Is the Galapagos worth it?

[dirtfarmer]

I'm wondering if the diving in the Galapagos is worth it? I'm a well traveled diver with more than 1,000 dives and I've been looking at booking a Galapagos LOB. I've seen walls of Hammerheads in the Banda Sea and Soccorro, so this trip would not be so much focused on the Hammerheads, don't get me wrong I love them but this trip would mostly be about Whalesharks, and Marine Iguanas.
I do really appreciate Epic encounters big and small and the building La Nina does bode well for the Hammerheads and other sharks, and of course I would be booking during the Whaleshark season to maximize its potential sightings.
My questions are first with the Marine Iguanas do we get to dive with them? or is it just viewing from the panga?
I a question about the moon phase, I'm not a huge fan of blistering currents or hanging onto a rock as I'm thrown back and forth in surge, so I will most likely trying to avoid Full and New Moon phase, but for whalesharks they like lots of algae to feed on so should I go before a full moon during first quarter moon or during last quarter moon for best opportunity at Whalesharks?
I will be checking local tide info to see slack times to see how those may affect my timing.

So long story short is the Galapagos worth the expense as it's not cheap.? Is it truly Epic diving?

 

[Johnoly]

... and of course I would be booking during the Whaleshark season

Then you should add "swell & wave heights" to your list also. It's a long 30 hour ride out there and then back again. It's a bucket list dive location for sure!!

 

[sharkbear]

My questions are first with the Marine Iguanas do we get to dive with them? or is it just viewing from the panga?

The day we were at the marine iguana site was extremely overcast and chilly. All of the marine iguanas were topside, warming themselves on the rocks. We did a twenty minute dive but didn't see any underwater, so we just viewed them from the pangas. I'm not sure if this is typical, but our guides said that they see the iguanas underwater on warm sunny days, when they are nice and toasty for their feeding forays into the chilly water.

 

[brphilli]

Sadly for me, Galapagos was a significant disappointment. Similar experience level to you, Cocos, Soccorro multiple times and comparatively, Galapagos was underwhelming. Spent a lot of time clinging to rocks in the current waiting for Hammerheads to swim by. In comparison, I found the mantas at Soccorro life changing and Cocos for hammerheads. Both far exceeded the Galapagos. I understand the draw, it was supposed to be a bucket list trip for me as well. Your mileage may vary, but my vote is save your $$.

 

[profmason]

I did 7 days land based and a LOB. For me the marine iguanas were the highlight. (Sharks etc at soccorro are better). I saw the iguanas from both the land based operator and the LOB. They are awesome godzilla creatures underwater. The land based diving was pretty underwhelming other then the iguanas. Still I enjoyed the trip. Going to Galapagos land based is reasonable price wise ($20 hostal. / $10 day east like a king and $120 2 tanks. ). Going on a LOB is about $1000/ day vs $200 / day for land based. Also cool to see the other land based giant tortoises and hiking.

 

[Scared Silly]

We did a live-aboard dive week and a live-aboard naturalist week trip. IMHO one should not go to the Galapagos just to dive but to see the whole of the archipelago. We spent three weeks there. The diving was good solid diving for us. Lots of big critters but not epic numbers. One dive we did later as snorkel on the naturalist tour was better. We dove and snorkeled with the marine iguanas, we also hiked about them.

 

[Centrals]

Baja California is closer.
Should had gone there when I was a bit younger. I am just concentrating on SE Asia nowadays(light on the wallet as well as travelling).
US$5.00 for three proper meals in Thailand.

 

[dirtfarmer]

Baja California is closer.
Should had gone there when I was a bit younger. I am just concentrating on SE Asia nowadays(light on the wallet as well as travelling).
US$5.00 for three proper meals in Thailand.

@Centrals I'm actually going on a Sea of Cortez trip in about a month. I am staying closer to home these days instead of my usual trips to SEA, I don't adapt well to time zone changes, so on my last trip to Indonesia I only did the 2 morning dives as I'm really ready for a nap after lunch to catch up on sleep. I really miss my trips to SEA as they have really spoiled me with top notch diving.
I am retiring soon so that may change but these days I'm either picking locations based on "experiences" or checking out locations closer to home. The day after I made my decision to retire I booked a full moon grouper spawning trip to Tahiti in June 2027. That trip should be epic and those kind of trips are what I'm interested in as I will be free to travel when I want since I will not be tied to the farm.

Everyone keep the comments coming I'm learning lots from people's own experiences.

 

[Scuba Lawyer]

From my perspective, having done a 14-day LOB in the Galapagos in 1994 and a 10-day LOB there in 2006, I'd go back in a heartbeat. Regarding the eastern Pacific, I've also done 6 LOB trips to Socorro, 1 to Cocos Island, more than 10 to the Sea of Cortez (albeit spaced over the last 45 years . ) Many amazing whale shark encounters (less at Socorro). I guess its the vast quantity and variety of life seen in the Galapagos that intrigues me. The marine iguanas are indeed fascinating but from what I recall it had to be a warm sunny day to see them feeding underwater. Diving with penguins at the equator was a fantastic experience. The land walks in the Galapagos are amazing. Anyway, each to their own, but you have i vote for Galapagos here.

 

[dirtfarmer]

From my perspective, having done a 14-day LOB in the Galapagos in 1994 and a 10-day LOB there in 2006, I'd go back in a heartbeat. Regarding the eastern Pacific, I've also done 6 LOB trips to Socorro, 1 to Cocos Island, more than 10 to the Sea of Cortez (albeit spaced over the last 45 years . ) Many amazing whale shark encounters (less at Socorro). I guess its the vast quantity and variety of life seen in the Galapagos that intrigues me. The marine iguanas are indeed fascinating but from what I recall it had to be a warm sunny day to see them feeding underwater. Diving with penguins at the equator was a fantastic experience. The land walks in the Galapagos are amazing. Anyway, each to their own, but you have i vote for Galapagos here.

@Scuba Lawyer Penguins would be really cool too! They certainly add to the "experience " category. I eventually will probably do whalesharks in the Sea of Cortez or Isla Mujerez, but seeing them in the Galapagos would be awesome and I know it's not guaranteed.

We did a live-aboard dive week and a live-aboard naturalist week trip. IMHO one should not go to the Galapagos just to dive but to see the whole of the archipelago. We spent three weeks there. The diving was good solid diving for us. Lots of big critters but not epic numbers. One dive we did later as snorkel on the naturalist tour was better. We dove and snorkeled with the marine iguanas, we also hiked about them.

@Scared Silly scared haven't looked into just land tours yet but am interested for sure. Do you have any recommendations ?