Aside from a sea kayaking adventure on Isabela Island.
“Tortuga Bay,” Danny announced as he pointed in the general direction of a hill that rose high in front of us, “is about 45 minutes that way, if you walk fast.”
The hike, which took us through a wild-looking landscape featuring towering cacti, basalt lava rocks and trees that were dead for no apparent reason, was absolutely incredible, and provided me with the physical exertion I’d been craving on my trip thus far.
But the true highlight was the beach at Tortuga Bay itself. The first portion of the beach, which is famous among surfers for its huge, rough waves, evoked a Land Before Time sort of beauty, aided by the absence of basically any other people, let alone surfers.
When we reached the headland at the end of the beach, however, and I spotted no less than two dozen iguanas sunning themselves on the beach, I knew the fun was only just beginning.
“Caramelo?” I asked. He nodded. “Sí?”
“Where can I find the boobies?”
He laughed. “See that clearing in the trees right there?” He pointed off to the left. “Walk through there, but only to the place where it says ‘Stop.’”
Landscapes change quickly and, seemingly, without reason in the Galapagos. To be sure, the lush beach vegetation through which I passed disappeared almost immediately, giving way to a cactus forest littered with even more iguanas sunning themselves.
But the true treasure of my day at the beach in the Galapagos came when I arrived back at the water, and saw the most beautiful pair of blue feet I’ve ever seen. Yes, you perv, when I said “boobies” I was talking about the iconic Galapagos bird!
Robert Schrader is a travel writer and photographer who’s been roaming the world independently since 2005, writing for publications such as “CNNGo” and “Shanghaiist” along the way. His blog, Leave Your Daily Hell, provides a mix of travel advice, destination guides and personal essays covering the more esoteric aspects of life as a traveler.
