The Galápagos Islands

Around a 30- to 40-minute boat ride from Puerto Villamil is this outstanding spot for snorkeling, formed by convoluted lava formations standing between mangroves and the open sea. Look out for white-tipped sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, sea lions, turtles and even seahorses in the shallows. Tour operators in Puerto Villamil run daily five-hour trips here for around $90.

Certainly one of the more dramatically beautiful islands in the Galápagos, the 61-sq-km Española is also the most southerly. Because it’s about 90km southeast of Santa Cruz, captains of some of the smaller boats may be reluctant to go this far.

Española is especially worth visiting from late March to December because it has the only colony of the waved albatross, one of the most spectacular Galápagos seabirds, plus swallow-tailed gulls, oystercatchers, three species of finches and the Hood mockingbird, which is found nowhere else in the world.

The opuntia cactus and giant tortoise population, virtually extinct in the 1960s due to introduced goats and hunting, have rebounded thanks to an aggressive restoration program – tortoises rely on the cacti for food, water and protection.

Northwest of the tiny settlement of Tomás de Berlanga lies the massive Volcán Sierra Negra (1490m), which last erupted in late 2005. An 8km trail leads around the east side of the volcano. It’s possible to walk all the way around the caldera, but the trail peters out.

Galápagos hawks, short-eared owls, finches and flycatchers are among the birds commonly seen on this trip. The summit is often foggy (especially during the colder, drier garúa season, which extends from June to December) and it is easy to get lost. There are spectacular views from nearby Volcán Chico, a subcrater where you can see fumaroles. Several agencies in towns offer all-day tours (per person $35). These include transport up to the volcano, followed by an 11km walk. Bring a rain jacket, water and snacks (a sack lunch is provided).

Make sure you go only in a closed vehicle (and wear your seat belt); do not go in an open-sided chiva. A tragic accident in 2014 left several tourists on this outing gravely injured, when the driver of their chiva lost control coming down the mountain.

Panoramic views and frisky penguins make this tiny island, just off Sullivan Bay on Isla Santiago, a common stop for boat tours. A path from a jetty (for a dry landing) leads up to the wind-whipped 114m summit of the island, where the dramatic views make it de rigueur for group photos. This trail leads through a wild and unearthly looking lava landscape, where a wooden boardwalk and stairs have been built to aid visitors and to protect the trail from erosion.

The other visitor site is a small, sandy beach in a cove (wet landing), from where you can don your snorkeling gear and swim with the speedy Galápagos penguins that frequent this cove. Marine turtles and a gaudy variety of tropical fish are also frequently seen.

Next to El Chato is this private ranch, where there are dozens of giant tortoises, and you can wander around at will. The entrance is beyond Santa Rosa, off the main road – ask locals for directions. Remember to close any gates that you go through. There is a cafe selling cold drinks and hot tea, which is welcome if the highland mist has soaked you.

In terms of sheer white-sand beauty, this beach is the rival of any in South America. You’ll find it at the end of a 2.5km paved trail southwest of Puerto Ayora. In addition to swimming (a spit of land provides protection from the strong and dangerous currents on the exposed side), surfing or just sunbathing, you can see sharks, marine iguanas, pelicans and the occasional flamingo. There’s no drinking water or other facilities.

Isabela is the largest island in the archipelago at 4588 sq km, but despite its size and imposing skyline of active volcanoes, it’s the delicate sights like frigate birds flying as high as the clouds or penguins making their way tentatively along the cliffs that reward visitors.

It’s a relatively young island and consists of a chain of five intermittently active volcanoes, including Volcán Sierra Negra, which erupted in late 2005 and sent up a 20km-high smoke column. One of the island’s volcanoes, Volcán Wolf, is the highest point in the Galápagos at 1707m (some sources claim 1646m). There's also a small, older volcano, Volcán Ecuador (610m).

In response to an ecosystem-wide threat and a dwindling tortoise population on Isabela and especially around Volcán Alcedo (1097m), the Charles Darwin Research Station and Galápagos National Park Service successfully eradicated tens of thousands of feral goats through ground and aerial hunting.

Despite its abundance of restaurants and hotels, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno retains its sleepy, time-stands-still fishing-village feel. And though an increasing number of trips begin or end here, it remains under the shadow of Puerto Ayora, its larger and higher-profile sister city in the Galápagos. The surfing is world class, and you can explore many places on the island from here on your own.

This, the sixth largest of the islands, is known as much for the mysterious history of its first residents – a small contingent of European settlers who became entangled in power struggles, peculiar disappearances and alleged murders – as it is for its intensely pink flamingos and top-flight snorkeling sites.

Many Santa Cruz tour operators sell Floreana as a day trip. If you're considering this, know that on a day trip, almost none of your money goes to the community, and you will be subjected to over four hours of exhausting speedboat travel. Instead it's well worth staying overnight, as the village of Puerto Velasco Ibarra has appealing lodging options, and this is a fascinating area to explore for those willing to make the effort.