Galapagos Islands Diving: the Melting Pot of Marine Life
...Highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, seals/sea lions, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities...
...Diving environment: drifts, advanced divers, off the beaten track...
This legendary Ecuador diving destination is often considered by experienced divers to represent something of a pinnacle in their scuba careers. In that sense, many agree that, quite simply, the Galapagos Islands have the best liveaboard diving trips in the world, plus incredible non-diving wildlife adventure cruises. Such is the range of creatures, that it is difficult to avoid lists when discussing Galapagos Islands diving. Imagining a dive vacation in Ecuador involving sea lions, penguins, seals, eagle rays, marine iguanas, sea turtles, golden rays, whale sharks, hammerheads and many other shark species, is a phenomenal experience. These encounters, which are at once educational and exciting, make the appeal of the archipelago obvious.
While many places have superior reefs, sea conditions and ease of accessibility, there is no other island chain here, the area is in a huge protected marine reserve and virtually free of commercial fishing, and the waters - especialy at the islands of Darwin and Wolf - are densely populated by a vast and disparate array of marine creatures. Since the Galapagos are volcanic oceanic islands, unconnected to the continent, deep sea upswellings make the waters rich in nutrients and therefore thriving with life.
Learning about evolution by natural selection in a place where the evidence is so compelling and where historically, the Galapagos Islands played such a major role in the development of Darwin's revolutionary thinking is truly a unique vacation experience. To do so in this far-flung part of Ecuador, where each dive promises extraordinary sightings, is nothing short of a ‘must do once in a lifetime’ experience for any semi-serious diver.
Wolf Island will be one of the mainstays of your liveaboard trip and promises lots of breath-taking action during your Galapagos Islands diving adventure including amazing eagle ray encounters, lots of sharks and unforgettable dolphin moments. Darwin Island is the northernmost land mass of the archipelago and will deliver some of the most memorable moments of your Ecuador dive package. Hundreds of hammerheads and Galapagos sharks can pass right by your nose and you can expect incredible whale shark encounters when in season. Wolf and Darwin are the 2 essential stops on any dive cruise here.
A highlight among Galapagos Islands diving sites is Punta Vincente Roca, a cold water site that is like visiting a different country. With mola mola, red-lipped batfish, seahorses and horn sharks, there are lots of scuba highlights plus the coastline is crawling with penguins, sea lions, marine iguanas and a variety of interesting birds.
Dive Site Descriptions
The following sites represent the best of Galapagos diving. From the central islands to the remote northern outposts of Darwin and Wolf, each location offers a distinct flavour of this extraordinary marine reserve.
Bartolome
Bartolome is the island with the postcard view, but what lies beneath deserves equal attention. Galapagos diving here centres on a large pinnacle known as the Tower, which rises from the seabed to within a few metres of the surface. You circle the rock in the path of the current, a classic drift dive.
The lava formations create arches, tunnels, and swim-throughs worth exploring. Golden moray eels poke their heads from crevices. White-tipped reef sharks rest on sandy ledges. Schools of barracuda and jacks hover in the blue. Galapagos penguins occasionally zip past at the end of a dive, hunting. For photographers, the light filtering through the tunnels creates dramatic contrasts. This site suits intermediate divers comfortable with mild to moderate current and depths between 10 and 25 metres.
Cabo Marshall
Galapagos diving often feels like a game of wishlist bingo. At Cabo Marshall, the prize is giant mantas. Located roughly 130 miles northwest of San Cristobal, this site can be a little hit-or-miss for the big rays. Even on an off day, you will likely see whitetip sharks, hammerheads, turtles, and sea lions. Such is the standard of diving in the Galapagos Islands that this consolation prize could still be the highlight of a trip elsewhere.
You drop onto a rocky plateau at about 10 metres, then fin along the edge of a wall that plunges past 30 metres. But mantas prefer the surge or open water, so stay shallow. Keep one eye on the wall and the other on the blue. When they appear, the giant mantas (Manta birostris) are breathtaking. Their wingspans can reach 4 metres. They are not as playful here as in some other destinations, but they come close enough to leave you awestruck. You might also spot small schools of mobula rays or cow-nose rays flashing the white undersides of their wings. For many liveaboards, Cabo Marshall provides one of the final dives of the trip. It is a graceful sign-off.
