Santa Fé Bay

Santa Fé Bay at a glance

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   Santa Fé — Santa Fé Bay

   Santa Fé Bay is a sheltered, shallow bay on the north-east coast of Santa Fé, with unusually clear water and a large sea lion colony. The colony holds a lot of juveniles, and juveniles are the ones that approach swimmers. A trail inland leads through giant opuntia cactus.

How you get there

Day boat from Puerto Ayora

One of the more reliable day trips from Santa Cruz — the crossing is shorter than to Floreana or Bartolomé and the bay is sheltered when you arrive.

On a cruise

A common central-itinerary stop, usually a half day.

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

What you actually see

The juveniles in the water

This is the site. Young sea lions come to swimmers, spiral around them and blow bubbles. You do not approach them — they approach you, and the rule is still two metres from your side.

The cactus forest

Opuntia here grow into trees with proper trunks, the tallest in the archipelago. They grew tall because tortoises ate anything they could reach.

The Santa Fé land iguana

A separate species from the one on Santa Cruz, paler and found only on this island. It shelters under the cactus and is genuinely hard to spot.

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.

The land iguana is not guaranteed

It is there and it is well camouflaged under the cactus. Plenty of visits find none, and that is normal rather than bad luck.

Bull sea lions defend the beach

A territorial male will charge. Guides route groups around them, and if you are told to move, move immediately.

The inland trail is rough

Loose rock and no shade. Some itineraries skip it and stay in the bay — worth asking which yours does.

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 manage a wet landing.
• Visitors set on seeing a land iguana. Santa Cruz and Isabela are more reliable for that.
• People uncomfortable with large animals approaching them in the water.

What lives here

• Galápagos sea lion — A big colony with unusually many juveniles.
• Santa Fé land iguana — A species found on this island alone. Hard to see.
• Galápagos hawk — Often perched on the cactus along the trail.
• Green sea turtle — In the bay, over the sand.

Nearby

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