Visitor site · Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora

Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz: the largest town in the Galápagos, with the Darwin Station, sea lions at the fish market, Las Grietas and Tortuga Bay.

See cruises that visit Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos

About the site

Puerto Ayora

Puerto Ayora, on the south coast of Santa Cruz, is the largest town in the Galápagos and the center of the islands' tourism. It is named after Isidro Ayora, president of Ecuador from 1926 to 1931, and spreads around Academy Bay, where many cruise yachts anchor.

The Charles Darwin Research Station and the national park's tortoise breeding center are at the edge of town, a short walk from the main street. On the waterfront, sea lions and brown pelicans wait for scraps at the fish market, marine iguanas rest on the rocks and herons fish in the shallows. A water taxi and a short walk lead to Las Grietas, a narrow crevice of clear water between lava walls, and a paved path leads to the white sand of Tortuga Bay.

The town has hotels, restaurants, cafés, shops, banks and pharmacies, so it is a good base for a night before or after a cruise. Many cruises that start or end at Baltra pass through it on their visit to the highlands and the Darwin Station, and some leave free time to walk around.

Puerto Ayora is about an hour from Baltra airport: a bus to the Itabaca Channel, a short ferry and the road across the highlands.

Highlights

  • Souvenir Shopping

Live dates & prices

Cruises that visit Puerto Ayora

1 yacht includes Puerto Ayora in their routes, with 26 upcoming departures from US$21,990 per person. These are the next ones.

DepartureYachtRoutePrice per personMindo giftDetails
October 2026
30 Oct – 13 Nov15 days / 14 nights M/Y Aqua Mare Superyacht
Aqua Mare SuperyachtLuxury motor yacht · 16 guests
 Genovesa, Española, Fernandina & IsabelaBaltra US$21,990 ★ All-InclusiveWith private guide See departure2 places left
July 2027
9 – 23 Jul15 days / 14 nights M/Y Aqua Mare Superyacht
Aqua Mare SuperyachtLuxury motor yacht · 16 guests
 Genovesa, Española, Fernandina & IsabelaBaltra US$23,100 ★ All-InclusiveWith private guide See departure4 places left
August 2027
6 – 20 Aug15 days / 14 nights M/Y Aqua Mare Superyacht
Aqua Mare SuperyachtLuxury motor yacht · 16 guests
 Genovesa, Española, Fernandina & IsabelaBaltra US$23,100 ★ All-InclusiveWith private guide See departure4 places left
20 Aug – 3 Sep15 days / 14 nights M/Y Aqua Mare Superyacht
Aqua Mare SuperyachtLuxury motor yacht · 16 guests
 Genovesa, Española, Fernandina & IsabelaBaltra US$23,100 ★ All-InclusiveWith private guide See departure
October 2027
15 – 29 Oct15 days / 14 nights M/Y Aqua Mare Superyacht
Aqua Mare SuperyachtLuxury motor yacht · 16 guests
 Genovesa, Española, Fernandina & IsabelaBaltra US$23,100 ★ All-InclusiveWith private guide See departure4 places left
29 Oct – 12 Nov15 days / 14 nights M/Y Aqua Mare Superyacht
Aqua Mare SuperyachtLuxury motor yacht · 16 guests
 Genovesa, Española, Fernandina & IsabelaBaltra US$23,100 ★ All-InclusiveWith private guide See departure4 places left
November 2027
12 – 26 Nov15 days / 14 nights M/Y Aqua Mare Superyacht
Aqua Mare SuperyachtLuxury motor yacht · 16 guests
 Genovesa, Española, Fernandina & IsabelaBaltra US$23,100 ★ All-InclusiveWith private guide See departure
26 Nov – 10 Dec15 days / 14 nights M/Y Aqua Mare Superyacht
Aqua Mare SuperyachtLuxury motor yacht · 16 guests
 Genovesa, Española, Fernandina & IsabelaBaltra US$23,100 ★ All-InclusiveWith private guide See departure
December 2027
10 – 24 Dec15 days / 14 nights M/Y Aqua Mare Superyacht
Aqua Mare SuperyachtLuxury motor yacht · 16 guests
 Genovesa, Española, Fernandina & IsabelaBaltra US$23,100 ★ All-InclusiveWith private guide See departure
January 2028
7 – 21 Jan15 days / 14 nights M/Y Aqua Mare Superyacht
Aqua Mare SuperyachtLuxury motor yacht · 16 guests
 Genovesa, Española, Fernandina & IsabelaBaltra US$25,620 ★ All-InclusiveWith private guide See departure
21 Jan – 4 Feb15 days / 14 nights M/Y Aqua Mare Superyacht
Aqua Mare SuperyachtLuxury motor yacht · 16 guests
 Genovesa, Española, Fernandina & IsabelaBaltra US$25,620 ★ All-InclusiveWith private guide See departure
February 2028
4 – 18 Feb15 days / 14 nights M/Y Aqua Mare Superyacht
Aqua Mare SuperyachtLuxury motor yacht · 16 guests
 Genovesa, Española, Fernandina & IsabelaBaltra US$25,620 ★ All-InclusiveWith private guide See departure

Yachts that visit Puerto Ayora

M/Y Aqua Mare Superyacht Luxury motor yacht · 16 guests Aqua Mare Superyacht 26 departures · from US$21,990

Santa Cruz Island

Other visitor sites on Santa Cruz

Bachas BeachWet Landing Black Turtle CoveNo Landing Borrero Bay (Bahía Borrero)Dry Landing Bowditch PointWet Landing Carrion Point (Punta Carrión)No Landing Charles Darwin Research StationDry Landing Dragon HillDry Landing Eden IsletNo Landing El Chato Giant Tortoise ReserveDry Landing Fausto Llerena Breeding CenterDry Landing Los Gemelos (Twin Craters)Dry Landing Rancho Primicias Tortoise ReserveDry Landing Santa Cruz HighlandsDry Landing Tortuga BayDry Landing Whale Bay (Bahía Ballena)Wet Landing

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