Begin your day by stepping into the footprints of the past at Post Office Bay, located on the enigmatic Floreana Island. This locale is imbued with tales from the late 1920s and '30s involving German settlers, a baroness, unsolved mysteries, and captivating intrigue. The bay was a historic anchoring point for whalers, who journeyed to the highlands for freshwater and tortoises. A mail system over two centuries old was established as a hub for visiting vessels centered around a barrel near the beach. This system endures today, offering a unique opportunity to send postcards from this remote part of the world. Apart from its rich history, Post Office Bay presents natural attractions such as a scenic beach, a lava tunnel, and sea tours that can unveil sea lions, green sea turtles, shorebirds, small sharks, and, if luck permits, Galapagos penguins.
Snorkeling Experience: Delve beneath the waves from the beach, opening up a mesmerizing world of sea turtles, rays, and a diverse plethora of fish. Keep your fingers crossed for a special appearance by the elusive Galapagos penguin.
Highlights: Sea Lions, sea turtles, finches, shorebirds, marine iguanas, and penguins.
Trail: 0.7 km / 0.4 mi
Level: Easy
Activities: Wet landing, hiking and snorkel
Shift your expedition northwards to Punta Cormorant, renowned for its expansive coastal lagoon teeming with American flamingos, white-cheeked pintails, black-necked stilts, and other shorebirds. This natural haven also features a pristine white sand beach, a crucial nesting ground for green sea turtles, and a newly established breeding ground for blue-footed boobies near the trail. Amidst this vibrant wildlife, also take the opportunity to admire the island's unique flora.
Snorkeling Experience: At Devil's Crown, an eroded little volcano adjacent to Floreana Island, dive into what many consider one of the best snorkeling sites in the entire Galapagos. The Crown's currents funnel plankton, attracting a spectacular congregation of marine life, including snapper, Creole fish, parrot fish, Angelfish, reef sharks, sea turtles, and rays.
Highlights: American flamingo, blue-footed booby, frigatebirds, tropicbirds, Galapagos shearwaters, sea lions, sea turtle nesting site, finches, shorebirds, coral-sand beach.
Trail: 1.6 km / 1 mi
Level: Easy
Activities: Wet landing, hiking, snorkel, panga ride, paddle board, kayak