Santa Cruz Galapagos Travel Guide & Itinerary (Under 40$/Day)

Many travellers wonder which Galapagos Islands are worth a visit – and which aren’t. Let’s be honest, Santa Cruz is the busiest and most touristy island, so should you skip it?

We’ve travelled the Galapagos independently and on a budget, and Santa Cruz surprised us. From lava tunnels to shark spotting right from the pier, we uncovered some unexpected highlights that don’t break the bank.

We’ll give it to you straight – Santa Cruz was our least favourite of the three main islands… but it still deserves a spot on your itinerary. This guide will show you why, with real tips, honest takes, and a full map to make your trip as smooth (and affordable) as possible.

If you’re a backpacker, budget-conscious explorer, or independent traveller trying to make the most of your time (and money) in the Galapagos, this guide is for you.

• Budget Santa Cruz Galapagos Travel Guide
  • Santa Cruz Galapagos Map
  • Is Santa Cruz Worth Visiting?
  • Where We Stayed in Santa Cruz on a Budget
  • How to Get to Santa Cruz
  • How to Get Around Santa Cruz
  • Free and Cheap Things to Do in Santa Cruz
  • How Many Days in Santa Cruz Do You Need
  • Santa Cruz Galapagos Itinerary for under 50$ per Day
  • Where to Eat in Santa Cruz on a Budget
  • Santa Cruz Tips

Budget Santa Cruz Galapagos Travel Guide

Santa Cruz Galapagos Map

Is Santa Cruz Worth Visiting?

Real talk: Santa Cruz was our least favourite of the three main Galapagos Islands. We highly recommend you not only visit Santa Cruz, but also not to skip it!

It’s the main island and, as such, the busiest and most touristy. But because of that, it’s hard to avoid. It’s one of only two Galapagos islands with an airport. You also have to stop here if you want to take the ferry between San Cristobal and Isabela.

That being said, Santa Cruz absolutely has its charm – and skipping it would mean missing out on some of the most accessible wildlife experiences in the Galapagos. From spotting sharks right from the pier to strolling through lava tunnels or relaxing on postcard-perfect beaches like Tortuga Bay, the island offers a lot, especially for budget travellers.

In the end, while it may be the most developed and busy island, Santa Cruz is still undeniably Galapagos – and that alone makes it worth a visit.

Where We Stayed in Santa Cruz on a Budget

We stayed at El Paraiso and can fully recommend it. For 20$ per person/night, it is hard to beat. The location is amazing and the staff are lovely. There’s a rooftop terrace with hammocks. The hotel offers a kitchen, free drinking water, and snorkelling equipment, which saves you some extra money.

How to Get to Santa Cruz

1. Flying to Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is one of two Galapagos Islands (along with San Cristobal) with an airport. Flights depart from Guayaquil and Quito.

The airport is not on Santa Cruz but on its neighbouring island, Baltra.

To get from Galápagos Ecologic Airport to Puerto Ayora, you have to take

• The bus to the Baltra Ferry Terminal (5$)
• the ferry from Baltra to Santa Cruz (1$)
• The bus to the Puerto Ayora bus terminal (5$)
• A taxi to your accommodation (optional)

2. Ferry to Santa Cruz

If you plan to take the ferry from San Cristobal to Isabela or vice versa, you have to stop in Santa Cruz.

Ferries from San Cristobal to Santa Cruz leave at 7 am and 3 pm.

Ferries from Isabela to Santa Cruz leave at 6 am and 3 pm.

We found that there’s always several boats from different companies leaving at the exact same time and it’s a bit of a blackbox which one you’ll get.

The pier is right in the centre of Puerto Ayora but you have to pay 1$ for the taxi boat from the ferry to the pier.

How to Get Around Santa Cruz

The capital, Puerto Ayora, is very walkable, and so are the attractions here.

Santa Cruz is the only of the Galapagos Islands where we took public transport. We decided to take the local bus to the Bellavista Lava Tunnels. We waited at the bus stop across from the market (marked on our map). The system is a bit confusing, and there’s no schedule, but there was a lady with the ability to contact the bus drivers who put us on the right bus 😅

Free and Cheap Things to Do in Santa Cruz

Let’s be real: some of the best activities in Santa Cruz are not exactly cheap. Here are some great free things to do, as well as budget-friendly alternatives for the most popular day trips.

1. Tortuga Bay

You can reach Tortuga Bay by walking a well-maintained paved path for about 30 minutes. Bring enough water and sun protection!

First, you’ll reach the beautiful, wide, white sandy beach of Playa Brava. Beware that the currents here are too strong to swim! At the end of the beach, there’s a rock pool where you can spot (and bathe with) marine iguanas.

Keep on walking for a few more meters and arrive at Playa Mansa. We heard that it’s a great place to snorkel, but during our visit, the water was extremely murky and the visibility was very low. When we were about to give up on spotting marine wildlife, we found several baby sharks (including a baby hammerhead shark) in the ankle-deep water close to the shore.

You can rent a kayak to go further out, but it’s pretty pricey.

There’s the option to take a boat back to the pier in Puerto Ayora, but we walked back to keep our budget low.

Total cost: Free

2. Lava Tunnels

Another popular tour is the Highlands tour that visits the twin craters Los Gemelos, lava tunnels, and a giant tortoise reserve.

