r o t ho to ma
ttin into
a wet suit any easier (I’m rooting for
a spray on version), they are on hand
to help you get out of your wet suit.
It took a day or two to get used to,
but I soon looked forward to the
helping hand ready to unzip my wet
it an
it off my
t a oon
as I was back on board the Galapagos
ya t r a h i
taff th n
whisked guests’ gear into the fresh
water dunk and wash tanks before
hanging everything up to drain and
replacing personal gear near our
scuba diving tanks, which were
im tan o y in r
in
readiness for the next dive.
Because we weren’t busy doing all
of those dive chores, our hands were
free to select morsels from the tray
of snacks being passed and the warm
beverages being poured. Slices of
freshly baked pizza, chocolate
fondue, thermoses of hot tea,
prosciutto-wrapped melon and more
were all devoured after every dive.
And did I mention the hot showers
on the dive deck to allow divers
to in tant y rin off an
arm
followed by a crew member handing
you a warm towel fresh from
the dryer?
The Galapagos Islands are named
after a Spanish word for saddle since
the shells of the massive Galapagos
tortoises reminded Spaniards of
saddles
The next group of divers onboard
the Galapagos Sky will be in for
even more pampering. At press time
the Galapagos Sky was in drydock
undergoing nearly half a million
dollars in interior and dive deck
renovations and upgrades before
returning to service in early 2015.
Getting to the
Galapagos Islands
LAN Airlines and Avianca are the
main airlines that service the
Galapagos Islands with multiple
i ht
r ay rom
ito or
Guayaquil on the mainland. If you
don’t mind heading to the airport at
around 4:00 am, I suggest booking
th
am ian a i ht rom
Chocolate fondue was just
one of the delicious post-dive
treats served on aboard the
Galapagos Sky
Spotted eagle rays in the
Galapagos Islands
ito
hy
a
i
nri
time and if you’re blessed with clear
skies you will get gorgeous views
of the Andes and Ecuador’s socalled “Avenue of the Volcanoes”
from the air.
There’s a 45 pound (20 kilo) per
r on
a
imit on i ht to
the Galapagos Islands but slight
overages seem to be tolerated.
There is a mandatory $10 per person
entry permit for the Galapagos
Islands. In 2012 Ecuador’s President
Rafael Correa abolished national
park entry fees at all parks and
protected areas in the country
except Galapagos Islands National
Park. Foreign visitors pay a
mandatory $100 per person entry
fee to enter Galapagos National.
The most luxurious hotel in Ecuador
is Casa Gangotena in the heart of
th
o onia
nt r o
ito hi h
is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Located right on Plaza San Francisco,
this meticulously renovated former
personal mansion delivers impeccable
service, original architectural
details, including pressed tin
ceilings, an elegant curved staircase
and frescoes in some rooms,
complimentary afternoon tea, a
Mainland accommodations
Flights to the Galapagos Islands
depart from and return to either
ito or
aya i on th main an
Here are the best hotels to stay
in before or after your Galapagos
adventure.
48
Galapagos
Islands
National Park
ticket stubs