Cerro Brujo
On the west coast of San Cristobal, Cerro Brujo (Witch Hill) offers a gentler introduction to diving in the Galapagos without sacrificing wildlife. The site features a sloping reef of volcanic rock and coral rubble, dropping from 6 to 20 metres.
Sea lions are the stars here. They often outnumber divers and treat you as a curiosity, swimming inches from your mask, blowing bubbles, or tugging gently on a fin. Underneath the ledges, look for Pacific seahorses and red-lipped batfish resting on the sandy patches. Spotted eagle rays glide past. The site is sheltered from strong currents, making it a reliable option for photographers and less experienced divers alike.
Cousin's Rock
Situated off the east coast of Santiago, north of Bartolome Island, Cousin's Rock is a firm favourite among regular visitors to the Galapagos Islands. The reason is balance. Volcanic rocks covered in black coral, sea fans, and red sponges hide a wealth of smaller creatures. Meanwhile, the blue water beyond delivers larger animals.
The rock itself is triangular and rises about 10 metres above the surface. Underwater, the north and west sides are steep. The east side slopes. Look for a long overhang on a separate rock to the south, where black coral bushes thrive. The ledges and overhangs create perfect hideouts for hawkfish, nudibranchs, frogfish, Pacific seahorses, octopus, and green sea turtles. Out in the current, you may see manta rays, Galapagos sharks, hammerheads, reef sharks, and schools of barracuda. Spotted eagle rays also pass through. On your safety stop, expect company. Scores of sea lions chase salema fish around you, their agility a joy to watch.
Darwin Island
No discussion of Galapagos Islands diving is complete without Darwin Island. This northern outpost, along with nearby Wolf Island, is the focal point of any serious liveaboard cruise. The diving here is not for beginners. Currents can be tricky. Surface conditions can be choppy. But those who have the experience will find the rewards outrageous.
Most of the action happens near the famous Darwin Arch. You descend to a rubble slope or plateau, find a comfortable spot, and watch the show. Vast schools of hammerhead sharks sweep past. Galapagos sharks cruise by. Eagle rays, mackerel, manta rays, dolphins, and sea turtles fill the water column. The warmer waters here also support trumpetfish, trevally, barracuda, parrotfish, angelfish, surgeonfish, and the charming raccoon butterflyfish. Good buoyancy is essential. So is a calm disposition in current. Get those right, and you simply enjoy the spectacle.
Whale Shark Bay is a specific location off Darwin where the topography creates a natural gathering point for the biggest fish in the sea. Between June and November, whale sharks pass through with enough regularity that liveaboards schedule extra time here. The whale sharks come in from the blue, often swimming straight towards the ledge before turning at the last moment.
Located north of the Plaza Islands, about 80 kilometres northwest of San Cristobal, Gordon's Rock is the remains of a volcanic crater roughly 100 metres in diameter. Locals call it 'the washing machine'. That tells you most of what you need to know about conditions. Surge and current can be strong. This is another site where diving in the Galapagos demands respect.
But the marine life loves the churn. Hammerhead sharks often steal the show here, sometimes in impressive schools. They share the water with eagle rays, Galapagos sharks, manta rays, and turtles. An extraordinary number of fish thrive in these conditions. A nearby sea lion colony sends a few playful individuals your way. You might also spot the endemic Galapagos fur seal. Hold your position, manage your buoyancy, and let the action unfold around you.
Kicker Rock
Visible from the main port on San Cristobal, Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido) is a towering tuff cone split down the middle by a narrow channel. The locals call it Leon Dormido (Sleeping Lion). The channel is the main event. You drift through a vertical-walled corridor where currents push nutrients and marine life into a concentrated stream.
Hundreds of reef sharks patrol the channel. Hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, and silky sharks join them. Sea turtles cruise past, unfussed by divers. Eagle rays fly through in formation. The rock walls themselves are coated in barnacles, sponges, and cup corals. Pay attention to the safety briefing before this one. The currents can be brisk, and the channel requires good buoyancy control. Maximum depth runs 25-30 metres. This is one of the most popular sites for Galapagos diving from the central islands, and for good reason.
