a view out the window and row four has no view.