San Cristobal Island by Land Galapagos Guide!

Connect With Nature

San Cristobal Island has so many close up animal encounters you will never forget! It is also the best island to go Scuba Diving from if you are doing a land based Itinerary. Check out the can’t miss things while staying on San Cristobal!

Getting to San Cristobal

Quito to San Cristobal: San Cristobal should be your first island for both ease to get to the main town compared to Santa Cruz (see my post on Santa Cruz here) and it will allow to to take shorter ferries to the other islands which are all to the East. For comparison -Santa Cruz is right in the middle and there are NO direct ferries from San Cristobal to Isabella which makes it much more difficult because you have to take the AM and the PM ferries losing your entire day. I do highly recommend flying to Quito from Santa Cruz for your departure though for the same reason of only having to do one ferry!

Where to Stay on San Cristobal

Airbnb Villa Bonita: Absolute paradise, have a stunning modern Villa all to yourself in the heart of town! Your own private heated pool and courtyard, amazing high tech amenities, and ultra luxurious bed make this 5 Star Rated Airbnb a must stay while in San Cristobal! Privacy is such a plus for a land based itinerary so might as well take advantage!

Hotel Indigo Galapagos: The nicest hotel on the whole island of San Cristobal! The pool deck and lounge area is out of this world with ocean and sunset views that are a constant reminder that you are indeed in paradise! The rooms are beautiful, clean and modern and the luxury service is top notch

Best Things to Do on San Cristobal

Playa Loberia Beach

Playa Loberia Beach: This beautiful beach is a short and scenic walk from town (about 20 min). Once you arrive you’ll be greeted with crystal clear water where a huge colony of Sea Lions are always present! We also saw several marine iguanas laying in the soft sand.

Kicker Rock Excursion

Kicker Rock Excursion: One of the highlights of my whole Galapagos trip was adventuring out to Kicker Rock! You can Scuba Dive or Snorkel around the rock formations and the abundance of animal life is such a treat. The rocks create a perfect feeding zone and we were treated with a huge school of fish, sea lions, TONS of turtles, hammerheads and more!

We booked our dive through Wreck Bay Diving Center and highly recommend them. The boat was beautiful and they were very professional. What an experience!

Playa Cerro Brujo

Playa Cerro Brujo: Another awesome part of a Kicker Rock trip is checking out this gorgeous pristine beach nearby! The white sand and calm waters were so relaxing after an active adventure

Muelle Tijeretas

Muelle Tijeretas: The prettiest cove full of wildlife! This cove felt like paradise with it’s calm turquoise waters and magical feeling. The highlight was all of the Sea Lions who played with us! It was a once in a lifetime experience to be approached by these playful little guys

Dinner at The Pier Restaurant & Cevicheria

Dinner at The Pier: The best meal we had in all of the Galapagos! This is a can’t miss spot with incredible sunset views and the freshest seafood. The vibe is beachy and laid back which is perfect after a day of exploring

What to Pack

Enjoy the magic of the Galapagos!