Las Marielas
On the western coast of Isabela, Las Marielas is a cluster of small islets where seabirds nest and penguins hunt. The underwater terrain is a mix of shallow lava shelves and deeper drop-offs, starting at 5 metres and falling past 25 metres.
The main attraction here is the sheer number of Galapagos penguins entering and leaving the water. You will see them on the surface and underwater, torpedoing past with remarkable speed. Marine iguanas graze on algae in the shallows, clinging to rocks in the surge. Sea lions barrel through. Fur seals hide in grottos. The cold water keeps the crowds thin, but those who brave it arrive to a scene unlike any other dive destination.
North Seymour
North Seymour is better known for its land birds and sea lion colonies, but the site just off the island's north-west point offers solid diving. The current sweeps across a shallow reef plateau that drops into a wall at about 15 metres.
Schools of salema and creole fish form dense curtains. Scalloped hammerheads pass through in smaller numbers than at Wolf but with more predictability. Eagle rays glide overhead. The wall itself is plastered with black coral and cup corals. Keep an eye on the sand patches at the plateau edge for Pacific garden eels, swaying with the current. This is a good site for a third dive of the day, less strenuous than the northern sites but still delivering pelagic action.
Punta Carrion
Near the eastern mouth of the Itabaca Channel between Baltra and Santa Cruz, Punta Carrion is often an early stop before the long steam north to Darwin and Wolf. It may serve as your first real dive after a check-out. As introductions go, it is a gentle one.
The terrain is typical of central Galapagos: a boulder-strewn reef with occasional sandy patches. The maximum depth rarely exceeds 12-18 metres. Stay there, alternating your gaze between the wall and the blue. Sea lions are almost ever-present. So are creole fish and blue-striped sea slugs. Mobula rays, alone or in small schools, often cruise past. Whitetip reef sharks are common. With luck, you might see Galapagos sharks or hammerheads, two species you will grow very familiar with as your liveaboard heads north.
Punta Vincente Roca
If any dive site tests your exposure suit, it is Punta Vincente Roca on the north-eastern tip of Isabela. Water temperatures can drop to 16°C. An icy blast greets you the moment you roll in. Wear your hood. Wear everything you brought. The payoff is worth the chill.
This site showcases a completely different side of the Galapagos Islands. Mola Mola (oceanic sunfish) are frequently sighted here, their curious shapes moving with an otherworldly grace. On a sandy floor at 18-22 metres, look for red-lipped batfish. Bring a torch. The light makes their famous lips glow bright red. They scuttle away over the sand using leg-like fins, fascinating anyone watching.
The wall beyond offers ridges, grooves, and ledges packed with spider crabs, slipper lobsters, and moray eels. Cleaner shrimps will crawl over an exposed hand. Keep an eye out for the rare horn shark (the Galapagos bullhead shark), a small blotchy species. Seahorses and even penguins add to the riot. Sea lions may be in playful form, and you might see them prodding a fully inflated pufferfish, just for fun. Punta Vincente Roca is cold, strange, and utterly unforgettable.
Roca Redonda
West of Isabela, the water temperature drops again. Roca Redonda can be challenging. The entry can feel like a washing machine. Get down quickly. Pull yourself along the rocks away from other fins. Then find your space.
The site is famous for its fumaroles. Streams of natural gas bubbles percolate up through a sandy, gravelly seabed, evidence of the rock's volcanic nature. Let the bubbles touch your wrist. You might feel their warmth. Hundreds of blue-green nudibranchs dot the area.
Rise up through the current, and the water column teems with fish and sharks. Hammerheads abound, some of impressive size. Silky sharks are common. Sea lions patrol the shallows. But Roca Redonda offers perhaps your best chance of close encounters with large numbers of Galapagos sharks. They may surround you during the main dive and especially on your safety stop. Stick with your group. Enjoy the safety of numbers. A note of caution: at the reef's edge, down currents are common. Be prepared to react and control your buoyancy.
