Diving on the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

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After I had just completed my Padi Advanced Open Water Diver course, I really wanted to put my new skills to the test. Diving on the Galápagos Islands seemed the perfect way to do this

We had planned our trip to the Galápagos Islands quite a bit, but we decided to book our first hotel and our diving in advance.

In the spirit of the Galápagos Islands, we decided to blow our budget for our first stop, and checked in in the rather luxurious Royal Palm Hotel in the center of the island of Santa Cruz. It was nice to be away from the busy Puerto Ayora, embedded in lush gardens with epic views over the island.

On the hotel site there are a lava tunnel, extensive gardens and even a barn owl! There is also a fitness room, a large pool, a tennis court and a whirlpool in the room (!) As well as free bicycles to explore the surrounding area, where giant turtles run freely in the fields. It was a great basis for starting our Galápagos adventure.

We spent a while to research the many diving outfits in Puerto Ayora and finally decided on Academy Bay Diving. They offer breakfast, snacks and a warm lunch during the dive and a buoyancy test in front of the dive - very useful if you are used to diving in warmer waters with a thinner wetsuit.

The divemaster films and also photograph their dives and then provide the media files on CD or USB, all included in the price. The film material and the photos below were taken completely by them - a really nice gesture! It is also a fairly good price-performance ratio for the Galápagos Islands at $ 180 for a dive with two bottles.

Our two diving sites for this day were at North Seymour Island (Isla Seymour Norte) and Daphne Island, both of whom are north of Santa Cruz. At the first dive (North Seymour) we met dozens of white-tip reef sharks that rested on the sea floor.

at almost 20 meters depth we spent several impressive minutes to observe these great (and eerie) beasts. In return, they looked at us with complete indifference.

Next was a flood of sea turtles. I had briefly seen one or the other turtle during a dive in Samoa, but never as many as with this dive or in such clear water. It was great to see them so close and continuously.

Then we discovered a few camouflaged stingrays on the sea floor. Then, while our ascent, a group of majestic mantaroche slid past our group. What a dive turned out!

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The second dive at Daphne was just as dramatic. Shortly after our descent we made our way into a number of caves that swarmed with enthusiastic black -striped Salema.

After a few seconds, a sea lion dipped from above and shot around and around to feed on the Salema. You can't see much of our facial expressions behind a mask and a respiratory protection mask, but you know that we have watched with large eyes and (partially) wide mouths!

Before the dive ended, we were lucky enough to see a hammer shark. It was a good distance, but still ... a hammer shark!

The two dives were by far the best I have ever done. Seeing so much dramatic sea life in such a short time was incredible. For me, the moment was really magical when the sea lion in the school of black -striped Salema immersed and joined us. Diving on the Galápagos Islands was certainly one of my biggest travel experiences.

dive on the Galápagos Islands: The essentials

What: Dive on the Galápagos Islands around North Seymour and Daphne with Academy Bay Diving ($ 180 per person for a dive with two bottles).

Where: The Galápagos Islands are 960 km west of the Ecuadorian mainland. Santa Cruz is the center and tourist center of the archipelago. We stayed in the Royal Palm Galápagos Hotel, which is a 20-minute ($ 8) taxi ride from Puerto Ayora (pictures below).

We chose Royal Palm due to their exemplary commitment to the environment. They use food that naturally grow on the property, including grapefruit, lemons, lime and avocados, and maintain their own kitchen garden full of fresh organic vegetables.

You use a rainwater collection system with filters and saves, which significantly reduces your dependence on deliveries on the street. In addition, they are keepers of the rare Miconia plant, which thrives on their premises, as well as donors to the Galápagos Conservancy. Plus, we have already mentioned that you have your own barn owl!?

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When: The Galapagos Islands have two seasons. The islands are relatively dry all year round, but between January and June the temperatures are hot (30 ° C) and there are regular downpours.

From July to December, the temperatures are cooler (22 ° C) and it is generally drier, but the seas are more restless, which makes it less ideal diving. The best time to dive on the Galápagos Islands is between January and June.

like: If you fly from the Ecuadorian mainland, there are two options: Guayaquil or Quito. Flights end up on the island of Baltra (Santa Cruz) or on San Cristobal. The prices fluctuate, but we received a return trip from Guayaquil to Baltra for $ 400 per person (booking via skyscanner.net).

Most of the flights from Quito hold in both directions in Guayaquil and a flight to San Cristobal is more expensive than to Baltra. There are no international flights to the Galápagos.

from Baltra you can take the ferry and bus to the coastal city of Puerto Ayora. The city has everything a tourist needs to organize diving on the Galápagos Islands and other excursions across the islands. Academy Bay Diving is probably the best diving company with which I have ever dipped and is located in the heart of Puerto Ayora on the Charles Darwin Avenue along the riparian promenade.

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