I had an opportunity to visit South America in 2024 during the Christmas break. To be honest, I was not very keen to travel at the beginning because my work schedule had been quite packed with multiple deadlines. Personally, I would have preferred a quiet Christmas break at home, without the travel hustle to transit in different countries. Nevertheless, as I had promised my family to travel together, I kept my promises to backpack in South and Central America (Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Panama) for about three weeks. Despite the severe flight delay from Paris to Lima and the subsequent altitude sickness for the first few days in La Paz, I am glad that I did make the trip and certainly did not regret the decision to travel. In fact, the highlight of my trips was the visit to the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador, which are a volcanic archipelago renowned for their unique biodiversity in the Pacific Ocean.
Despite its isolated location far from mainland Ecuador, the islands are home to an astonishing spectrum of wildlife such as giant tortoises, iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and sea lions. Well, the archipelago consists of 13 major islands and 6 smaller islands. We visited the four main islands (Baltra, Santa Cruz, Isabela, and San Cristóbal). In Galápagos, we did not see many cats and dogs on the streets, but sea lions. They are indeed playful animals that can often be seen lounging on the benches, streets, beaches, and beside the bicycles.
My best experience was snorkeling around Isla Pinzón. It is a small and uninhabited island in the Galápagos Islands. We did not take an expensive cruise, but instead booked a local tour from Puerto Ayora to visit Isla Pinzón with a professional local naturalist. The water was crystal clear, and I felt as if I was snorkeling in a paradise with a GoPro camera. I was completely captivated by the beautiful coral reefs and the abundance of vibrant tropical fishes swimming gracefully around me. As it was my first snorkeling experience, every moment seemed magical and unforgettable. I was really happy shooting photos and videos of many fishes and sea turtles underwater. In that moment, the song “All Heaven Declares” was echoing in my ears as I snorkeled with the coral reef and vibrant fishes underwater. I was reminded of C.S. Lewis’ words: “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” Gazing at the beauty beneath the waves, I felt a profound sense of awe and gratitude, as though I had caught a glimpse of something far greater than myself. This extraordinary encounter with nature deepened my appreciation for the unique biodiversity of the Galápagos Islands and became one of the most cherished highlights of my journey.
And guess what, I was even lucky enough to spot different types of shark species in their natural habitats. For example, the white-tipped reef sharks like to sleep on the bottom and in caves. These sharks are not dangerous, as they feed on small fish at night. Nevertheless, we were advised by professional divers to be prudent when approaching the sharks without exhibiting any kind of threatening or agitating behavior in their space. I also had the opportunity to see the Galápagos giant tortoise munching grass, walking slowly and chilling in the highlands of Isla Santa Cruz. In fact, the islands are named after them, as Galápago is an old Spanish word for tortoise. While they feed on grasses, they also eat cactus pads for food. Interestingly, to withstand grazing by the tortoises, the cacti also grew taller and thicker with woody trunks.
I also enjoyed the interaction with the local people in Galápagos - simple and uncomplicated. They seem to have very good relationships with each other, without worrying that their neighbors would take advantage of them. For example, our local guide would leave all his money and belongings on the desk of his shop, with his shop unmanned and unlocked while accompanying us to sort out the currency exchange problems nearby. When he found out that he couldn’t find a professional diver to take us to the remote islands, he would recommend us to the neighboring business to arrange the trip for us. As it turned out, the local residents just happily help each other out in different ways, even when they are operating the same business.
Fast forward to 2026, I have tried snorkeling in different places such as Mexico and Belize after the first experience in Galápagos. While I also appreciate the marine life in these two countries, it seems that I could never find a replacement for the same experience I encountered in Isla Pinzón. I hope to be able to return to Galápagos one day for a longer break next time, just to spend time reading, snorkeling, and learning more about the local people in the islands.