Galapagos - Floreana

Popular with tourists, Floreana Island is one of the oldest of the Galapagos. It is also the island with the richest human history on the entire archipelago, dating back to the late 1700s. Everyone from pirates to settlers to early colonists visited this ancient isle.

The island’s volcano has long been extinct and it is actually in the advanced stages of erosion. This erosion is responsible for the lush, beautiful Floreana landscape in the highlands as the process enriched the isle with soils and nutrients vital to supporting plant life. Named after Juan Jose Flores, the first president of Ecuador, the island has an area of 173 square kilometers (close to 67 square miles), with only close to 100 inhabitants living there. Tourists should be aware that services are very limited and should confirm in advance that their transportation back to a more tourist-centric island is secure; this unless previous plans have been made to stay at one of the island’s few lodging accommodations.

Known as the best place to snorkel in the Galapagos, the Devil’s Crown is a volcano that is almost completely submerged under the island’s beautiful waters. Erosion of the volcano has transformed it into a mass of jagged peaks, which together form the “devil’s crown.” Marine birds such as pelicans, frigates, and boobies call the remains of the volcano home. Travelers will be able to snorkel within the center of the crater and view sea lions, balloon fish, tiger snake eels, hammerhead sharks, sea turtles, and more unique sea life.

Another attraction on Floreana Island is Punta Cormorant, a beach which offers two distinct areas. The shore is a green sand beach, but the trail leads travelers past a lagoon which is home to many birds such as pink flamingos. Beyond this is a beach of white sand particles, aptly named “flour beach.” The waters here feature rays and ghost crabs.

Finally, one of the few attractions on the island that are visited for its human history rather than scientific significance is Post Office Bay. In 1793 Whaler Captain James Colnett erected a wooden post barrel where whalers would leave letters while they made rounds of the isles and ships returning home would do them a favor and mail them. Whaling ships were usually gone for about 2 years at a time, therefore the post office proved important in helping whalers maintain contact with their families. Today, tourists can leave their own letters and take a few to keep the tradition going by forwarding them on to the addressed.