The mysterious island
The first time I visited Floreana, I felt like going back in time.
As soon as you put your feet on the dock, you will sense the ancient vibe of a place where time has roughly made any change, unpaved streets, few constructions and abundant nature, a lot of iguanas, some sea lions, and just a few humans.
Floreana is one of the four inhabited islands of the Galapagos Archipelago, and the sixth biggest in extension, with 173 square km. It has less than 200 residents, mostly dedicated to agriculture and tourism. Its capital city is Puerto Velasco Ibarra.
What to do in Floreana?
Depending on the rhythm you be able to keep up with during the trip, one or two days might be enough to cover the landmark sites. However, I do recommend staying at least 3 days and 2 nights, so you can calmly wander through the Island. These are some of the popular spots to visit/activities to do:
- Playa Negra: Playa Negra or Black beach is next just to the dock where ferries arrive. It is called this because its sand is literally black, due to the past volcanic activity of the area. At Playa Negra you could practice snorkeling or simply enjoy a relaxing beach day.
- La Loberia: A rocky beach where you will find sea lions and will also be able to practice snorkeling. Getting there will take around 15 minutes walking from Playa Negra.
- Snorkeling: In places like Playa Negra or La Loberia, you will be able to spot sea lions, sea turtles, and various types of fish.
- El Camino de los Pulpos (the path of the octopuses): This is a short trek that takes around 1 hour to complete. You will face a rocky terrain and walk along the coastline. At the end of the circuit, you might find small itinerant water masses with flamingos in them.
- Asilo de la Paz (Haven of Peace): Located in the highlands, it was the first Island’s place where humans settled. To visit this place, you can take a “chiva”, which is the local public transportation within the island, that takes the farm workers up to highlands and back at the end of their working day. When I visited the island, the price of a round-trip was between USD 5 and USD 6. This place supplies consumable water to the island’s inhabitants. In Asilo de la Paz, there is a trail in which you will find many turtles walking free; another feature attraction within the trail is a stone face, which was carved by the first colonizers of the island. There are also rocky labyrinths and caves which were used by passing pirates as a shelter, before heading off to their next destination. And of course, from Asilo de la Paz you can have a panoramic view and get lost with the view of the blue ocean far away.
- The Post Office: It is a historical site of postal service created in 1793, which consisted of a whisky barrel set up as a mailbox, where passing sailors would put their letters, and take back home others’ letters which were addressed to someone in their hometowns, or anyplace where they would be headed to, being responsible for delivering it. This system does not work anymore, but you could still, just for fun, engage in this practice.
If possible, I recommend staying at one of the hostels or lodges on the coastline, on Playa Negra beach. From there, you will be able to access most of the touristic places by walking. I stayed at a guesthouse, with direct access to the beach, and just a 5-minute walk from the dock. Watching the sunset lying down on hammock is a view to see from there.
How to mobilize within the island?
Unlike other of the inhabited islands (Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, or Isabela), in Floreana the gastronomic offer is limited, both in quantity of restaurants as in variety of dishes. It is advised that you book in advance the dish(es) that you would like to consume at the restaurants. Another option is just buying food at the local grocery store and cooking at the guesthouse; this will certainly save you some money.
Just walking. With a few exceptions, like the Post Office or Asilo de la Paz, your feet will be enough to take you to the places you need to know. When you arrive to the island, there are motorcycle drivers that can take you and your baggage from the dock to your hotel for a convenient price.
How to get to Floreana?
There are three main ways you could visit this Island. The first one is booking a cruise that includes Floreana as part of its itinerary. A second option is hiring a one-day round tour from another the Galapagos’ islands.
Finally- and personally, my favorite- is booking a ferry yourself. Beware that ferries only go from and to Floreana on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so you will have to arrange your itinerary according to those days; if you miss your ferry on a Thursday, you will have to stay on the island until next Tuesday. The ferry cost up to this date is USD 35 per way. You can book the tickets online in advance through tour operators or directly buy them once you are in the Galapagos.
If you would like a recommendation on your next trip, please feel free to contact us.
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