San Cristóbal is the quaintest of the three islands. A few locals told us they had originally come for a holiday and ended up staying for years, and it’s easy to see why. The diving is great, the restaurants and cafes are great, the beaches are quieter, and there’s some nice hiking. It has a nice balance between the other two islands. It’s quieter than Santa Cruz but a bit more alive than Isabela, which I really liked.
Overview
- Location: Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
- Main town: Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
- Access: Ferry from Santa Cruz (~2–3 hours) or flights from Quito/Guayaquil (~1.5–3 hours)
- Best season: Jan–May (warmer water and generally better conditions)
Quick Summary
Best for:
Not ideal for:
Best Things To Do in San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos Without a Tour
La Lobería
- Long walk from town — taxi recommended
- Little to no shade throughout the trip
- Decent snorkelling from the right side of the beach
- Popular with locals and tourists, so it can get busy
La Lobería is possible to walk to from town, but it’s further than you might think and it can get very hot. I walked there and, to be honest, I underestimated it. There is very little protection from the sun on the way, so you’ll be quite tired by the time you reach the beach. I’d recommend getting a taxi instead.
Once you arrive at the parking area, you walk through some trees towards the ocean and eventually come out onto the coast. There’s a small road that runs along the coastline to your left and leads all the way down to the beach.
When you reach the beach, the area to your right is pretty decent for snorkelling. Don’t expect a quiet, empty beach though. La Lobería is quite popular with both locals and tourists, so it can get busy.
There’s also very little protection from the sun for pretty much the entire trip, from the walk from town, along the coast and once you’re on the beach. Make sure you bring plenty of water and sun cream.
Every now and then a sea lion will appear on the beach, so keep an eye out while you’re there.
There’s also a little hike you can do from the end of the beach, up to the top of the cliff, and along the coastline, but to be honest there wasn’t much to see and it was super hot. You might as well try it if you’ve got the energy but don’t be too disappointed if you skip it.
Cerro Tijeretas / Muelle Tijeretas
- Easy hike that can be made into a loop
- Great views from Mirador Cerro Tijeretas
- Excellent snorkelling at Muelle Tijeretas
- Easily combined with the Centro de Interpretación and Playa Punta Carola
Cerro Tijeretas is a great hike starting from the very north side of the Malecón San Cristóbal. You can easily combine it with a trip to the Centro de Interpretación and Playa Punta Carola so it’s a good way to see several places without having to book a tour.
You can start the hike right from inside the Centro de Interpretación and make it into one big loop. I’d recommend heading towards the Mirador Cerro Tijeretas first, where you’ll get a great view of the coast and Bahía Baquerizo Moreno.
From the viewpoint, you can continue down towards Muelle Tijeretas. This is a great spot for snorkelling. There’s a platform where you can leave your belongings before climbing down the rocks into the water. The bay is quite large, so there’s plenty of area to explore.
We were lucky enough to have two young sea lions take an interest in us and they spent a good half an hour playing around with us. It was a huge highlight of our trip and I’d highly recommend bringing your mask and snorkel for this part of the hike.
Once you’re finished snorkelling, you can make your way back up the path towards the Monumento a Charles Darwin. From here, a nice boardwalk takes you through the forest to the other entrance of Cerro Tijeretas. From here you can either walk back towards the Centro de Interpretación or take the small path down to Playa Punta Carola.
San Cristóbal Gianni Arismendy Environmental Interpretation Center
- Good introduction to the Galápagos
- Natural history, human history and conservation
- Easy to combine with Cerro Tijeretas
- Good option for a quieter activity or if the weather isn’t great
The San Cristóbal Gianni Arismendy Environmental Interpretation Center is a good place to start if you want to understand a bit more about the Galápagos before heading out to explore the island. It’s right at the start of the Cerro Tijeretas trail so it’s very easy to combine the two.
Inside you’ll find information about how the Galápagos Islands were formed, the wildlife that lives here and the history of human settlement on the islands. It also explains some of the conservation challenges the Galápagos faces today.
I’d recommend spending some time here before heading off towards Cerro Tijeretas. It doesn’t take too long to look around and it gives you a bit more context for everything you’ll see during the rest of your time on San Cristóbal.
Malecón San Cristóbal
- Best for: Late afternoon/evening walks, sea lions and eating
- Wildlife: Huge numbers of sea lions, including plenty of babies
- Don’t leave without trying the ice cream and cakes at Café San Cristóbal
The Malecón San Cristóbal is a great place for a walk, especially in the late afternoon and evening when the temperature starts to drop. At one end of the Malecón you’ll find Playa de los Lobos, where you’ll find what feels like hundreds of sea lions lying around on the beach.
The Malecón itself is lined with souvenir shops, cafés and restaurants which makes it a nice place to wander around .
Right next to Playa de los Lobos there’s a café that sells some great ice cream (big ice cream fan). They also sell some absolutely banging cakes. Take my advice and spend some money at Café San Cristóbal.
If you’re looking for something a little more local and affordable, the street just behind the Malecón, Avenida Ignacio Hernández, has plenty of restaurants serving really nice local food. There are also plenty of gourmet restaurants around the Malecón if you’re happy to spend a little more.
Playa Punta Carola
- Easy walk from town
- Quieter than most beaches
- Good for swimming and relaxing
Playa Punta Carola can be found past Playa Mann. Follow the coast around and you’ll eventually find a small gap in the fence which leads onto a path. The path takes you through the vegetation and comes out straight onto the beach.
