Espumilla Beach

About the site

Espumilla Beach

Espumilla Beach, on James Bay on the northwest coast of Santiago, is the largest beach on the island: a long stretch of golden sand backed by mangroves and dry forest. It is an important nesting site for green sea turtles, whose tracks are often seen on the sand in the early morning.

Nesting has improved greatly since the feral pigs, which used to dig up almost every nest, were removed from Santiago around 2000. Sally Lightfoot crabs, marine iguanas and shorebirds such as oystercatchers and whimbrels share the beach.

After a wet landing, a trail of about an hour leads behind the beach through mangroves and a small forest of Palo Santo to a brackish lagoon, where flamingos and white-cheeked pintail ducks are sometimes seen, and on through the dry zone, where Darwin's finches, flycatchers and, with luck, Galápagos hawks can be found.

The bay is good for snorkeling, with sea turtles, rays, white-tipped reef sharks and reef fish. The visit is easy and suits every traveler; there is no shade on the beach.

Highlights

• Birdwatching
• Green Turtle Nesting Beach