Are you looking for some guidance on scuba diving in Galapagos for beginners?
Starting your scuba diving activity is challenging. You might be wondering if where the places can you go for your scuba diving trips.
With that said, maybe you might want to consider the lovely Galapagos island.
Galapagos Island is one of the best scuba dive spots for beginners. The island offers many spectacular things.
Although it might not be the cheapest and easiest travel destinations, you will not hesitate to visit the place after you read these posts.
Read on and discover the Galapagos island for your first scuba dive adventure.
Overview:
Millions if not billions of words have been written in commendation and wonderment of the Galapagos, and it’s not unexpected to peruse such expressions as “offer open life and scenes discovered no place else on earth.
The Galapagos natural life experience equals even any semblance of Africa”. What about this from the Huffington Post?. “As the origin of Charles Darwin’s hypothesis of development, logical history was made on the Galapagos Islands”.
A snappy hunt of Google search shows that the expression ‘Galapagos Islands’ is looked through similarly as ‘’Charles Darwin’’ and ‘’Evolution’’.
Of course, evolution is going on all over the place, yet it was Charles Darwin who shone a penetrative shaft on it. The perceptions that he made during his travel to the Galapagos Islands, prompting his original work.
But what do you think is the reason why did Darwin visit the Galapagos? Is it because there was no United Nations in those days, considerably less UNESCO?
In contrast to most guests, he didn’t plan his visit. He sorts of just hung out on the islands when his boat HMS Beagle stopped by on the Galapagos Islands after looking over South America’s coast.
What will you see on Galapagos Island?
When you read all more, for the most part, about the Galapagos Islands single word keeps springing up, and that word is “interesting”.
It is an over-utilized description to the point that nowadays, it nearly manifests every day.
We can find out about the special magnificence of an individual or place or some innovation’s exceptional properties.
On account of the Galapagos Islands, the blend of topography, geography, an enormous number of endemic creatures. As well as more of all the logical history.
What’s more?
Associating the islands to Darwin and the hypothesis of advancement joins to make the Galapagos a really extraordinary destination which is actually why UNESCO alludes to them as a “special living gallery”.
This is the motivation behind why anybody with the scarcest enthusiasm for science or history is enticed to visit the Galapagos.
You can explore these unprecedented lovely islands with their interesting history and astonishing. One of a kind endemic open life and afterwards comprehend the topography and geography that made the environment for creatures develop to become endemic, which prompted Darwin’s perceptions and book.
A run of mill all-around trip will allow you to see these dazzling desert-like volcanic islands set in a purplish-blue sea which happens to be a national sea save and watch endemic and local species, such as;
- The Albatross,
- The Giant Tortoise,
- The Marine Iguanas,
- The Lava Lizard
- The Galapagos Sea Lions.
What makes it popular?
For every one of these reasons, the Galapagos Islands are very popular. However, one further explanation is that due to the absence of regular predators, the volcanic beginning of the islands and their remoteness.
The creatures are amazingly manageable and without instinctual dread. You can actually plunk down by an ocean lion on a seashore or posture for a photograph by an iguana, and the creatures won’t move.
There are incredibly few places on the planet where you can get so near the creatures, which prompts astounding photograph openings. Dazzling scenes, obliging creatures and sky-blue oceans out of sight imply that the Galapagos is a world-class destination for photography.
A few visitors choose to take travels that are custom-made for picture takers, and a slower pace takes into account stunning photograph openings.
Whatever you find in the Galapagos ends up being the most essential for you and your family. Before the end of your trip, you’ll know very well why you went to the Galapagos.
You’ll become one more Galapagos ‘fan’, telling your loved ones and friends why they should also consider visiting Galapagos Island.
How to get to Galapagos?
To find a paradise Island of Galapagos, you should go to Ecuador. When you are in Ecuador, you can book a flight from either.
- Guayaquil or Quito to Baltra Island
- Or San Cristobal on Galapagos.
There is three day by day flights every day from Guayaquil and Quito to Baltra and San Cristobal. Flights take around 3 hours.
Expect and prepare to pay $300 to $500 per individual for a round-way ticket contingent upon the season you fly.
