A Galapagos Islands small ship cruise is the only way to reach the places most visitors never see. There were eight of us on the catamaran. While larger cruise ships anchored at the popular spots, we were already pulling up to Sombrero Chino.
I joined the Golden Galapagos eco-luxury cruise on a small catamaran with fewer than ten people, which gave me access to a side of the Galapagos that land-based travel simply can’t offer. Sombrero Chino, Devil’s Crown, Floreana – these places are only accessible by small ship, and they’re where the real magic happens.
This is what three days on a small luxury catamaran in the Galapagos actually looks like!
If you’re short on time but refuse to see the Galapagos from a distance, a small ship cruise is the answer. And yes, three days is absolutely worth it!
3-Day Galapagos Islands Small Ship Cruise & What to Expect
Baltra Island + Isla Bartolomé (Bartholomew Island)
Baltra Island is where you find the main Galapagos Island airport, and it’s where the cruise begins. Once at the port, you’ll meet your guide who escorts you on the spacious dinghy (or panga, how they call it in Ecuador) to the catamaran.
Upon arrival, you’ll be shown your elegant and bright ocean-view suite with an introduction to the ship and safety measures.
Sipping on drinks while getting to know your fellow passenger over a multi-course meal, your Galapagos Islands Small Ship Cruise is off to a great start!
In the afternoon, you’ll arrive at Bartolome Islands, a small islet off the island of Santiago for the first water-based excursion.
Snorkeling Pinnacle Rock: Where Galapagos Penguins Swim Past You
There is a coralline beach next to the Pinnacle which allows a wet landing from which you can start a snorkeling trip. It’s a popular spot with the opportunity to see the Galapagos penguin and sea lions at the foot of Pinnacle Rock.
It actually didn’t take long before five penguins shot like torpedoes past us – what a first experience!
After an hour of adrenaline snorkeling, you’ll arrive back on board – greeted by the crew, handing you towels and refreshments + snacks. Love that service!
Hiking Isla Bartolomé
Isla Bartolomé is a barren islet situated in Sullivan Bay and one of the most visited and photographed islands. In particular, it’s distinguished by its famous site -the Pinnacle Rock.
One of the things you’ll notice is its lack of vegetation. What you can find though, are various lava formations, lava flows and lava cacti.
Up a set of wooden staircases, you’ll climb a 600m trail to the 114 m summit from which you’ll have an incredible view. On a clear day, you can see more than 10 islands!
The highlight without a doubt is the towering Pinnacle Rock. Formed by an eroded cone, its shape is one of the most recognizable in the archipelago and home to a small colony of Galapagos penguins. Putting Isla Bartolomé on your Galapagos Islands small ship cruise will pay off!
Once back from the hike, you’ll be pleased to see the crew waiting for you with a cold drink and some cold towels.
Floreana Island
Highlights: Hammerhead Shark Sighting – Flamingos – Blue-footed Boobies – Old Mailing Station
One 7-hour cruise through the night later and you wake up at the island of Floreana in the southeast of the Galapagos Islands.
Floreana was the first island that was successfully populated and is today home to about 200 people. The history of the island is one of mystery. Countless sailors, whale hunters and other adventurers visited the island in search of water, tortoises and even isolation.
Devil’s Crown: Where We Saw a Hammerhead Shark
Due to its coral reef in the middle, Devil’s Crown is one of the top snorkeling spots within our Galapagos Islands small ship cruise. The semi-submerged, volcanic cone offers the chance to spot sea lions, turtles, sharks, penguins, and many many colorful fish.
The highlight for us was not only to spot a turtle, a shark and a sea lion in one single moment but also to see a hammerhead shark!
Such a bonus to have a GoPro on board to capture these moments!
Cormorant Point
Cormorant Point lies on the archipelago’s northern tip and was the destination of our morning excursion. It’s especially distinctive by its olive-green-colored sand.
A short 1-hour walk passes by a saline lake that is home to various coastal birds and the ideal place to spot flamingos. Lowering our voices, we were lucky to watch different flamingo colonies for a good while, feeding in the distance.
