Reading. The Galápagos Islands (B1)

The Galápagos Islands

Imagine hiking through stunning scenery in one of the world’s most remote islands. The waves are crashing against the shore and iguanas are swimming in the bay. This amazing island, with its incredible variety of wildlife and landscapes it’s perfect for taking pictures, is part of the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Famous for inspiring explorers and scientists such as Charles Darwin, there are very few places in the world as unspoilt as the Galápagos.

Made up of 21 different islands, the Galápagos Islands are 563 miles west of Ecuador, and are actually part of that country. They include the Galápagos National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and the Galápagos Marine Reserve, which both help protect the area’s many rare and endangered animals and plants. With so many incredible things to see it’s easy to understand why it’s the perfect destination for adventure seekers!

The Islands include mountains, volcanoes, cliffs, beaches and wild coastline. However, they aren’t just the home of amazing wildlife, people also live there too. In fact, there are towns, a population of around 26,000, and even a capital city, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, on San Cristóbal Island. Here you can find hotels, shops, and a natural history museum. It’s also a good place to enjoy extreme sports such as surfing and scuba diving. Snorkelling is very popular, too.

Although the Galápagos Islands are in South America, the weather isn’t as good as you’d expect. While it can be sunny, the warm season only goes up to 25^oC, with the cold season falling to 22^oC. In addition to this mild weather there is also rain throughout the year. For most visitors, the best time to explore the Islands is December to May during the warm months, but make sure you bring a raincoat or an umbrella during those showers!

One thing is for sure, whenever you decide to visit you can have a once-in-a-lifetime experience in a place that hasn’t changed for thousands of years! The Galápagos Islands are full of breath-taking beauty that makes you feel like you’re in another world!