Galapagos Liveaboards/Land Tours in 2012

[KJBond]

Hi! A fair warning, I am the fiance of KJBond, not KJBond himself. A few questions came up regarding traveling to the Galapagos for our honeymoon, sometime in late April or May, 2012. Has anyone traveled there during these months? What was your experience?

I heard/read that tour operators are now only able to conduct strictly land-based or water-based (diving) tours. Is this true? Can a liveaboard boat still dock and do a land tour?

Also, my fiance noted that diving the Galapagos might be better on a liveaboard because there are some dive sites near the islands of Darwin and Wolf that have exceptional diving. Is this true? Is it likely that we would we miss out on any experiences by not diving those sites?

That is all the questions for now! Thanxs in advance to anyone who can reply.

 

[Doc]

While we move this from General Travel Forum over to the South America Galapagos forum, please try a there.

These are pretty well hammered-out topics. I myself like certain land-based dive-ops that work out of Santa Cruz Puerto Ayora.

We never went there on a honeymoon, but I can't think of a more idyllic setting in the Galapagos- a different restaurant every night, good dives during the day, walks in the Darwin Station at dusk. And... at about 40% the cost of a liveaboard.

 

[RJP]

For my money (and not a small amount of it) a liveaboard is the best way to dive the Galapagos, for the main reason you mentioned - diving Wolf and Darwin.

That said, for my money a small cabin on a boat, dining three meals a day with 14 strangers is not my idea of a honeymoon.

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

I also think that if your focus is diving, nothing compares to Darwin and Wolf. Central islands diving is good...Darwin and Wolf are amazing. Having said that, March-April is not a good time of the year to dive Darwin and Wolf. Water is warmer, so marine life is diminished. No whale sharks at that time of year. Many do go to Galapagos on a dive cruise for their honeymoon, but bear in mind, that typically only the upper deck (more expensive) cabins convert to a single bed. I doubt you want to spend your honeymoon in 2 twin beds. Dive rules will most likely change again for 2012, (most likely around Floreana) so if buying a land-based program, I wouldn't necessarily assume you will have the itinerary you're sold. The out for any operator is that the National Park changing the rules is beyond their control. Which is true.

 

[DrAlberto]

Those are very far from habitated Galapagos,so only liveaboard and no land strolling are permitted.You must choose between shark season(july) or manta season,there are strong,but not deadly currents and dive from zodiacs(pangas) and beggining 6:30 am.There is no place for little misses,since a chamber would be one day or more far trip.Deep Blue is the best boat.Temp uw in the summer,july,is about 23°c.But dives close to habitated islands,st cristobal,for instance,indeed, are more suitable for honeymooners .