As a speck in a vast ocean, life is concentrated in the Galapagos as with an oasis in the desert. This is where you can expect a great number of large pelagics, including vast schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks, manta rays, golden rays and dolphins. Whale sharks are also common, as are turtles and tuna.

It is here that you are likely to encounter some creatures that you may not have seen elsewhere, and may never see again. These include Galapagos sharks, sea lions, fur seals, penguins and marine iguanas.

The Galapagos Islands are often seen as something of a pinnacle for scuba divers. Those who wish to visit the best that the islands have to offer favor an Ecuador liveaboard cruise as the best means of exploring this amazing underwater landscape. Much of the most interesting and sought-after dive sites are remote and are around islands whose shores no tourists are permitted to visit on foot.

It is beyond dispute that the islands of Darwin and Wolf, in the far north of the region, are the jewels in the diving crown of the Galapagos. Only liveaboard tours can access these sites. These islands are protected by the national park which prohibits land visits. There are other sites less remote from the main islands, and these too are visited as part of liveaboard safari routes as well as being accessed by land-based diving operations.

There is a strictly controlled license system which limits the size and number of Ecuador liveaboards given access to the islands. Strict environmental regulations have led to licenses being revoked in the past. Space is therefore at a premium and booking your vacation longer in advance than for other destinations is strongly recommended.

You can take a diving vacation here at any time of the year as the continuous liveaboard charters attest. Some times of the year are better than others in some ways and not so in others. There are fewer visitors in Galapagos and sometimes lower package prices during low season (April/May and Sept/Oct). Outside of this time, during the more popular months, availability is less and therefore advance booking is a must.

The period that most divers seek to be there is during dry season, with the exception of the low season months.

The range in water temperature at the Galapagos is wide: from a bath-warm 82°F (28°C) down to a positively chilly 64°F (18°C). The highest temperatures are normally experienced in February, March and April. The coldest months are September, October and November. Thermoclines are always likely and can herald a drop of as much as 41°F (5°C), so you would be wise to ensure that you have the appropriate exposure suit and equipment suitable for the temperatures you are likely to experience on your trip.

Due to potentially cold water, we recommend you have exposure suits sufficient to ensure your comfort. The following is usually recommended: 7 mm wetsuit, fins, booties, gloves and hood. Some people prefer to wear a semi-dry suit and some bring reef hooks because there will be times when, in surge and current, you want to remain in more or less the same place. Without a reef hook, strong gloves are recommended since there may be times when you have to cling to rocks. A hood is important to prevent heat loss through the head which can easily happen in thermoclines and less clement conditions.

Yes they do rent some equipment, typically wetsuit, fins and booties, but there is no substitute for having your own gear. Many scuba divers find their Galapagos diving safari experience to be the best they have ever had, so you don't want it tarnished by having insufficient, ill-fitting or inferior equipment!

Most of those who come to dive in the Galapagos are experienced and it is not a destination for beginners. Conditions are generally considered medium to difficult because of currents, depth, water temperature, and the types of marine creatures encountered in the Galapagos Islands.

Surface conditions are often worse than calm so generally it makes the diving procedures easier if divers are comfortable in changeable conditions. Many sites are drift dives which may not be suitable for beginners.

Yes it does. There is an SSS chamber in Puerto Ayora which is open 24 hours a day. So if you are in need of emergency treatment it can be done in the islands without having to return to mainland Ecuador.

If you are a single traveler joining a liveaboard at the Galapagos Islands, you can normally expect to share a cabin with another guest and pay the standard price. However, if you do not wish to share but want to ensure a private cabin for you alone, you can pay a single supplement on top of the published price. Each liveaboard has its own policy and the range of single supplements is 50-80%.

Night diving used to be banned in Galapagos National Marine Park but these days you may get to enjoy 1 or 2 night dives during the course of your week long cruise. The number and location of these depends on your chosen liveaboard. Night diving locations may include Wolf Island or Cabo Marshall.

Depending on the boat, your liveaboard trip will include at least 1 and up to 3 fascinating land tours. These are:

• Santa Cruz Highlands which can include Galapagos turtles, Scalecias Forest, the Twins and the Lava Tubes;
• Santa Cruz Puerto Ayora which can include the Darwin Center;
• San Cristobal which can include the Interpretation Center, a town walk, the beach where you can see sea lions and marine iguanas.

If you'd like to participate in additional land tours before or after your liveaboard cruise, Dive The World can arrange that for you. These tours are conducted by boat and range from a ½ day tour to a 7 night yacht package. Please contact us for details.

