Puerto Baquerizo Moreno: The Gateway to San Cristobal Island

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Puerto Ayora is home to by far the most advanced tourism industry in the Galapagos Islands; however, for those guests looking to enjoy nighttime in the islands away from the buzz of tourism, the smaller and more relaxed town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal Island offers a spectacular Galapagos escape. Tourism may not be as advanced in this cozy port town as in Puerto Ayora, but it certainly provides guests with all of the necessary infrastructure such as delicious cuisine, clean hotels and tour operators. Whether tourists choose to use the town as a starting point to travel to other islands or to make the most of their vacation following an Galapagos cruise, the welcoming community, stunning marine life and diverse visitor sites make this delightful town an excellent option.

A brief history of San Cristobal

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno was founded in the mid 1800s by colonist General Villamil and named after Alfredo Baquerizo Moreno, the first Ecuadorian president to visit the Galapagos Islands in 1916. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the oldest permanent settlement in the Galapagos and was once the largest town in the archipelago. Today, the town is known for being the capital and administrative center of the Galapagos Archipelago. Due to its age, the island also has an interesting human history, heightened by its rather unusual start as a penal colony. Visitors are welcome to explore the town’s past at the natural history museum and also at the town church, which displays beautiful painted murals.

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.
Dock At Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.

Fishing is the predominant commercial activity for the approximately 8,000 inhabitants of the town; however, in recent years tourism has been on a steady rise. Between 1991 and 2006, the mere 6 hotels in the town rose to an impressive 23 and during that same time, the number of bars/restaurants rose from 9 to 35. The people that live here are extremely friendly and welcoming, and the town itself, with its plazas, public footpaths along the shore and overall harmony with the surrounding nature makes for a perfect beach vacation or romantic escape.

Activities in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Although tourism is not as developed in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno as it is Puerto Ayora, it offers visitors unique Galapagos activities in a relaxed community. All basic tourist infrastructure such as hotels, stores, travel agencies, banks and restaurants are located in the central part of the town, along with Internet cafes and telephone centers. There are also multiple dive centers and tour operators that offer either excursion packages or customized tours.
 
Surfing – In recent years, the town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno has gained the reputation throughout South America as a surfing hotspot. Tongo Reef and Carola Point have become particularly well known for their excellent waves. The town also hosts an annual surfing competition in the beginning of February, which is also accompanied by local festivities. December to February is the best time for surfing in the islands, coinciding with warmer water temperatures.

San Cristobal wildlife – San Cristobal is one of the few islands in the Galapagos Archipelago that reaches an altitude high enough to support a lush highland ecosystem. As a result, the island is home to a rich variety of fauna including frigatebirds, sea lions, giant tortoises, tropical birds, marine iguanas, blue- and red-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. Frigatebird Hill or Cerro Tijeretas is an excellent location to observe black frigatebirds with their proud red chests, and depending on the time of year visitors can see frigatebird chicks wobbling around their nests. This point also offers a stunning view of the surrounding beaches and town, as well as the famous Kicker Rock formation. On the other hand, at Sea Lion Rookery (La Loberia) visitors can enjoy marine iguanas, sea lions, birds and giant tortoises in their natural habitat, all while enjoying the soft, warm sand of this beautiful beach. El Junco Lake in the beautiful San Cristobal highlands is particularly popular for bird watching, as it is the only freshwater lake in the Galapagos Islands. The lake is actually the collapsed caldera of an extinct volcano.

The Highlands Of Cristobal Near El Junco Lake
The Peculiar Highlands Of San Cristobal Island.

Beaches – For those looking for more of a relaxed vacation, the town is located close to several beautiful beaches, including Mann Beach and Oro Beach, which are excellent for bathing and snorkeling. Carola Point is another marvelous white sand beach that curves along the island in the shape of a half moon. This beach is home to a lighthouse, which bathers are welcome to climb up to get an aerial view of the area. The rock formations known as Kicker Rock (in Spanish León Dormido, Sleeping Lion) and Five Fingers can also be seen from this beach.

Sea Lion.
Sea Lion On Playa Mann Photo Credit: Sarah Foster.

Interpretation Center – This Galapagos National Park exhibition center is an excellent place to learn more about the geological and human history of the Galapagos Archipelago, as well as conservation issues and the natural history of the islands. The center also holds talks, lectures and concerts in its open-air theatre.

Some guests choose to extend their visit to the archipelago by staying in a hotel on one of the islands before or after a cruise. See if there are any Galapagos special deals that might work for the itinerary you want.

Updated:May 9, 2023

Published:January 10, 2017

CALL US TODAY

Machu Picchu & Galapagos Islands Tour 2024 Package: 12 days / Quito, Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu / From USD 9,598 per person

SHARE THIS POST

RELATED POSTS

TravelandLeisure.com

Condé Nast Traveler ONLINE

This small, secret rooftop of the restored Casa Gangotena mansion peers over Plaza San Francisco in the center of Quito’s colonial Old Town, the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Order a Cedrón Spritz, a refreshing mix of rum, lemon, sparkling wine, and fresh lemon verbena (cedrón) syrup and leaf, then revel in the mesmerizing, real-time montage of daily life in Ecuador’s capital as it parades past.

National Geographic Traveller

A Font of information, Klaus has spent decades in the field, leading tours in the Amazon, Andes and Galapagos Islands. He hung up his guiding boots a few years back and now creates itineraries for the tour operator, Metropolitan Touring. Adrift in the Pacific Ocean, hundreds of miles from mainland South America, Galapagos is one of the most biodiverse locales on Earth.

Cruise Critic

Santa Cruz II is a replacement for the much-loved Santa Cruz, which plied the waters of the Galapagos for 36 years. It is not a new ship; it was built in 2002 and sailed as Mare Australis under the Australis cruise brand, operating expedition cruises around Cape Horn and to Antarctica. Metropolitan Touring bought the ship in 2015 and completely refurbished it, launching it as Santa Cruz II in October 2015.

Telegraph Ultra Travel: 50 Greatest Hotels in the World

When this modern, minimalist, glass-walled jungle lodge opened in 2012, it changed the accommodation game in South America. Arquitect Alfredo Ribadeneira’s “protective cocoon” would impress in a modern city; in the depths of an Andean cloudforest, it is wild, audacious and beautiful. Though only 70 miles from Quito, Maspi Lodge sits in splendid isolation, perched on a cliff at the end of an unsealed road.

Terms and Conditions

Itinerario de 5 días / 4 noches: Basado en la tarifa regular (4214 USD + impuestos por persona)
Itinerario de 7 días / 6 noches: Basado en la tarifa regular (5672 USD + impuestos por persona)
No reembolsable. Aplica únicamente para residentes ecuatorianos en nuevas reservas directas realizadas, hasta el 30 de junio del 2022, con un ejecutivo de ventas del hotel. Válido para estadías hasta el 31 de agosto de 2022. No puede ser combinada con otros descuentos, promociones u ofertas. El descuento no aplica para otros servicios. El precio no incluye recargo de combustible de $20 por noche de crucero.

We have what you are looking for!