Urbina Bay

About the site

Urbina Bay

Urbina Bay, on the west coast of Isabela at the foot of Alcedo Volcano, is a place where you can walk on the old sea floor. In 1954 an uplift raised a section of the coast, including a coral reef, by four to five meters (13 to 16 feet) almost overnight, leaving corals, shells and the remains of marine animals stranded on dry land, where they can still be seen today.

The visit begins with a wet landing on a black-sand beach. A walk of one and a half to two hours crosses the uplifted reef and the dry forest behind it, where large, bright yellow Galápagos land iguanas rest beside the path and dig their nests. Giant tortoises from Alcedo Volcano are sometimes seen grazing in the bushes, together with Darwin's finches, mockingbirds and Galápagos hawks.

On the shore, flightless cormorants, pelicans and sea lions are common, and after the walk there is often time to snorkel from the beach, with sea turtles, rays and, at times, penguins.

The trail is mostly flat but has no shade, and the landing beach can have waves. Urbina Bay is visited on western itineraries, often on the same day as Tagus Cove.

Highlights

• Coral Reef
• Biggest Land Iguanas