Darwin Bay, Genovesa

Darwin Bay at a glance

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   Genovesa — Darwin Bay

   Darwin Bay is a coral-sand beach inside the flooded caldera of Genovesa, in the far north of the archipelago. A short trail runs through mangrove and salt bush where red-footed boobies nest at eye level — the only booby that perches in trees — alongside frigatebirds and swallow-tailed gulls.

How you get there

On a northern cruise itinerary

The only way. Genovesa is uninhabited and far enough north that reaching it means an overnight crossing — which is why fewer boats go and why the itineraries that include it cost more.

It sits on Genovesa, so how you reach the island decides how you reach this.

What you actually see

The red-footed boobies

Nesting in the salt bush beside the path, at head height. They are the smallest and least common of the three boobies, and the only one that perches in trees rather than nesting on the ground.

The frigatebirds

Both species nest here, and in the season the males inflate red throat pouches a metre from the trail. It is loud and it is strange.

The caldera wall

The bay is the flooded crater of a volcano and the cliffs enclose it. Swallow-tailed gulls — the only nocturnal gull on Earth — nest on the ledges.

What goes wrong

We run these trips, so we know what people complain about afterwards. Better to read it here than find out on the day.

People get too close because the birds do not flee

A bird that stays put has not consented; it has evolved without predators. The two-metre rule is the whole reason these nests are still beside a path.

The crossing is long

Getting to Genovesa means an overnight sail across open water. Anyone who struggles on a boat should know that before choosing a northern itinerary.

The sand is coral and it is sharp

Bare feet suffer at the landing. Something on your feet for the wet landing.

Who this is not for

Saying this costs us bookings and saves the trip. If any of these is you, tell us and we will build the day differently.

• Anyone who cannot face an overnight open-water crossing.
• Visitors whose priority is snorkelling — the water here is good but the birds are the reason to come.
• People on a short budget itinerary. Genovesa is on the more expensive routes for a reason.

What lives here

• Magnificent frigatebird — Nesting beside the trail, males displaying in season.
• Red-footed booby — The only booby that nests in trees. Genovesa is the place to see it.
• Swallow-tailed gull — The world’s only nocturnal gull, on the caldera ledges.
• Galápagos sea lion — On the beach at the landing.

Nearby

Every visitor site we have written up → · Genovesa, the whole island →