Guide to the best places to dive in the Galapagos Islands
30/12/2022Swimming with sharks, the best season to explore the marine biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands are considered among the most beautiful places on the planet. Its diverse flora and fauna make it a favorite tourist destination for many, so here is a guide of the best season to visit the Galapagos Islands.
The first thing you should know is that you can visit this destination any time of the year; however, there are seasons where marine biodiversity is more abundant around the archipelago.
Marine flora and fauna love cold temperatures, so November to January will be the best months to visit Galapagos if your main goal is to explore marine biodiversity. For a real adventure in the islands, nothing compares to the experience of a Galapagos Islands cruise during the cold season. Regardless of the itinerary you choose, you will experience marine biodiversity in its purest form.
1. The Galapagos Marine Reserve
The diversity of marine life in the islands is impressively large so rays, sea turtles, a variety of fish, and several types of sharks bring colors and life to the 133.00 km2 of area that make the reserve.
It is the second largest reserve in the world, (the first is “The Great Barrier Reef” in Australia); however, the biodiversity that inhabits both is quite different. The Galapagos Islands have a strategic geographic location, generating particularly extraordinary biological conditions. Thanks to the deep ocean currents, the climatic temperature allows tropical and subtropical animals to visit the Galapagos and make it their home.
In this blue paradise, declared a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001, there are about 2,900 marine species, 25% of which are endemic to the islands. In other words, there are species that you can only see in Galapagos.
When planning your trip to the Galapagos Islands, we recommend among the most rewarding activities of exploration to book a diving tour with tropical fish, sea lions and even penguins; and of course, snorkeling in the impressive rock formation known as Kicker Rock. This ancient volcanic cone separated by a channel of the Pacific Ocean is one of the favorite spots for divers and ocean enthusiasts; it is home to a huge diversity of exotic species such as: dolphins, octopus, hammerhead sharks, Galapagos and reef sharks, barracudas, and an infinity of fish.
2. The Galapagos, home of sharks
The Galapagos Islands have the largest biomass of sharks; in other words, the islands have the largest number of sharks in the world. This is because of the protection provided by the Marine Reserve, since it is strictly forbidden to fish sharks within the reserve, thus creating a refuge for these animals, and allowing them to move throughout the archipelago, especially in the Darwin and Wolf islands.
3. How many species of sharks can I see in Galapagos?
Among the species of sharks in Galapagos Islands that you can observe during your cruise are the Galapagos shark, hammerhead, silky, blacktip, whitetip, tiger shark and whale shark.
This is due to the abundance of food in the archipelago. Thanks to the Humboldt and Crowell currents, Darwin and Wolf Islands are a favorite place for marine life, especially tiger sharks, who according to the Darwin Foundation are making these islands their permanent home.
However, Isabela, Floreana and Santa Cruz islands are locations where the greatest diversity of sharks have been observed such as hammerhead, blacktip, whitetip and Galapagos shark coexist together in the waters of these islands.
4. Is it safe to go diving with sharks in the Galapagos Islands?
Although diving is a favorite Galapagos family vacation activity, it is important that you plan: know who your guide will be and what activities are planned during your vacation’s tour. We recommend contacting one of our travel advisors before booking your Galapagos diving cruise or regular cruise.
To go diving in Galapagos and enjoy a snorkeling trip, we highly recommend having previous experience in the water because the level of difficulty for this sport in the archipelago is considered between medium and high, so it is important to consider the following:
What is important to consider before diving?
- Marine currents
- The temperature of the place
- The depth you want to reach
- The structure of the dive sites
- The species of flora and fauna you will see during your tour
Diving in Galapagos means exploring an underwater world that showcases nature in its purest form. This natural paradise is home to sea lions, golden rays, turtles, white tip sharks, hammerhead sharks, marine iguanas, Galapagos sharks and much more wildlife that inhabit the Galapagos waters.
5. Galapagos snorkeling adventure
On the other hand, Galapagos snorkeling does not require an advanced level of experience, but we suggest an intermediate level of swimming. If you have never practiced this activity, you can do it for the first time on your vacation cruise. Your certified naturalist guide will correctly inform you about the places where you will go, the equipment you will use and the good practices you need to adopt to avoid disturbing the marine wildlife.
In this experience you will visit an old volcanic caldera where a great diversity of species such as turtles, sharks, penguins, and sea lions inhabit.. Although these species are found throughout the archipelago, there are places where you will enjoy, in close proximity, of the great fauna that inhabits these locations.
The best places to practice Galapagos snorkeling include:
Kicker Rock: This is one of the favorite destinations in the Galapagos Islands. In the channel formed by its two rocks you can find a huge variety of sharks, reef fish, sea lions and sea turtles.
Frigate Bird Pier: Here you will have fun watching sea lions play and, in the crystal, clear turquoise waters you find, with some luck, marine turtles. You will have a better chance of seeing these species if you choose the best time to visit Galapagos for snorkeling, which is the cold season between the months of November to January.
Golden Bay & Pinnacle Rock: This beach is one of the best snorkeling in the Galapagos Islands, because in these soft and shallow waters you can see sea lions and turtles. You can also see penguins swimming through the waters of the Pacific Ocean.
The tunnels: These geological formations contain arches and tunnels protruding from the water where small colorful fish inhabit; this is one of the best Galapagos snorkeling where you can see many seahorses, reef sharks, blue-footed boobies and sea lions.
North Seymour Island: In and out of the water this island breathes life, if you visit this island during your Galapagos cruise itinerary you are likely to share the path with sea lions and blue-footed booby nests; while under the water, snorkelers will see hammerhead sharks, white tip sharks and Galapagos sharks sleeping in the depths of the ocean.
Finally, and most importantly. Before embarking on an adventure to the enchanted islands you should ask yourself which Galapagos Island tour to choose if you want to see sharks?
- The first thing is to plan your trip to Galapagos in advance. We suggest booking a cruise during the cold season and book between the months of November to January, as this is the season with the most marine wildlife in the islands.
- We recommend choosing a Galapagos cruise itinerary that takes you to Darwin, Floreana, and Isabela islands where you can find the largest biomass of sharks on the planet.
- Bring binoculars and be prepared for adventure.
Do you want to enjoy a first-class adventure aboard the Anahi Yacht and live an experience swimming with sharks? Check our itineraries and availability of departures.
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