Are you ready to explore the ecosystem that inspired the studies of Charles Darwin? Between giant turtles and curious blue-finned birds, your Galapagos honeymoon has just begun!
The Galapagos are an archipelago of volcanic islands politically belonging to Ecuador and geographically located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, about one thousand kilometers from the American continent. What does this mean? That if you want to exchange phrases of love in one of the most remote places in the world, you have chosen the right place. This distance has allowed the territory to develop numerous endemic species of animals and plants, untouched by the action of man: yes, at Galapagos you can experience the most incredible “marine safari” of your life, immediately after having taken off your wedding dresses and groom.
The best ways to visit the archipelago
To visit these enchanting islands, there are two ways. The first is the most classic, comfortable and organized: it is a cruise that allows you to visit islands otherwise inaccessible, with overnight on board.
The second possibility is to make “island hopping” , that is to say, real “jumps” from one island to another on board smaller boats, with overnight stays on site and the possibility of getting in touch with the local populations. The positive side of this solution is that it allows you to customize itineraries based on your interests ( snorkeling , trekking , bird watching …), the downside is that it does not allow you to reach some places touched by the cruise instead.
Which itineraries are possible?
There are thirteen islands in the Galapagos archipelago , each with its own characteristics. The main ones are undoubtedly those of:
Santa Cruz , where you can walk along Tortuga Bay to admire the famous giant turtles;
Bartolome , where to cross the bridge over its immense volcanic cone;
Santa Fe with Playa Escondida , to admire the turquoise as you’ve never seen it, snorkeling in the waters that bathe it.
Isabela , the largest and most romantic island of all, with its soft white beach on which to stroll while admiring sea lions, penguins and turtles.
San Cristobal , the island that houses the capital of the Galapagos, Puerto Baquerizo.
Espanola , where you can spot the wonderful blue-legged gannets .
As for the itineraries, we must distinguish between those that can be traveled on a cruise and the more flexible ones that can be chosen by leaning on an island hopping tour . In particular, in the first case there are three different areas of the archipelago, which give life respectively to the itinerary south, north and west. Each of them touches different islands and the advice is not to go below the 4 days of excursion : the ideal would be to stay over 10, even if in a week you can still visit the beauties of the Galapagos in an exhaustive manner.
The best time to go to the Galapagos
If you would like to leave for a honeymoon shortly after wearing your winter wedding dress , the Galapagos would be the perfect destination. The same thing can also be said if you wear a light summer dress on your wedding day: just like that, there is no “no time” to go to this heavenly archipelago, because every period of the year is ideal .
However, being able to choose, it is recommended to opt for the months included between December and May : it is indeed the hot season, because in general the sun always shines in a clear sky. Also, from March to May you could meet sea turtles and sea lions looking for companions.
Despite this, even the so-called “cold season” has its pros: from June to November the air and the water are cool and you will need a suit to carry out the dive, however the sea life is very active during this period thanks to the Humboldt current that brings water rich in nutrients, attracting large quantities of fish and birds .
What you did not know about the Galapagos
Contrary to what one might think, the Galapagos are not a destination for everyone. This is because it is a protected environment , of which only 3% can be visited independently. The remaining 97% of the national park that covers the entire territory is passable by taking part in organized tours , managed by qualified guides. The reason lies in the fact that we want to preserve the ancient ecosystem of the archipelago , the same studied by Charles Darwin to formulate his famous evolutionary theory in the well-known book The Origin of Species .
No, the Galapagos Islands are not a place for the so-called backpackers , but if you are ready to invest resources for a truly unique journey, if you love diving and seasickness it does not prevent you from exchanging romantic phrases even after a long boat trip … then you have just found the destination for your ideal honeymoon.