While planning your visit and your flights, recollect the 24-hour fly standard in the wake of diving.
When is the right time to go?
The Galapagos has two distinct seasons; One dry and hot season.
The hotter, rainy season runs:
- December to May
With water temperatures normally;
- 68°F to 82°F (20°C to 28°C).
However, precipitation is moderately light and increasingly common in good countries.
This is additionally the busier high season with more significant expenses, especially during;
- Christmas
- Carnival
- Easter
The cooler, drier season runs;
- June to November
With water temperatures regularly a colder as;
- 59°F to 72°F (15°C to 22°C)
While progressively difficult situations make diving more challenging.
It is unmistakably progressively open to snorkelling and diving in the hotter season when oceans are quiet or calm. Yet frequently, there is considerably increasingly ample marine life in the cooler season.
How much it cost?
The estimated cost of a liveaboard plunging visit is somewhere in the range of;
- $600 and $700 every day.
These visits typically last a normal of 8 days.
By and large, between;
- $400 to $600 every day,
With agendas that stretch out up to 5 or 8 days.
Plan your visit
The Galapagos offers diving to suit all levels, yet it’s imperative to note that many of the most amazing sites are beyond to reach by beginners.
Obviously, you will need your PADI Open Water Certification or qualification as a requirement to dive here.
It’s conceivable to figure out how to dive the Galapagos. However, desirable over show up effectively qualified.
3 Scuba Diving Options in Galapagos Island
SCUBA DIVING LIVEABOARDS
With these options, guests will find a good place diving destination in the archipelago on board a 16-traveller (most extreme) vessel that will make not very many stops ashore.
Notwithstanding SCUBA diving, these vessels infrequently offer additional activities such as;
- Kayaking
- Seaside explorations (onboard a dinghy),
- Snorkelling
- Swimming
Which consistently with the earlier approval and endorsement of the Galapagos National Park for every activity.
Recommended:
- For those that are intrigued solely by SCUBA diving.
SCUBA Diving Day Tours
With this choice, guests will have lodging on one of the possessed islands such as Isabela, San Cristobal or Santa Cruz as their home base.
Contingent upon how you choose your itinerary, you’ll take a vessel with up to 12 different divers who are most extreme to one of the close by dive sites in the archipelago’s focal area.
These vessels are permitted to land at assigned destinations that the Galapagos National Park has affirmed.
More often, they are offering a hiking expedition as a feature of their diving visit. Moreover, they may offer divers the opportunity to participate in different activities such as
- Kayaking,
- Seaside exploration (onboard a dinghy)
- Snorkelling
- Swimming.
This is when allowed by the Galapagos National Park.
Recommended:
- For those looking for greater adaptability and assortment during their time in the Galapagos.
Expedition Cruise + SCUBA Diving Day Tour
This is the complete choice for individuals who wish to explore for all intents and purposes the entirety of the Galapagos Islands’ highlights.
Campaign travels in the archipelago have a most extreme inhabitance of 100 travellers because of Galapagos National Park rules to protect the marine hold.
These travels are precluded from offering SCUBA diving visits because of their size. Perhaps what they lose in SCUBA diving, they gain in the earthly exploration of remarkable and faraway islands.
Giving guests the capacity to encounter endemic natural life very close. The best part? When you’re on the land, you can basically complement your trip with a SCUBA diving day visit and continue exploring the Galapagos’ underwater world miracles.
Recommended:
- Prescribed for the individuals who wish to have a progressively complete encounter of the Galapagos Islands.
Top Dive Sites for Beginner Divers
Each dive sites have certain days of the week when they go to every one of these destinations. So, your options for a dive site will rely upon what day of the week you can go. If you are an inexperienced diver, it’s very important to know which are the best scuba fins for beginners and choose them.
Bartolome Island
Bartolome is a little volcanic islet found simply off the east shore of Santiago.
Travel time is around an hour and a half by pontoon from Santa Cruz’s northern dock at the Itabaca Channel. The flows here are mellow to medium, and permeability is acceptable on most days.
There is a stunning landscape on both land and submerged, making this one of the best dive destinations.