The trail continues to an almost perfect white-sandy beach with clear turquoise water – one of the most important nesting sites for the Green Pacific Sea Turtle. Right by the shore, you can often spot sea turtles as well as stingrays hiding in the sand, so be mindful of your steps!
Paddle Boarding & Sea Kayaking
It wouldn’t be a true Galapagos Islands small ship cruise without some more playtime in the water. The catamaran is equipped with new sea kayaks and a SUP that you could take out to explore the nearby coast.
A short panga ride later, we got dropped off in the most gorgeous bay, surrounded by warm-yellow sand beaches and rocky coastlines. I made my way around toward a mangrove islet and was greeted by sea lion pups all the way. A short paddle later, and I got washed up on the beach, underneath me, dozens of sea turtles resting by the shore.
I’d highly recommend including activities like these in your Galapagos Islands small ship cruise. It just provides such a beautiful opportunity to immerse yourself more in the wildlife.
What a great experience to be more active!
Post Office Bay – Old Mailing Station
Post Office Bay is a place of a fascinating local history that goes back many centuries. When whalers roamed the nearby seas, they regularly stopped on the island to refuel, hunt for tortoises and leave letters in a certain place on the island. Passing ships that were on their way back to England, the USA, or wherever in the world would pick them up and deliver them.
Till today, thousands of visitors continue to leave postcards in the wooden barrel. The new visitors who come look hopefully through the colorful pile, browsing the addresses that might be near their homes. Once you find one, you’ll take it and deliver it personally – that’s the tradition, or put a stamp on it and send it off. A true highlight of our Galapagos Islands small ship cruise and one you can’t miss!
Arrived back on board just in time for one of the most magical sunsets of our cruise! Cocktail in hand, it’s the ideal time to unwind and review the adventurous day just lived.
Santiago Island & Sombrero Chino
Highlights: Snorkeling with Penguin Colony – Sea Lion mums & pups
Making the 7-hour night cruise back north again, we wake up at the Chinese Hat or Sombrero Chino. A small islet off the island of Santiago, it’s typically a place you only visit on an eco-luxury small ship cruise around the Galapagos Islands.
Sombrero Chino Hike + Panga Ride
One of the archipelago’s most recognizable islands, Sombrero Chino is a fantastic site for snorkeling and boats with some impressive landscapes! Of volcanic origin, it was created by the nearby Santiago volcano that erupted, forming what is called a ‘spatter cone’.
Our morning excursion included a wildlife spotting panga ride, stopping by sea lion colonies and coastal birds. Cruising through the gorgeous, clear blue channel, the crew dropped us off on this stunningly white-sandy beach.
Lined with sea lion mums and their pups, it was the perfect welcome. Following the narrow trail, it’s a great place to see Sally Lightfoot Crabs and lava lizards. sea turtles, mockingbirds, shorebirds, the Galapagos hawk, and of course, marine iguanas. This island has to be part of every Galapagos Islands small ship cruise without a doubt!
Sombrero Chino: The Island Only Small Cruise Ships Can Reach
Sheltered by the bigger Santiago Island, the water is calm yet deep enough to attract some spectacular wildlife like penguins and sharks. Starting our trip, our panga driver Jefferson, pointed out a colony of penguins sitting on the rocks.
In no tim,e we arrived at the rocks, witnessing 5 Galapagos penguins. Sunbathing and being unfazed by our presence, there are few things as rare and special as seeing these little guys in real life. Whichever Galapagos Islands small ship cruise you choose, make sure Sombrero Chino is part of it!
A snorkeling trip for the books!
North Seymour Snorkeling
Highlights: Courtship dance of the Blue-footed Boobies – Mating behavior of the Frigatebirds – Sea Lions surfing in the waves
After lunch and a bit of free time, you head out for your last snorkeling trip. The area offers great opportunities for divers of all levels as well as snorkelers. It’s a deep enough area that attracts sea lions, Galapagos sea turtles, spotted eagle rays and mobulas but also large numbers of fish and often hammerhead sharks.