This is one of the quieter beaches in the area and is much less busy than Playa Mann, despite not being very far from town. It’s an easy walk and a nice place to spend a few hours relaxing. You can easily combine it with Cerro Tijeretas or make it a trip on its own.
There are some rocks at the end of the beach around the lighthouse that you can explore, you might even find a sea lion lying around. You’ll sometimes see people surfing the break created by the lighthouse. The water closer to the shore was calm and easy to swim in.
Best Tours From San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos
Kicker Rock
- Best done as a scuba diving trip if you’re a diver
- Hammerhead and Galápagos sharks, rays and turtles
- Some diving in medium/strong currents experience recommended
- Colder water than typical tropical diving
- Bring sea sickness meds if you need them
If you’re a diver, I’d much rather do Kicker Rock as a scuba diving trip than a snorkelling trip. There are plenty of dive centres on the island running trips out there regularly, but they may insist that you’re an Advanced Open Water diver and have more than ~30 dives under your belt. Ask the dive centre about their requirements before you book.
If you’re not going on a liveaboard, Kicker Rock is probably your best chance to experience the kind of diving the Galápagos is famous for. This is where you might get to see the hammerhead and Galápagos sharks that people come from all over the world to dive with.
There can be a decent amount of current around Kicker Rock so make sure you’re comfortable diving in these conditions. The water is also on the colder side compared with tropical destinations, and it gets colder during the cooler months, so don’t underestimate the temperature.
We were lucky enough to see both hammerheads and Galápagos sharks, as well as a few different types of rays and turtles. If you were only going to do one dive in the Galápagos without joining a liveaboard, this would be my choice.
If you’re prone to seasickness, I’d definitely top up on your seasickness medication before heading out. It’s a decent boat ride to Kicker Rock and the conditions can get a little rough.
Punta Pitt
- Full-day boat excursion
- Blue-footed, Nazca and red-footed boobies
- Remote volcanic landscape and coastline
- Some hiking and possible snorkelling
Punta Pitt is right at the eastern end of San Cristóbal and is one of the more remote places you can visit on the island. It’s usually done as a full-day boat trip so you’re going to be out on the water for a good part of the day.
The main reason to come here is the birdlife. Punta Pitt is one of the few places in the Galápagos where you can see all three species of boobies (blue-footed, Nazca and red-footed), frigates, pelicans, herons and Galápagos mockingbirds. Maybe even an albatross if you’re extremely lucky. The scenery is pretty impressive too. The volcanic cliffs and rugged coastline make the boat trip feel a lot more remote than the areas around town.
Once you arrive, there’s a hike up through the landscape with your guide. It’s not an especially difficult hike, but it can be hot and there isn’t much shade so bring plenty of water and sun cream.
There can also be opportunities to snorkel with sea lions and other marine life around the coast depending on the conditions. The birds are the main attraction though, so if you’re particularly interested in seeing them, Punta Pitt is a good idea.
As with Kicker Rock, it’s a long boat ride and the sea can get rough, so I’d recommend taking something for seasickness if you’re prone to it.
Highlands & Tortoise Reserve Tour
- Half-day highlands excursion
- Giant tortoises in their natural environment
- Greener and cooler than the coast
- Good option for seeing a different side of San Cristóbal
The highlands tour is a great way to see a completely different side of San Cristóbal. You’ll leave Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and head into the greener and cooler interior of the island.
I’d recommend taking a tour that includes El Junco Lagoon. This freshwater lake sits inside a volcanic crater and is surrounded by beautiful highland scenery. It’s a completely different landscape from the coast and makes a nice change of scenery.
The other big attraction is the giant tortoises. You’ll visit areas where they roam freely and you can see them moving through the vegetation.
You’ll have a guide with you throughout the tour who will explain more about the tortoises and the different areas you visit. The highlands can also be much cooler and wetter than Puerto Baquerizo Moreno so I’d take something warm and waterproof with you.
Places We Ate
Cafe San Cristóbal for ice cream, cakes, and coffee.
Pahoe Restaurant was a bit more on the gastro side than we’re used to. So, so, so nice. Probably the best meal we had on the island.
D’L Coco was the best menu del dia we had. There’s a bunch more ‘menu del dia’ restaurants around it on the same street that were also very nice.
Sea Garden Coffee Shop upstairs is a great place to have an eggs benedict and a nice coffee with a great view of Playa de los Lobos and the harbour.
The Petrels had really nice coffee options, some of them very fancy. Didn’t get round to trying them but they had some extravagant looking waffles on the menu too.
Practical Tips
- Take taxis for longer walks like La Lobería
- Bring plenty of water and sun protection for longer excursions
- Bring your own snorkel gear if possible and keep it handy
- Sea lions are everywhere
- Expect limited shade on hikes and beaches
- Take seasickness meds an hour before longer boat trips if you’re prone to it
- Book boat tours in advance during high season
Summary
- You can see a lot of the island without booking a tour
- The best wildlife experiences are often further away and require a boat trip
- It’s easy to combine several of the island’s beaches, viewpoints and walking trails into one day
- Puerto Baquerizo Moreno has lots of nice places to eat, from local restaurants to more expensive options
Links
Why not have a look at our guides for Isabela and Santa Cruz too?