Las Bachas Cruise Port

Las Bachas is a beautiful beach filled with many wonders located on the northern coast of Santa Cruz Island. Santa Cruz is the second largest of the Galapagos Islands and is located in the middle of the archipelago made famous by Charles Darwin many years ago. The beach got its name during World War II when the American armies abandoned their barges, a few of which made it to the shores of the island. The locals, unable to pronounce barges, wound up calling them bachas instead. The stunning beach is home to a myriad of animals, including flamingos, crabs, and various species of birds. Las Bachas is also the top sea turtle nesting site on the entire island. Small villages around the island consist of inhabitants who are engaged in agriculture and cattle raising, which allows the area to be more self-sustaining. There is a large dormant volcano on the island, but it hasn’t erupted in roughly 1.5 million years.

• The Charles Darwin Research Station is located on Santa Cruz Island and is a biological station operated by the Charles Darwin Foundation. Visitors are welcomed during select hours throughout each week.
   
• Ninety-seven percent of the entire Galapagos archipelago is protected as the Galapagos National Park. However, a few of Santa Cruz Island’s inhabited villages fall within the small three percent of unprotected land in the region.
   
• Black Turtle Cove is a protected mangrove off the shores of Santa Cruz Island but can be visited by local dinghies with their motors turned off. This is a phenomenal place to see manta rays, sea turtles and pelicans.
   
• Tortuga Bay is a mile and a half walking path that preserves wildlife such as iguanas, crabs and birds. Visitors must sign in and out between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.