Here you can take a vessel ride close to the stones where you can gladly look at penguins, the rest standing, heads up.
Basic Sightings:
Whitetip reef sharks, Stingrays, and different spineless creatures. Most striking are the Galapagos penguins, the main types of penguin to live on the equator. This zone is likewise the settling and reproducing justification for green turtles.
- Dive Levels: Beginner/Intermediate
Floreana Island
Otherwise called “Charles” and “Santa Clause Maria”, Floreana Island is found legitimately south of Santa Cruz. Travel time is around 2 hours by vessel from the primary dock in Puerto Ayora.
There are two (2) dive destinations to visit at Floreana:
- Champion: A little island near the primary island, Champion is portrayed by dividers secured with coral and a most extreme depth of 20m (~66ft). Flows are mellow, and the dive is floating. Here divers will see turtles, whitetip reef sharks, many barracudas, and tropical fish.
- Enderby: This dive site is an antiquated fountain of liquid magma. The breeze and waves have disintegrated one side, allowing the divers to see and explore what used to be a pit. The stone formations are intriguing to see, and this region is brimming with lots of ocean lions, sharks, rays, fish and cleaning stations for turtles and sharks. The most extreme depth is 25m (~82ft). There can some of the time be solid flows.
Regular Sightings:
Floreana is generally well known for marine life like tropical and fascinating fish, ocean lions, barracudas, white tip sharks, dark coral, dark tip sharks, hammerhead sharks, moray eels, bird beams and Galapagos sharks.
- Dive Levels: Beginner/Intermediate/Professional
Daphne Minor
Located legitimately north of Santa Cruz and straightforwardly west of Balta. Volcanic in the source, Daphne Minor is genuinely dissolved. Travel time to Daphne Minor is around 40 minutes by vessel from Santa Cruz’s northern dock at the Itabaca Channel.
Daphne Minor is generally well known for wall and cave diving. The wall diving contains numerous excellent and beautiful astonishments for divers as they explore around this stone in the ocean. The most extreme dive depth is 25m (~82ft). However, the ground can be as profound as 60m (~197ft). Flows are normally mellow yet can be solid, relying upon the season.
Regular Sightings:
Hammerheads, Sea Turtles, Galapagos Sharks, White-Tipped Reef Sharks, Golden Cowrays, Silky Sharks, Eagle Rays, Yellowtail Grunts, Galapagos Grunts, Creole fish, King Angelfish, Chameleon Wrasse, Rainbow Wrasse, Galapagos Ringtail Damselfish, Streamer Hogfish, Barracuda, Wrasse, Tuna, Parrotfish, Razor Surgeonfish, Cardinalfish, Panamic Grays by Cabrilla, Yellowtail Snapper, Nudibranch, Octopus, Black Coral and Slipper Lobster
- Dive Levels: Beginner/Intermediate/Professional
North Seymour
North Seymour is a little island found north of Baltra Island. Travel time to North Seymour is around 30 minutes by vessel from Santa Cruz’s northern dock at the Itabaca Channel.
This dive has depths from 5 to 27 meters 30 to 90 ft with 40 to 50 ft perceivability. There are moderate to solid flows with some flood. There is a wide range of dive sites for all degrees of diving experience.
Normal Sightings:
Blue and Gold Snappers, Manta Rays, Eagle Rays, White-Tipped Reef Sharks, Hammerheads, Galapagos Shark, Stingrays, Sea Turtles, Marble Rays, Tiger Snake Eels, Moray Eels, Garden Eels, Sea Stars, Jacks, Flag Cabrilla, King Angelfish, Creolefish, Hieroglyphic Hawkfish, Barracuda, Frogfish, Spotfin Burrfish, Yellowtail Surgeonfish, Scorpionfish, Nudibranch, Cardinalfish, and many more.
- Dive Levels: Beginner/Intermediate/Professional
Final Words:
Scuba diving is one of the best watersports that everyone should include in their bucket list.
Without a doubt, Galapagos Island is one of the famous places to do scuba diving.
Scuba diving in this aquatic paradise is truly a spectacular experience that you will forever remember.
So, would you like to explore the Galapagos Islands? Let us know in the comment section below.