You have three options to make this excursion more budget friendly:

1. You can rent a bike in Puerto Ayrora (~ 20$) and hop on a local bus (0.5$) to Santa Rosa. You can easily attach your bike to the back of the bus. From Santa Rosa, you can bike to a giant tortoise reserve like El Chato or the Primicias Ranch to see giant tortoises and visit a lava tunnel. The entrance to a ranch should set you back around 10$, depending on the ranch.

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   Bucketlist2life tip: We couldn’t find a bus that went further than Santa Rosa, but Los Gemelos are 4.5 km (2.7 mi) uphill from here if you feel especially active. Visiting Los Gemelos is free.

   From Santa Rosa, it’s a pleasant bike ride back down to Puerto Ayora.

2. Take the bus to Santa Rosa and walk to one of the giant tortoise reserves. Depending on the ranch you choose, expect to walk at least 30 minutes per way.

3. Hop on a bus to the Bellavista lava tunnels (the bus stops directly in front of the entrance). If you only want to see lava tunnels and skip the tortoises, the Bellavista lava tunnels (5$) are the place for you. If we are informed correctly, these are the longest lava tunnels you can visit on the Galapagos Islands – you walk below the ground for over 1 km (0.6 mi).

Total cost: From 6$ for just the lava tunnels to 30$ if you rent a bike.

3. Charles Darwin Research Station, Station Beach & La Ratonera Beach

The Charles Darwin Research Station is both an active research station and a visitor centre where tourists can learn about the nature of the Galapagos Islands.

We found it to be surprisingly big, including several buildings, a garden, and even a cafeteria.

Right next to the research station, you can find two lovely beaches: Station Beach and La Ratonera Beach. Both beaches are pretty rocky, but we enjoyed sitting in the shade and taking a dip before walking back to the centre of Puerto Ayora.

Total cost: Free

4. Playa Los Alemanes & Las Grietas

As Germans, we had to check out Playa Los Alemanes or Germans Beach. You can reach it from the pier in Puerto Ayora by taxi boat for 1$.

It’s a nice spot for snorkelling, but mostly if you’re a confident swimmer. We saw sharks and turtles at the second set of rocks quite far out.

From here, you can also walk to Las Grietas, a long crack in the rocks filled with what normally seems to be the most beautiful, clear turquoise water. Unless you visit after a rainfall, like us, and the water is pretty murky (we did not even take a single picture here).

Total cost: 12$

5. Santa Cruz Pier & Fishing Pier

On the Galapagos Islands, you rarely have to walk far to spot wildlife – you can see plenty right in downtown Puerto Ayora! We loved sitting on the benches of the pier to watch sea lions, golden rays, and sharks – both during the day and in the evening with a drink. This is also a much more affordable alternative to going to a bar.

Also, don’t miss going to the fishing pier when the boats come in to watch sea lions snatch away some of the catch!

Total cost: Free

How Many Days in Santa Cruz Do You Need

By far the most expensive part of the Galapagos Islands is getting there. If you can afford a budget of 50$ per day, we recommend staying 4 days in Santa Cruz to get the full experience without rushing.

In case you’re a scuba diver, plan for at least one more day – and also to ditch your 50$ budget.

Santa Cruz Galapagos Itinerary for under 50$ per Day

Day 1 – Tortuga Bay

Relax at Playa Brava and snorkel at Playa Mansa.

Total cost 30$:

• 20$ Accommodation
• 10$ Food
• 0$ Activities

Day 2 – Lava Tunnels

Hop on a local bus to the Bellavista lava tunnels.

Total cost 36$:

• 20$ Accommodation
• 10$ Food
• 6$ Activities

Day 3 – Charles Darwin Research Station, Station Beach & La Ratonera Beach

Learn about the nature of the Galapagos Islands at the Charles Darwin Research Station and relax at Station Beach & La Ratonera Beach.

Total cost 30$:

• 20$ Accommodation
• 10$ Food
• 0$ Activities

Day 4 – Playa Los Alemanes & Las Grietas

Hop on a taxi boat to Playa Los Alemanes and swim through Las Grietas.

Total cost 42$:

• 20$ Accommodation
• 10$ Food
• 12$ Activities

Where to Eat in Santa Cruz on a Budget

While we found restaurants on the Galapagos Islands to be notoriously expensive, there’s a variety of budget-friendly food options:

First and foremost, there are a ton of food stalls with an extremely affordable menu del día on Charles Binford Street. Expect to pay 5-6$ for a drink, a starter, and a main dish!

If you venture a bit further from the touristy area, you can also find cheap food at the city market. We have also marked the location of an amazing bakery and an ice cream parlour where you can get 1$ ice cream on our map.

We managed to keep our food budget below 10$ per day, eating oatmeal for breakfast, something affordable from the bakery for lunch (also great to take with you on your adventures), and a cheap menu del dia in the evening.

Santa Cruz Tips

ATMs in Santa Cruz

You can find a variety of ATMs next to the pier (marked on our map) so you can easily check for the one with the lowest fees for you.

Supermarkets in Santa Cruz

The biggest and cheapest supermarket we found is right next to the pier (marked on our map). There’s also a local market a couple of blocks from the touristy area.

Internet in Santa Cruz

Overall, the internet is not great on the Galapagos Islands. The WiFi at our accommodation worked well enough for video calls. We were also happy with the connection of our Airalo eSIM card.

In case you need a place with free WiFi and power outlets (e.g. in between ferries), we can fully recommend La Regata.

Is Santa Cruz Safe

The Galapagos Islands are remote and sparsely populated. Crime rarely travels here. Most travel advisories deem Galapagos safe – even if the rest of Ecuador is not. Of course, you should not throw carefulness overboard completely.

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