San Cristobal Island in Galapagos

The Island has all the basic facilities like telephone, internet, water, a hospital, hotels, etc. The name of the Island comes from the Saint of seafarers Saint Christopher.

But some others say that the Island is named in honor of Christopher Columbus. In English the name is Chatham and comes from an English nobleman Count Chatham.

This is one of the oldest Islands in Galapagos it has an area of 558 km2 (the fifth largest island in Galapagos) and San Joaquin hill is the highest elevation at 730 mts above the sea level. The northern part of the island has some volcanic peaks revealing its volcanic origin.

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The South of the Island is filled with abundant and unique Galapagos Vegetation which includes: miconia bushes, plants such as Scalesia Gordilloi and Calandrina Galapagos. There are also Endemic tree ferns.

The main town is Port Baquerizo Moreno which is located South-West of the island and it is also the capital city of the Galapagos Islands.

San Cristobal is the second most populated Island of the Archipelago. The famous naturalist Charles Darwin who is the author of the Origin of Species landed at San Cristobal in 1835.

In 1935 a statue of Darwin was situated right on the place where he disembarked for the first time in the Galapagos Islands more than 170 years before.

One of the two main airports is located at San Cristobal island. Many visitors arrive and begin their tours here.

Flights to Galapagos depart from mainland Ecuador from the cities of Quito or Guayaquil. San Cristobal or Chatham Island has a wide variety of hotels, restaurants and transportation.



The Galapagos National Park has offices that offer good information to visitors so it is easy to explore if you are on your own. The Island also has an Ecuadorian Navy base.

The Island has the biggest sweet water lake in Galapagos. This lake named El Junco is almost circular in shape. It is 300 mts wide and 6 mts deep. This site offers one of the best Galapagos Landscapes and it is located to the South in the highlands of San Cristobal Island.

This lake gives a good opportunity for birdwatching observing birds like: Swallow-tailed Seagulls Chatham mockingbirds, frigate birds, blue and red footed boobies.

Near the lake you can visit the Galapaguera which is a sanctuary for Galapagos Giant Tortoises It is a long hike so bring enough water, food and good shoes.

El Progreso is a small town close to Puerto Baquerizo. This small town was home to a prison that was established in 1888. The prisoners were treated brutally and were forced to develop a sugar cane and coffee plantation.

Interesting Sites to Visit in San Cristobal

It is also the only site in Galapagos where you can see red footed, blue footed and masked boobies nesting in the same place. This spot has a beautiful beach perfect for swimming.

La Loberia: Is a beach located just around 10 minutes away from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. During the trip you'll observe rare and exotic Galapagos Plants that for sure you have never seen before.

In this beach you will find a large colony of playful Galapagos Sea Lions resting all across the beach.

Lobos Island: It's a peaceful small Island separated by a channel from San Cristobal Island. It is a great place for snorkeling.

Sea lions, marine iguanas and blue footed boobies can be seen here. It takes around one hour by boat from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno to get here.

Frigate Bird Hill: It is a hike of about 1 km from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Once at the top of the hill you can enjoy an incredible view of white beaches.

Great and Magnificent Frigate birds can be seen here.

Kicker Rock: It is located out of San Cristobal Island. A site in the middle of the sea composed by 2 vertical cone shaped lava rocks with a height of 145 mts from the Ocean.

These rocks form a channel that is navigable only by small boats. Good for snorkeling and scuba diving.

Frigate birds and boobies are flying all over the rocks. The sea is crystal clear allowing you to see many colorful tropical fish up to 15 mts depth.

See a Gallery of Stunning Galapagos Pictures

Puerto Ochoa: It is a stunning and very peaceful white sand beach located North-west of San Cristobal Island. This is a good place for swimming and snorkeling.

Other Beaches: Cabo de Horno beach which is an excellent spot for expert surfers and Puerto Grande, a nice sandy beach good for bird watching specially seabirds.

Galapagos Recommended Reading:

Wildlife of the Galapagos (Traveller's Guide)
Wildlife of the Galapagos is the most superbly illustrated and comprehensive identification guide ever to the natural splendor of these incomparable Islands. It really reveals the Archipelago's striking beauty. (It is a well-written, informative text).

Visit San Cristobal Island in Galapagos, there's a lot to see and to discover.

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