Travel Journal

I recently had the incredible chance to cruise the Galapagos Islands for four nights on the lovely yacht, La Pinta. What an amazing experience! I’ve seen wildlife in places like Africa and the Arctic, but the Galapagos is definitely up there. The animals and birds here aren’t scared of people at all, and you can spot just as much in the water as on land.

La Pinta runs as an ‘expedition’ ship, which means it’s comfortable and has great food, but we also had plenty of activities each day with guides from the National Park. There’s a maximum of 16 guests per guide, so we got a lot of attention.

One of the best parts was snorkelling. The water was warm and clear, perfect for swimming in swimsuits or light wetsuits. Over four days, I snorkelled with green turtles, Galapagos penguins, white-tipped sharks, and tons of tropical fish, not to mention the playful sea lions!

When you step onto the islands, you notice how new they feel. There are active volcanoes, especially in the West, and you often walk over vast lava fields. It’s incredible to see how plants manage to thrive in such tough conditions. Our guides made sure we stuck to the paths to protect the environment, but we still got to see some amazing wildlife, like blue-footed and Nazca boobies, iguanas, and the famous Galapagos tortoises on Santa Cruz.

We also went to Genovesa Island, where we watched owls hunting during the day! They hid in the lava cracks to catch seabirds returning to their nests. It was quite the sight. Genovesa is also home to red-footed boobies.

La Pinta felt like a boutique hotel on the water. The cabins are spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows, and the common areas have stunning views of the islands. There’s even a lovely observation deck at the front of the ship.

Before you go to the Galapagos, I recommend reading about Charles Darwin. It’s fascinating to think about how he developed his theories on evolution based on the finches he studied here. The ship had a great library with biographies about him and entertaining stories about the islands’ history—just think of all the drama from the 1930s!