Birdwatching
The small island of North Seymour is an important fishing site for marine birds. The trail leads conveniently through the nesting area of many coastal birds and aromatic salt bushes.
It’s also the place of the largest colony of frigatebirds within the Galapagos Islands and a must on any small ship cruise. With 2 out of 5 species, you can witness the Great and the Magnificent frigatebirds here, as well as many juveniles.
During the mating season, you can witness the mating behavior of the Frigate birds, admiring their striking red inflated throat pouch and noises. Truly fascinating!
The area is also home to many Swallow-tailed gulls as well as nesting Blue-Footed Boobies. If you’re lucky you can watch their interesting courtship behavior!
Baltra Island
Our last morning started with a way too early 5.45 am wake-up call for a ride in the Zodiac for sunrise. Nothing I’d rather get up for than another wildlife adventure!
Black Turtle Cove: The Perfect Last Morning in the Galapagos
Black Turtle Cove lies on the north shore of the Santa Cruz Islands and is inhabited by 4 different mangrove species. From the shore, out into the lagoon, it’s obvious that this is a unique environment – the perfect ground for animal watching.
Every so often, we see some sea turtles popping their heads up to catch some air but also to mate!
For over one hour, you’ll glide along the calm water, dozens of juvenile white-tip reef sharks slipping underneath the panga. Black Turtle Cove makes the last stop on this Galapagos Islands small ship cruise and a lovely last little adventure.
We return to the catamaran, one last breakfast with the group and you already head back to the airport. A three-day Galapagos Islands itinerary comes to an end, but the memories will last a lifetime!
How to Plan Your Galapagos Trip: Small Ship Cruise vs Land-Based
The remote islands, Sombrero Chino, Devil’s Crown, and Floreana, are only reachable by cruise. If those are on your list, a small ship is the only way in. Land-based day tours from Santa Cruz cover the highlights beautifully but you stay within reach of the popular spots.
I traveled on the Golden Galapagos catamaran with about ten people. While larger ships anchored at the busy spots, we were already pulling up to islands most visitors never see. That access is the single biggest argument for choosing a cruise.
Choose a cruise if the Galapagos is the main event and you want the remote islands. The Golden Galapagos catamaran is exactly what I did. Book ahead, spots fill fast!
Choose a day tour if you’re adding Galapagos onto a bigger Ecuador trip and want flexibility without committing to a full cruise.
Galapagos Islands Cruise vs Land-Based: Which is Right for You?
Galápagos Adventure by G Adventures – 9 days, small ship. Book this if you want the full archipelago experience.
7-Day Galapagos Island Hopping – covers Bartolome and Seymour Norte. Book this if you want land-based done properly.
Bartolome Highlights – Book this full-day excursion if the Galapagos Islands are a detour on a bigger Ecuador trip and you want one unforgettable day without committing to a cruise.
North Seymour Highlights (Day Tour)- Book this immersive tour if wildlife and birdwatching are your priority and you’re already based in Santa Cruz.
If you’re keen to check out the complete itineraries for an unforgettable Galapagos Islands itinerary and eco-luxury cruise experience around the archipelago, head to Golden Galapagos’s website. Book ahead of time for the best Galapagos cruise deals!
Essentials to Know for Your Galapagos Islands Small Ship Cruise
The Galapagos Islands are a UNESCO World Heritage Site with unique wildlife found nowhere else, from giant tortoises to marine iguanas. Every island offers distinct landscapes and ecosystems to explore.
Created by volcanic activity between 3 to 5 million years ago, the islands were void of life. All the plants and animals that we can now find arrived by sea or air, adapting to their new environment.
How to Get to the Galapagos Islands?
To start this Galapagos Islands itinerary, you have to first fly to Ecuador and change via Quito or Guayaquil. Avianca or LATAM fly to the Galapagos Islands airport on either Baltra Island or San Cristobal.