Galapagos Islands National Park regulations changed in 2011 and now require companies with permits to choose either land excursions or diving (there are no permits offering both). Liveaboard dive boats are therefore no longer allowed to take their customers ashore on the uninhabited islands.

We have teamed up with Dive With Mantas to create the perfect pre-cruise add-on prior to your Galapagos liveaboard:

• Puerto Lopez on the Manabí coast of Ecuador is surrounded by the Machalilla National Park and Marine Reserve. Activities revolve around whale watching due to the annual migration of thousands of humpback whales coming up from Antarctica to breed and calve in the warmer equatorial waters from June until October. But what locals have known for years is that this is where you come to dive with manta rays - even Galapagos dive guides come here to dive with the mantas. August and September are the peak months for this. And this summer 2023, whale sharks are a common sighting at Isla de la Plata! Hawksbill and green turtles are abundant here, too. The coast of Ecuador will rival anywhere for turtle nesting beaches.

• Exclusive packages (season from June until October) include diving, free diving or snorkelling with mantas, and whale watching, plus accommodation with breakfast and lunch at an oceanfront hotel in town or a hotel 10 minutes away inside the Machalilla National Park (as guests prefer). Round trip transport to/from Manta or Guayaquil can be arranged.

• These packages are perfect for anyone going to Galapagos, especially those who have not dived in a while – guests will have ample opportunity to get comfortable in the water again, and the privileged opportunity to dive in the manta migration. Now there is a direct flight from Manta to Galapagos, it’s also extra-convenient! See more information :: DiveWithMantas.com.

The islands lie in the Pacific Ocean, some 600 miles (960 km) to the west of Ecuador in South America.

The islands experience equatorial weather with a wet and dry season. Wet season, from January through July, is when you can experience more frequent showers often with sunny spells either side of the brief but impressive showers. Dry season, from June through December, obviously has less rain but also tends to be cooler and under cloudy, but un-menacing skies.

Water temperatures in the Galapagos vary greatly depending on the time of year. Average temperatures are as follows:
January to June: 70-80°F (20-26°C)
July to December: 65-75°F (18-23°C)

However it is not unusual for the water to be as warm as 86°F (30°C) in the wet season and as low as 61°F (16°C) in dry season. We recommend you pack for both sun (lotion, sunglasses, hat, lightweight clothes) and rain (rain jacket/poncho, warm sweatshirt, waterproof sandals) as well as binoculars and insect repellent.

In the history of human knowledge the Galapagos Islands play a starring role. It is here where Charles Darwin formulated much of his theory of evolution, a stunning breakthrough in unraveling the mysteries of life on planet Earth, the origins of living species, and natural selection. Now they are a protected national park of Ecuador, but are also an international treasure for scuba divers and lovers of nature throughout the world.

The Galapagos National Park is the most popular tourist attraction in Ecuador. Santa Cruz's main town, Puerto Ayora, is the Galapagos' most developed and many tourists overnight here as it represents one of the only shopping opportunities in the islands. Santa Cruz is the most densely populated island and consists of a bay normally full of boats, tour desks, some shops, cafés and the national park headquarters.

A must-visit is The Charles Darwin Research Station, some 10 minutes stroll from the town center. Here you can learn much of the details of Darwin's research and study. Established in 1959, the Darwin Station works closely with the national park, protecting the islands and marine reserve. It is a very interesting glance into the past and a tangible link to one of the most profound and elegant answers to some of the greatest mysteries of life.

Traveling to the Highlands of Santa Cruz represents a great opportunity to experience the various 'life zones' of the Galapagos from the coast, through agricultural lands and up into misty forests. A great variety of birds can be found in the highlands. You will also see many of the giant tortoises here in their natural habitat. In addition, there are fascinating volcanic elements to the landscape such as sink holes, lava tubes and craters.

2 of the best known craters are known as Los Gemelos (The Twins) and they are an attraction in themselves with unique vegetation and a variety of bird life. A licensed guide will allow you to visit these areas and make the visit a special one full of interesting facts and sightings.

If you want the full land and sea experience of the Galapagos Islands, we recommend non-diving, wildlife liveaboard trips. Guests will get some experience of land creatures during their diving cruise, but the island chain has much more to offer than that brief exposure.

In the Santa Cruz Highlands where you can see Galapagos turtles and plenty of bird life. At San Cristobal Island you can see sea lions and marine iguanas. If you want to see more of the islands flora and fauna it is a good idea to book additional land tours.

