(Editor’s note: Carla Bastos is aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey on a multi-year cruise around the world. This post on the Galápagos, Ecuador and Peru is one stop on that trip. You can see her earlier post about Morocco here.)
Many world travelers would agree that it can get old. No matter the destination, it becomes so very important to get off the beaten path and away from tourist centers to actually have a meaningful experience. Even when you’re setting out to visit a popular historic landmark or museum, you’ll want to be strategic about when and how to do it. Otherwise, each destination becomes pretty much like the last one – unbearable crowds, the same old souvenir shops, etc.
Even here on the Villa Vie Odyssey, where we usually spend several days in each port or country as we circumnavigate the globe, we’re finding the same challenges. But, a unique destination like the Galápagos Islands can change all that.
First stop mainland Ecuador
After experiencing the wonder of a Panama Canal transit the previous week, we crossed the equator into the southern hemisphere and arrived in Manta, Ecuador a few days before Christmas. Many residents immediately disembarked and headed to the airport for long-planned flights to the Galápagos, which is part of Ecuador.
Ecuador on the whole is an amazing country with a fascinating (although turbulent) history, especially since gaining independence from Spain in the 19th century. From the ports we docked in over the course of several days, including Manta, Puerto Bolivar and Guayaquil, residents who hadn’t left for the Galapagos went bird-watching in the Andes or flew to Quito for Amazon rainforest tours, while others visited the port cities’ many museums and studied the diverse ethnicities, plants and wildlife.
There seemed to be so many choices and so little time.
We were repeatedly warned by port officials, local law enforcement and even taxi drivers, of what was always described as “extreme danger” of the criminal element. I did plenty of bumming around in Manta with another resident and sensed no danger at all, but we didn’t wander too far from the port and didn’t stay out after dark.
Visiting the Historical Park in Guayaquil was a thrill, but I have to admit I was glad I’d decided to do the tour that day rather than venturing out on my own.
The Galápagos
The Galápagos Islands presented an entirely different picture. The population is just over 30,000 people occupying only three percent of the archipelago, on the islands of Santa Cruz, Floreana, San Cristobal and Isabela. Because of the unique ecosystem and wildlife varieties, the Galápagos are a UNESCO World Heritage site. About 200,000 tourists visit each year, and land visitors are strictly regulated by the government.
For anyone thinking of relocating to these beautiful islands, becoming an expat is even more restricted. While Ecuadorian residency in general is fairly typical, Galápagos applicants must be sponsored by a legal resident or public institution, or be able to prove lineage. Even then, approval isn’t guaranteed.
Because of these strict limitations, along with the islands’ uniqueness, a visit here is not like the typical tourist tromp. Some Odyssey residents chose the most populated island of Santa Cruz, finding reasonably priced hotels and Airbnbs for Christmas dinners together. Tours included snorkeling, volcanos and lava tunnels, and of course the requisite visits with amazing wildlife.
This is the part that will take your breath away.
The many endemic species, famously studied by Charles Darwin, are so diverse that it’s hard to take it all in. The giant tortoises did not disappoint, but there were also the marine and land iguanas, lava lizards, geckos, Darwin’s finches and so much more. We were also captivated by the wildlife we encountered in Ecuador’s historical parks including flamingos, sloths, monkeys and colorful macaws.
Christmas in the Galápagos is refreshingly different.
The very family-oriented and largely religious communities spend a quiet Christmas Eve at church and at home with loved ones, unlike some of the parties and parades found in other tourist destinations. For Odyssey residents who have already gelled into an intimate community, it was much more like a hometown family Christmas than the raucous vacation vibe some had dreaded. But, by New Year’s Eve the Odyssey was docked in Callao, near Lima, Peru, watching the port’s fireworks displays from our own onboard celebration.
Some residents had already disembarked en route to Macchu Pichu, but the rest of us were still kind of in awe that we get to start a new year this way – and, of course, that the next big celebration will be at Carnival in Rio!
Carla Bastos is a former journalist and newspaper editor. An American expat in Italy for several years, she now makes her home traveling the world aboard Villa Vie Odyssey.