Flight prices to the Galapagos Island airport are roughly around 200 USD one way from Quito to/from Baltra Island.
Galapagos Island Itinerary Map
The Galapagos Islands are scattered across the Pacific, each offering unique wildlife and experiences. This map shows the islands covered in a 3-day eco-luxury cruise, plus key day tours like Bartolome and North Seymour. Use it to plan your itinerary and see how you can combine island exploration with practical transfers and accommodations.
Baltra Airport Transfer + Santa Cruz Island Tour
When you arrive at Baltra Airport, you can save time and stress by booking a combined Baltra airport transfer and Giant Tortoise tour. This service picks you up from the airport, gets you to Puerto Ayora, and you can walk among the giant Galapagos tortoises in their natural habitat – a must-see for wildlife lovers. It’s a smooth way to start your Galapagos adventure without worrying about transfers or logistics.
What do You Need to Enter the Galapagos Islands?
One of the most important entry requirements is the Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee of 100 USD, which you will pay in cash on arrival in the Galapagos Islands.
Besides having round-trip tickets booked, you need to obtain the Transit Control Card or Ingala Card at your departure airport. It should cost around 20 USD.
Ecuador runs on USD so currency isn’t complicated, but ATM fees add up fast. I use Wise for every trip. You hold USD directly, withdraw at the real exchange rate, and avoid the conversion fees your regular bank charges. Get your Wise card free here.
Travel Insurance: Remember, Galapagos is remote. If a snorkeling excursion goes wrong or a flight gets cancelled due to weather, which happens, you want coverage that actually handles it. I use SafetyWing for every trip. It covers emergency medical, trip interruption, and is priced for long-term travelers without the corporate insurance markup. Sort your cover before you fly.
Which are the Best Islands to Visit in the Galapagos?
There are 18 islands and a few islets within the archipelago. Of all these, there are only three islands you can base yourself on: Santa Cruz, Isabela, and San Cristobal.
Land-based excursions are limited to five islands that can be reached in one day. Consequently, that limits the possibilities of you exploring islands that are further away, which are the ones that most cruise companies include in their itinerary.
Galapagos Islands Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit the Galapagos Islands is during the dry season from June to December, when water visibility is high and wildlife is abundant. The warmer wet season from December to May is ideal for nesting birds and hatchlings.
Where to Stay on the Galapagos Islands
If you’re planning a land-based itinerary, your choice of island base will shape your trip. Santa Cruz is the most popular option – it’s centrally located, has the largest town (Puerto Ayora), a wide range of hotels, restaurants, and easy access to many day tours, including Bartolome, North Seymour, and snorkeling excursions.
Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel is a luxury eco-lodge right on the water, offering private beaches, gourmet dining, and guided excursions. Perfect for travelers seeking comfort, privacy, and immersive island experiences.
El Barranco Galapagos is a boutique stay with ocean views and modern rooms, ideal for travelers who want a quieter, upscale experience while still close to the town.
Hotel Fiesta is a great mid-range option in Puerto Ayora, perfectly located for walking to shops, restaurants, and local tours. Comfortable rooms and friendly service make it ideal for first-time visitors.
San Cristóbal is smaller and quieter, perfect if you prefer a slower pace or want to focus on East-Island experiences like Kicker Rock and La Lobería. It has fewer hotel options but still offers comfortable stays and direct access to some unique wildlife encounters.
Golden Bay Galapagos is a stylish and modern with ocean-view rooms, great for exploring the eastern islands. Ideal for those seeking a quieter, laid-back pace away from the busier Santa Cruz.
Check available Galapagos Islands Resorts and Hotels in Santa Cruz, Puerto Ayora
The Galapagos Islands are unlike anywhere else on Earth. From snorkeling with sea lions to hiking up volcanic landscapes, this 3-day cruise offered an unforgettable experience of nature at its purest. Whether you’re after a short taste or a week of adventure, the islands have something for everyone.
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Disclaimer: This was a sponsored trip by Golden Galapagos Cruise. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
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