Tortuga Bay Beach

have no words to describe this place. It’s one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever been to, especially because of its unique wildlife. You can see animals like iguanas and baby sharks so close to you. It’s truly a paradise. The only downside is the lack of shade—an eco-friendly place to rest from the sun would be a great addition.”

A vast beautiful white beach, where you can observe marine iguanas diving into the ocean. The sea is rough for the most part of the beach, but at the far end there is a smaller beach that faces a beautiful lagoon. Here you can swim, kayak and snorkel, encountering sea turtles, lots of fish and baby sharks. To get to the main beach you must walk a path that crosses some arid woods and bushes, immersing you deep in the natural ecosystems of the island. Overall this is an absolute must if you want to experience the true nature of the Galapagos.

The beach was absolutely stunning with its powdery white sand. The ocean was a beautiful shade of blue, perfect for a relaxing day by the water. I did notice there wasn't much wildlife, just a few crabs scuttling around. Still, it made for a really nice walk along the shore. It's definitely a place I'd love to visit again.

Beautiful beach. It's a long walk, bring lots of water. We read several reviews that said snorkeling was good. We saw very little and water was very merkie. Govto swim or enjoy sun on the beach.

We took a scenic 45-minute hike from where we were staying, and the path was smooth and easy to follow. The walk was well worth it, as it opened up to a stunning beach with soft white sand and turquoise water. The first stretch of beach is gorgeous to admire, but it has strong riptides so swimming isn’t recommended. If you continue down a bit farther, you’ll reach a second beach where it’s safe to swim and snorkel, and there’s even a small stand for kayak rentals. We rented snorkel gear for about $5 and saw wetsuit rentals ranging between $5–$10. The day we visited, the water had poor visibility, but it was still exciting to spot reef sharks gliding through the mangroves. With clearer conditions, this would be an incredible spot for snorkeling. Along the way, we spotted some sleepy sea lions stretched out on the sand, and a variety of other interesting birds. A blue-footed booby was even spotted. Even without perfect snorkeling conditions, the wildlife and scenery made this hike and beach visit unforgettable.

One of the nicest beaches, you can get here by boat or walk to it, its about 3.5 km from the harbour. The biggest part is rough to swim, but continue and you will reach a quiet piece in a big bay where the water is calm and much warmer. Lots of trees to find some shade, watch of for the flies who sting.

Fantastic sand. Fantastic views. Fantastic wildlife viewing. There's a nice walking path from town or use a water taxi. There are kayak rentals avaliable on the beach. The bay abounds with sea turtles, marine iguanas, and we even saw a bunch of reef sharks.

Impressive natural beach, which gets pretty wild on the main ocean-facing part. The side-beach which is more suitable for swimming is not that impressive though. Towards the end of the "main" beach we got to see plenty sea iguanas. This made the 1 hour walk from the port definitely worth it. Overall, I would consider this a good option for a free activity on Santa Cruz.