Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Galapagos Travel Guide
On this page:Introduction| Arriving | Hotels | Where to Eat | Land-based Exploration| Beaches | Scuba Diving | Surfing | Mountain Biking
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the capital and administrative headquarters of the Galapagos, has less developed tourist infrastructure than neighboring Puerto Ayora, but it is a relatively bustling place with considerable options in the way of hotels, stores, internet cafes, banks, telephone centers, restaurants and travel agencies. With a population of about 8,000 – the second largest population in the Galapagos, after Puerto Ayora – Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is also home to a post office, police station, hospital and the Galapagos campus of San Francisco University.
For those looking for alternatives to Galapagos tours and cruises, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno lends itself to a variety of options for day trips, which can be organized through local travel agencies and diving tour operators. For land travel, local buses and relatively inexpensive taxis are good alternatives to organized land tours, for those who prefer more independent exploring.
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Beach at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
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Transportation – Arriving and Departing by Air and Sea
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is reachable both by air and by boat. Many Galapagos cruises start and/or finish at the San Cristobal airport located just outside of town. Take a taxi for a few dollars.
With offices in Puerto Ayora, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Puerto Villamil and Guayaquil, Emetebe Avionetas has inter-island flights, or you can charter hourly planes between the Galapagos Islands.
Alternatively, a variety of companies offer inter-island boat service between Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. It takes a little over 2 hours and costs US $25-35.
Inter-island speed boats to Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island first travel to Puerto Ayora take more than twice as long and cost about twice as much.
Boats leave twice a day on morning and afternoon departures. It’s best to reserve your boat at least a day in advance. There are several agencies that sell tickets along the waterfront strip.
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno Hotels
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno has a decent selection of hotels, although fewer than on Puerto Ayora. For a complete listing of recommended
hotels in the Galapagos, please refer to our Galapagos
hotels page.
to Eat
Galapaluz
This cafe is a good place for a minute of downtime, with quick snacks, decent coffee and a variety of drinks. Located at Malecón Charles Darwin and Manuel J. Cobos.
Sabor Latino
Features a set of daily fixed meals featuring traditional Ecuadorian and Latin food. Located on Hernández and Manuel J. Cobos.
Panaderia Fragata
A good variety of breads and pastries, with traditional fruit juices and yogurts. Located on Northía and Rocafuerte.
Miconia
A bar with a pleasant atmosphere, and a decent variety of food on the menu, specializing in Italian dishes and pizza. Located on Av. de la Armada Nacional (by the navy).
Exploration
A 35 minute drive from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is a collection of Frigate homes around Cerro Tigeretas. There are also a number of pleasant beaches nearby.
Playa La Lobería features a rocky waterfront, home to marine iguanas, birds, rays, tortoises, and sea lions (from which the beach takes its name – lobo del mar is Spanish for sea lion). Playa Punta Carola is a good option for surfing, but too rocky and unsuitable for swimming. For swimming, try Playa de Oro or Playa Mann.
Diving
There are a number of diving tour operators in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, and a number of diving sites. Popular ones are Punta Pitt, Kicker Rock, and Roca Ballena.
The best beach in Baquerizo Moreno for surfing is Playa Punta Carola. Ideal conditions can be found during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter (approximately from December through March). Be sure to check with some of our recommended surfing tour operators for more information.
There are lots of local agencies that rent mountain bikes for as low as $1 per hour. It’s fairly easy to rent a bike and explore the area for a few hours. For further information on mountain biking and biking tours in Ecuador,
check out our Moutain Biking Guide and our Biking Tour Providers page.
Updated July 13, 2015 by Jason Halberstadt