South Plaza and Punta Carrion

• Price$300per person
• IslandSouth Plazadeparts Santa Cruz
• TypeDay tourFull day
• Times07:45 - 16:30 (approximate)local time

Overview

A small island with an outsized cast: land iguanas under the prickly pear, seabirds along the cliff edge and a sea lion colony at the dock. The afternoon is snorkeling at Punta Carrion.

Hotel pick-up at 07:45, then approximately 1 hour 20 minutes of navigation. South Plaza lies off the east coast of Santa Cruz: small, volcanic, and dense with plants and animals.

Landing is at a small dock used by sea lions. The trail crosses a low forest of yellow-flowering prickly pear cactus, where land iguanas wait on the fruit and flowers, and continues to a cliff above the ocean. The cliff edge is a good place to see swallow-tailed gulls, tropicbirds, frigatebirds and pelicans, with schools of fish in the water below. Male sea lions rest at the eastern end of the island.

Lunch on board as the boat moves to Punta Carrion, then a snorkel in clear water where you may find sea turtles, white-tip reef sharks, sea lions and tropical fish. Back in Puerto Ayora at approximately 16:30.

Highlights

• Land iguanas among prickly pear cactus
• Cliff-edge seabird colonies
• Sea lion colony at the landing
• Snorkeling at Punta Carrion

Wildlife you may see

Nothing is guaranteed — these are wild animals in a national park.

• Sea lions
• Land iguanas
• Swallow-tailed gulls
• Tropicbirds
• Frigatebirds
• Pelicans
• Sea turtles
• White-tip reef sharks
• Tropical fish

Good to know

Navigation time is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. Pick-up is from the hotel.