Galapagos - Santiago & Fernandina

Santiago

Santiago Island is also known as San Salvador, the first island discovered by Christopher Columbus. The island’s total area amasses to 360 sq. miles (585 sq km), including two overlapping volcanoes. The oldest recorded lava flows on the island date to over 750,000 years ago. Travelers to this Galapagos Island can view Marine iguanas, sea lions, flamingos, sea turtles, dolphins, and even sharks. The famous Darwin finches and Galapagos Hawks can also be found on Santiago Island.

The beautiful isle features many natural landmarks. At Puerto Egas, a lava shoreline with rock formations hosts a great assortment of wildlife such as marine iguanas and lightfoot crabs. Visitors here can also snorkel and catch a glimpse of a variety of tropical fish.

For those especially interested in geology, another wonderful attraction is Sullivan Bay. Tourists can wander over hardened black lava flows that display lava bubbles petrified on the surface. The two nearby beaches are an ideal place to spot nesting turtles.

Finally, divers can practice their sport at Cousin’s Rock. The triangular rock rises some 33 feet (10 meters) out of the clear Galapagos waters and is comprised of various layers of igneous rock.

Fernandina

Named after King Ferdinand II who sponsored Columbus’ voyage, Fernandina has an area of about 642 sq km (third largest) and is considered the youngest island. Fernandina is an active shield volcano that has been erupting since April of 2009. As of today, no foreign species have been introduced to the environment.

Attractions on the isle include Punta Espinosa, a thin stretch of land where many marine iguanas can be seen lounging on black lava rocks. Out of all the islands, Fernandina actually hold the largest colony of these interesting creatures. Other wildlife that live on the island are the well-known flightless cormorant, pelicans, sea lions, and Galapagos penguins.

Since Fernandina’s volcano is still very active, with eruptions on record since 1813, the vegetation on the island is sparse. Still, even as Fernandina has seen more volcanic activity than the other Galapagos Islands, it is still one of the most popular with tourists thanks to the many Galapagos animals that can be spotted in an exciting but forbidding environment.