We advise against taking daytrip tours from Puerto Ayora and San Cristobal because in our experience these can be hugely over-priced and disappointing events. We believe that if you are prepared to travel all the way to the Galapagos Islands, then the least you deserve is high quality service with knowledgeable guides and restricted numbers of participants. For this reason we recommend a non-diving wildlife and nature land tour liveaboard as an essential part of any comprehensive Galapagos vacation.

Spanish is Ecuador's official language. English, however, is spoken in all but the more remote and tourist free areas.

Since June 20, 2008, any person from any country can enter Ecuador and obtain a visa on arrival for a period of 90 days. Normally all you need is your passport (valid for at least 6 months) and a return ticket. However, we recommend you double-check with your Ecuadorian Consulate or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility website before you travel. Note there is a special regimen for Chinese citizens.

The Galapagos Islands, being sparsely populated and remote, do not carry much of a threat to personal security, and we consider Galapagos to be a very safe place for liveaboard divers to travel.

Quito has the same issues as every big city, and sometimes more. You would be well advised to take special care in certain areas. The Old Town is a busy tourist area during the day with a strong police presence. Aside from taking the usual precautions against notorious pickpockets and opportunistic thieves, there is no particular threat here. Pickpockets can be a threat elsewhere such as at the main trolley station, so you may wish to make good use of your hotel safety deposit box and carry only what cash you might need.
In the evenings some places are best avoided, particularly as a pedestrian, such as El Panecillo, Mariscal Sucre and other parks and the area around Hospital Militar. Taxis are always the best way to get around.

In Guayaquil, again sensible precautions and the avoidance of potentially risky situations should see you enjoy your time here without incident. However, sensible precautions in Guayaquil may be a little more extensive than elsewhere.
Night times are not a time to be on foot and you should stick to the safer areas. These are generally accepted as being Las Penas, Plaza de la Administración and Avenida 9 de Octubre. Malecón 2000 is a safe and well patrolled spot day and night. As with Quito, you should avoid carrying too much cash or any credit cards with you and avoid wearing flashy jewelry. We advise you to pre-arrange all airport transfers and organize taxis through your hotel. Taxi robberies are a danger in Guayaquil.



Shaking hands when meeting and parting is normal in Latin America. Body proximity is something you may note here as Ecuadorians tend to stand much closer to each other in normal circumstances than people from other cultures. You may also find them very inquisitive with many questions. In a safe environment this is an endearing way of showing interest in you. In a less safe environment you may not welcome such interest.

The Galapagos Islands are -1 hr EST (or -6 hrs UTC). Quito and Guayaquil Standard Time is the same as EST (-5 hrs UTC).

The US dollar is the currency of Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. You are for your trip requested to bring clean dollars bills with you. USD 100 and 50 notes will not be accepted in shops, restaurants and airports, so smaller denomination notes are necessary. Having plenty of 1 dollar bills is useful for gratuities and small purchases.

Bargaining in markets is normal and indeed essential as there is normally no set price. Often the first one suggested is hugely over-inflated, so the best first response is shock and retreat. You should counter with a maximum of half what the seller began with and settle on a price you think reasonable.

Visa and MasterCard are the most widely accepted credit cards in Ecuador. You might find some merchants add a cheeky 4-10% add-on, claimed to be to cover the value of the bank transaction.

Tips are generally given in restaurants, to supermarket bag boys and parking lot guards. How much depends on the person doing the tipping and how satisfied they are with it. Generally it varies between 20 cents for parking and bag boys and up to USD 5 in restaurants.

No immunizations are necessary to travel here, apart from the Amazon region. You should not expect modern hospital facilities in the Galapagos Islands. Puerto Ayora and Puerto Baquerizo have small hospitals and pharmacy-type shops. So be sure to bring your own medicine if necessary. Reasonable medical care is available in Quito, Guayaquil, and most of the other big cities. Pharmacies are plentiful. Medical facilities outside the major towns are limited. From February 2018, all tourists entering Ecuador must show proof of a public or private health insurance program valid for the duration of their stay.

We recommend you drink only bottled or sterilized water during your time in Ecuador, avoid unpasteurized dairy products, uncooked clams and other seafood, and eat only meat that has been well-cooked, peeled fruit and cooked vegetables.

593 is the international calling country code for Ecuador. In major cities, local telephone calls can be made from street phones. You will probably need to buy a prepaid card and the service is unreliable. There are also stores that allow the use of phones but these too can cause frustration and be busy.

Calls to the USA are best done via net-phones from internet cafés. Through a computer you can connect to dialpad.com and make calls for free, and of course there are always other forms of instant messaging and internet calling.

