We’ve gained a lot of valuable insights from this forum while planning our dive trips, so we wanted to give back by sharing our recent experience aboard the Tiburon Explorer in the Galápagos.
Booking & Timing
We booked our June 14–21 trip in January 2025. At that time, all Tiburon Explorer sailings from July through November were fully booked—actually, they’re sold out through 2027! Based on trip reports and Aggressor’s dive logs, June still offers a good chance to see hammerheads, whale sharks, and even mola mola (though sightings are always a matter of luck). We’re thrilled to say the trip exceeded our expectations—we saw everything we hoped for - Whale shark, schools of hammerhead, marine iguanas, mola mola, dolphins!
I put together a short dive video (still new to editing, so it’s a bit rough!)—but it captures some great moments.
Travel Logistics
Getting to the Galápagos was easy from U.S.:
A heads-up: the line for the Transit Control Card (TCT) at GYE was long and slow-moving. We heard it was similar in Quito. There’s a QR code at the airport to speed things up, but we couldn’t get it to work. If we had known, we would’ve applied for the TCT card online in advance. It’s $20 per person, and you’ll be asked for it multiple times.
Before arriving in the Galápagos, you can also complete the customs declaration online up to 48 hours before landing. Highly recommended do it and save a screenshot on your phone.
Arrival at Baltra (GPS)
Liveaboard & Diving
The Tiburon Explorer was excellent. You can check their website for photos of the boat and rooms. The crew were incredibly helpful—they assisted me with getting into my wetsuit, boots, gloves, and BCD before each dive, which I really appreciated.
We dove Wolf Island multiple times in 2 days, and conditions varied significantly. On the first day, water was a warm 80°F, but shark activity was limited. We did, however, swim with several schools of dolphins—a magical experience. Two days later, same site—cooler water, stronger currents, and huge schools of hammerheads and tons of fish.
Thermoclines were common throughout the trip. I wore a 7.5/5.5 mm wetsuit plus a 2 mm Sharkskin top, and I was mostly comfortable (I tend to get cold very easily). My husband wore a 5 mm wetsuit and added a 3 mm vest at Isabela. If you get cold easily, bring a well-sealed hood—you’ll need it. Most divers on the boat wore 7mm wetsuit. Currents at Wolf and Darwin were strong. Although we didn’t do negative entries, we descended quickly and held tightly to the rocks during the dives.
Last but not least, we were joined by 11 other divers on the trip, and everyone was incredibly friendly and supportive and looked out for one another. We feel extremely lucky to have shared such an unforgettable week with such a great group of people.
Booking & Timing
We booked our June 14–21 trip in January 2025. At that time, all Tiburon Explorer sailings from July through November were fully booked—actually, they’re sold out through 2027! Based on trip reports and Aggressor’s dive logs, June still offers a good chance to see hammerheads, whale sharks, and even mola mola (though sightings are always a matter of luck). We’re thrilled to say the trip exceeded our expectations—we saw everything we hoped for - Whale shark, schools of hammerhead, marine iguanas, mola mola, dolphins!
I put together a short dive video (still new to editing, so it’s a bit rough!)—but it captures some great moments.
Travel Logistics
Getting to the Galápagos was easy from U.S.:
- We flew from Miami (MIA) to Guayaquil (GYE), then GYE to Baltra (GPS).
- Some liveaboards depart from San Cristóbal, but ours departed from Baltra.
- Multiple daily direct flights run from Miami to Ecuador (either Quito or Guayaquil).
A heads-up: the line for the Transit Control Card (TCT) at GYE was long and slow-moving. We heard it was similar in Quito. There’s a QR code at the airport to speed things up, but we couldn’t get it to work. If we had known, we would’ve applied for the TCT card online in advance. It’s $20 per person, and you’ll be asked for it multiple times.
Before arriving in the Galápagos, you can also complete the customs declaration online up to 48 hours before landing. Highly recommended do it and save a screenshot on your phone.
Arrival at Baltra (GPS)
- Upon arrival, you’ll pay a $200 per person national park fee (cash only).
- Exit the airport and turn right to buy a bus ticket to the ferry ($5/person), followed by a short ferry ride ($1/person).
- The bus crew handles your luggage until the ferry drop-off point.
- We spent one night in Puerto Ayora and booked a taxi online in advance, though there were plenty available at the port.
Liveaboard & Diving
The Tiburon Explorer was excellent. You can check their website for photos of the boat and rooms. The crew were incredibly helpful—they assisted me with getting into my wetsuit, boots, gloves, and BCD before each dive, which I really appreciated.
- Cabins: Cleaned daily with fresh towels and plenty of storage. Each room had a large TV. WI-FI was fast and reliable.
- Food: Very delicious and plentiful. Beer and wine were free.
- Crew: Professional and very friendly. They did their best to make the trip memorable for everyone.
We dove Wolf Island multiple times in 2 days, and conditions varied significantly. On the first day, water was a warm 80°F, but shark activity was limited. We did, however, swim with several schools of dolphins—a magical experience. Two days later, same site—cooler water, stronger currents, and huge schools of hammerheads and tons of fish.
Thermoclines were common throughout the trip. I wore a 7.5/5.5 mm wetsuit plus a 2 mm Sharkskin top, and I was mostly comfortable (I tend to get cold very easily). My husband wore a 5 mm wetsuit and added a 3 mm vest at Isabela. If you get cold easily, bring a well-sealed hood—you’ll need it. Most divers on the boat wore 7mm wetsuit. Currents at Wolf and Darwin were strong. Although we didn’t do negative entries, we descended quickly and held tightly to the rocks during the dives.
Last but not least, we were joined by 11 other divers on the trip, and everyone was incredibly friendly and supportive and looked out for one another. We feel extremely lucky to have shared such an unforgettable week with such a great group of people.