Wolf Island
Wolf Island sits close to Darwin in the far north-west. Together, they form the heart of Galapagos diving. No enthusiastic diver could fail to be impressed by what lives here: huge numbers of hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, dolphins, and playful sea lions. Between June and November, mighty whale sharks steal the show.
Wolf has 3 main sites. The Caves features swim-throughs and a cave where hammerheads, Galapagos and whitetip reef sharks, large pods of bottlenose dolphins, and eagle rays hunt among huge schools of grunts and amberstripe scad. Landslide is a rubble slope where you can watch walls of hammerhead sharks, glasseye snapper, and tuna moving through the blue. Shark Bay offers not only hammerheads and silky sharks but also superb interactions with sea lions, who always seem curious about scuba divers. Yellowfin tuna, pelican barracuda, African pompano, blue and gold snapper, and guineafowl pufferfish fill in the gaps. Wolf Island is the reason many divers travel to the Galapagos. It does not disappoint.
While there are some resort package options, serious scuba divers cannot come to Ecuador's Galapagos Islands and fail to visit Darwin and Wolf islands, therefore we currently only recommend liveaboards here. They offer much more than a land-based vacation and many of the best sites are inaccessible from land.
The boats are of a high quality so you need not worry about a lack of comfort or service onboard our recommended Galapagos liveaboards. Availability can be an issue so make sure you plan ahead. We recommend booking 12 months in advance of your trip to avoid disappointment.
For more information on your cruise route and duration options, and all the other travel information you might need for diving in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, visit our Galapagos liveaboard section.
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In addition to your week's diving, many guests choose to experience more of the islands' natural beauty through land tours. There are dozens of land tour operators here and many, especially those offering day trips from the towns, can be disappointing. Therefore we recommend you choose a non-diving liveaboard for a nature and wildlife adventure cruise to see more of the archipelago and its creatures and to really get the most out of your visit to this incredible destination.
The Galapagos Islands Diving Season
There are 2 seasons in the Islands which affect the Galapagos diving conditions: Wet and Dry. They fade into each other so there is no strict dividing line but they can be generally characterized as follows:
January through June is wet season with sunny spells either side of the brief but impressive showers which can occur daily. This period has warmer water temperatures generally fluctuating between 68 to 77°F (20-25°C). January through April can even push the temperatures up as far as 81 or 82°F (27-28°C) in some places, if you are lucky. At this time of year you might get away with diving many sites in little more than a 4 mm wetsuit and gloves (for holding on to rocks). However, some sites have specific currents that keep the temperature low such as Punta Vincente Roca where no human could comfortably dive without plenty of exposure protection, especially a hoodie.
Dry season, more or less from July through December, sees less rain but is also cooler above and below the waters. Water temperatures in dry season are usually 66 to 73°F (19-23°C). This is when there is a strong chance of multiple whale shark encounters and is often referred to as 'Peak Tourist Season'. It is the busiest time and many aficionados would not think of visiting outside of peak season. However, the colder water temperatures and choppier seas, especially on the journey across the islands of Darwin and Wolf, might make it a little uncomfortable for divers of a certain disposition.
The wisest course of action is to come prepared with exposure suits for a range of temperatures. Marine conditions are variable and it is better to be over-prepared than under-prepared when scuba diving here in Ecuador.
Often whale shark season is emphasized as the best time to come (June through November). However, many of those in the know contend that January through May, with warm water and sunny skies, offers the best diving in Galapagos all round. This period seems to produce better sightings of creatures other than the whale shark, including a greater chance of manta ray encounters and the best hammerhead shark action. For more on the climate of the Galapagos Islands, visit Climates To Travel.
Where is Galapagos and How Do I Get There?
Review our maps below of the islands, their host country Ecuador, and their location in the world. Here, you will find information on how to get to Galapagos.
Reef Summary
Depth
16 - 65 ft (5 - >20m)
Visibility
16 - 82 ft (5 - >25m)
Currents
Medium to strong
Surface conditions
Choppy with currents and surges, can make diving a little tricky
Water temperature
61 - 82°F (16 - 28°C)
Experience level
Intermediate - advanced
Number of dive sites
~30
Distance
600 miles (960 km) west of the Ecuador mainland
Recommended length of stay
1 - 2 weeks
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