Internet cafés are plentiful, reasonably cheap and straightforward to both locate and use throughout the country. Due to the remote nature of the liveaboard cruises in the Galapagos Islands, very few boats provide an internet service.

Electrical appliances operate on an alternating current - 110 volts, 60 cycles (Hertz) AC, 2 flat pins - in Ecuador (same as USA). The Galapagos liveaboard boats use 2- or 3-flat pin sockets.

Each visitor may bring 2 pieces of checked baggage into Ecuador totaling no more than 150 pounds (68 kg). If you wish to take a 3rd piece, this will normally attract an additional fee. We recommend you take a soft sided bag on vacation. You will only need the essentials in clothing and personal items and space is limited on board yachts. A duffel bag works best as it can be stored into a small drawer or closet. On flights to the Galapagos, you are allowed a maximum of 44 pounds (20 kg) of luggage (excluding your hand-bag and carry on).

According to Ecuadorian law, any person that enters the country temporarily is exempt for the payment of any customs duty. You will not be required to pay taxes or duties for your luggage, new or used articles that you will use during your trip, and portable items such as photo cameras, video cameras, laptops, radios and CD players. The Galapagos Islands does not have customs since there are no international airports. In the airport your personal luggage will receive only a minor inspection for things like fruits or seeds that might be introduced to the islands.

Ecuador straddles the equator after which it is named, and occupies an area of approximately 108,000 square miles (280,000 km²). Geographically, it can be divided into 4 regions: the coast, the sierra or highlands, the Amazon Basin in the east, and the Galapagos Islands. It has over 1,430 miles (2,300 km) of Pacific coastline and is bordered by Colombia and Peru. For a wide range of eco-, nature and adventures throughout Ecuador, visit the specialists: Ministry of Tourism.

Quito is the nation's capital and has the buildings, events and nightlife to prove it. It is considered to be one the best preserved historic centers of South America, a distinction for which UNESCO declared the city a World Heritage Site. Set inland from the coast in a long valley in the Andes, Quito's historic sites, museums and the surrounding mountainous area, make it an interesting place to spend some time. It is well located to be a base from which to explore elsewhere in the country. Although less convenient for cheap flights to the Galapagos and well timed international transfers, if you intend to spend some time in mainland Ecuador, Quito is a great place to start.

Most tourists tend to focus on Quito's Old Town, around the central plaza. The Old Town is what made Quito a UNESCO cultural heritage site in 1978. Cathedrals, places and statues of independence heroes dominate the streets. Colonial homes can be visited in the Old Town, the choice of which are 2 of a distinctly historical nature, Casa de Benalcázar, the home of one of the nation's founders, and Casa de Sucre, where Field Marshall José de Antonio de Sucre, a hero of Latin American battles for independence, lived.

Museums are worth visiting in Quito, particularly the Museo Franciscano in the Monastery of San Francisco, the oldest colonial building in Quito. Other museums within monasteries include San Augustín and San Diego. The Museo del Arte y Historia and the Museo de Arte Colonial are great places to see the varying influences of Spanish, Italian, Moorish and indigenous art.

Given Quito's beautiful natural setting, it is not surprising that hiking tours into the nearby highlands overlooking the city are a popular pastime among tourists. Your hotel will have information on the various options available.

Guayaquil, located on the Pacific coast, is the main port of Ecuador and its most populated city. It is a hot sea port with what some call a 'Caribbean air' as the music of steel drums fill the air and seafood sizzles on the grills. It is becoming an increasingly important tourism hub and, with the generation of new green zones and tourist-friendly features, it is trying hard to leave behind a past image of being a dirty and edgy city. Many divers pass through on their way to the Galapagos and might spend a night or two here.

You would be wise to stick to the downtown area near the main hotels in Guayaquil. This is a regenerated area, designed to ensure the safety and comfort of tourists, and there are a number of things to see and do. The Malecon del Salado is an area where you can enjoy fresh air and wonderful sunsets, with restaurants serving local delicacies, all within a safe new park and free of the worst excesses of traffic and potential pickpockets.

Take a walk up the 400+ steps to the top of the Santa Ana and El Carmen hills. From here you can see almost the whole city. There is a lighthouse, church, museum and a small park. At the foot of the steps in the Malecon Simón Bolivar you will find another lovely park with an IMAX theatre. Nearby is a market worth checking out for souvenirs and all manner of kitsch. It is known locally as the Mercado Artesanal - the 'Artisans Market'.