Sullivan Bay, Santiago
Short answer
Sullivan Bay is a field of bare black pahoehoe lava on the eastern side of Santiago, laid down by an eruption at the end of the nineteenth century. You land by dinghy and walk across the flow itself. There is almost no vegetation and almost no wildlife — the site is the rock.
On this page — 7 sections
The lava is young enough that the surface still holds the shape of how it moved: ropes, coils and folds frozen mid-flow. You are walking on a liquid that stopped.
Sullivan Bay at a glance
| Island | Santiago |
|---|---|
| How you visit | Cruise or day boat — dry landing by dinghy |
| Guide | Park-licensed naturalist required |
| Terrain | Bare lava. Uneven, glassy and sharp in places |
| Shade | None at all |
| Best for | Geology, photography, and understanding the islands |
- 1
Sullivan Bay is a field of bare black pahoehoe lava on the eastern side of Santiago, laid down by an eruption at the end of the nineteenth century. You land by dinghy and walk across the flow itself. There is almost no vegetation and almost no wildlife — the site is the rock.
How you get there
- On a cruise itinerary
- The usual way. Santiago is not inhabited, so there is no town to leave from. It appears on many central-island itineraries, often paired with Bartolomé.
- Day boat from Santa Cruz
- Possible but long, and the crossing is exposed. Fewer operators run it than run Bartolomé.
It sits on Santiago, so how you reach the island decides how you reach this.
What you actually see
The pahoehoe surface
Smooth, ropy lava in coils and folds. Some of it rings hollow underfoot where the crust formed over a tube that drained away.
The pioneers
Almost nothing grows, and that is the interest. A few Mollugo plants and lava cactus have taken hold in cracks. This is colonisation caught at the very beginning.
The older ground beneath
In places the new flow ran over older, tan-coloured tuff, and you can see the join. Two ages of the island in one step.
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 heat is punishing
- Black rock, no shade, full sun. Midday here is genuinely hard and there is nowhere to retreat to. Morning landings exist for a reason.
- People expect animals
- There are barely any, and that disappoints visitors who were not told. Sullivan Bay is a geology site. If you came only for wildlife, say so before you book the itinerary.
- The surface cuts
- Lava is glass. A fall here takes skin off. Closed shoes with grip, and watch where you put your feet rather than your camera.
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 visiting Galápagos purely for animals — this site has almost none.
- Unsteady walkers. The ground is uneven throughout and there is no path.
- Visitors who cannot manage full sun with no shade for the length of the walk.
What lives here
- Lava lizard — The most likely thing you will see moving.
- Galápagos penguin — Sometimes along the shoreline from the dinghy, not on the flow.
- Lava cactus — Not an animal, but the pioneer that defines the site.
Nearby
Pinnacle Rock
Bartolomé
What it is →Puerto Egas
Santiago
What it is →Playa Mann
San Cristóbal
What it is →Black Turtle Cove
Santa Cruz
What it is →Los Túneles
Isabela
What it is →Las Tintoreras
Isabela
What it is →Every visitor site we have written up → · Santiago, the whole island →
Questions people also ask
What is pahoehoe lava?
A smooth, ropy form of basalt lava that flows fast and cools with its surface texture intact. Sullivan Bay is one of the clearest examples anywhere that visitors can walk on.
Is there wildlife at Sullivan Bay?
Very little, and that is the point. A few lava lizards and pioneer plants. Come for the ground, not the animals.
Can you visit Sullivan Bay without a cruise?
A few day boats from Santa Cruz include it, but it is far less common than Bartolomé. Most visitors see it on a cruise itinerary.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from one of these. If one of them changes and we have not caught up, tell us and we will fix it the same day.
Planning this trip yourself?
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