Full-Day Boat Trip to Sullivan Bay
A single day is enough to set foot on Santiago, though the island itself is only one part of the outing. The standard excursion starts on Santa Cruz, crosses to the central islands and combines Bartolome with a landing at Sullivan Bay. Santiago has no hotel, so the day ends back on Santa Cruz.
Before you leave
Book through an agency in Puerto Ayora or an online platform. A local office tends to ask about $250 each, and platform listings run from roughly $296 to $364, with one international site going as high as about $550. Ask whether the park fee, snacks and wetsuit are included. Pay the park fee at the airport on arrival in the islands, where rangers collect it: $200 for foreign adults and $100 for foreign children under 12.
The journey out
Your hotel collects you near 6:00. A road transfer carries you about 40 minutes across Santa Cruz to the Itabaca channel, where the boat waits. The crossing from there takes about 2 hours, so the island is not a short hop from town. Eat breakfast first, and keep sun protection within reach.
On Santiago
The Sullivan Bay landing puts the group onto a lava flow that cooled in the late 19th century. The path is about 1.5 km long over ropey, cracked rock, and tree molds begin about 150 m from the start. It is hot, bright and without shade. Closed shoes protect your ankles.
Sullivan Bay is not a swimming beach. If the programme includes snorkeling, it happens at a separate stop chosen by the crew.
The journey home
Return times are normally late in the afternoon, between 17:00 and 18:00, but confirm this when booking. After the boat docks, the road transfer returns you to Puerto Ayora.
A dive version
Dive operators run a day outing to Bartolome and Cousins Rock instead. The dive sites lie about 1.5 hours past the Itabaca channel, and a tour has been priced at $270. Cousins Rock suits intermediate divers.
Bring
- Closed shoes, a hat, sunscreen and water
- Swimwear and a towel
- A wetsuit if you tend to feel cold, since the sea is cool from June to November
- US dollar cash, kept as backup for fees
The Galapagos Conservancy park rules and the official fee table cover what applies on the day.
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