Galápagos Islands
Archipelago
Ecuador
Highlights
Archipelago famed for unique wildlife, natural beauty, and evolution
Ecuador Get directions
Archipelago famed for unique wildlife, natural beauty, and evolution
Ecuador Get directions
"This Ecuadorean archipelago offers dramatic marine encounters—dolphins, eagle rays, turtles, and sharks—but diving conditions can be challenging, with strong currents that lead some outfitters to require 50 or 100 logged dives. For qualified divers, liveaboards provide access to remote sites like Darwin Island, where whale sharks, hammerheads, mantas, and even penguins create unforgettable big-animal experiences." - Stephanie Vermillion Stephanie Vermillion Stephanie Vermillion is a travel journalist and photographer covering culture and adventure for Travel + Leisure Outside, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"An Ecuadorian archipelago famed for an extraordinary density of endemic wildlife—giant tortoises, marine iguanas, and unique endemic penguins among them—and more than 600 indigenous plant species; exploring by boat is a top way to combine snorkeling, diving, nature walks, and close-up wildlife spotting across multiple islands." - Hannah Walhout Hannah Walhout Hannah Walhout is a senior editor at Travel + Leisure, where she edits the Discoveries section of the print magazine and develops longer stories focusing on food, wine, and spirits. She has previously worked at Food & Wine and in the writing program at NYU Abu Dhabi. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"This remote volcanic archipelago about 600 miles off Ecuador’s Pacific coast is celebrated for unparalleled biodiversity, ecosystems found nowhere else, and important scientific history. A long-running reader favorite and WBA Hall of Fame honoree, it’s a photographer’s dream where visitors encounter endemic species such as giant tortoises, marine iguanas, and blue-footed boobies; many travelers spend their time exploring on foot and by boat, describing the nature as transformative and each day an adventure." - Hannah Walhout Hannah Walhout Hannah Walhout is a senior editor at Travel + Leisure, where she edits the Discoveries section of the print magazine and develops longer stories focusing on food, wine, and spirits. She has previously worked at Food & Wine and in the writing program at NYU Abu Dhabi. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"On a dive off the island, a curious sea lion swam around me as I descended to a somewhat precarious undercurrent that might have swept us away if we hadn’t held onto some rocks on the ocean floor. On the way back to the surface I also got a glimpse of some hammerhead sharks swimming nearby." - Erik Trinidad
"An archipelago off the coast that inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution, where visitors can observe finches with island-specific beak adaptations, swimming marine iguanas, giant tortoises, and three species of boobies—an unparalleled living laboratory of evolution and endemic wildlife." - Amanda Ogle Amanda Ogle Amanda Ogle is a writer and editor who specializes in travel, food and drink, sustainability, and general lifestyle topics. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, National Geographic, Condé Nast Traveler, Texas Highways, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
