Your Galapagos Honeymoon Guide: Where to Stay, Things to Do, Costs, & More!

Planning a honeymoon in the Galapagos Islands is a truly unique experience. It’s full of epic wildlife, volcanic hikes, incredible flora, and unforgettable snorkeling.

For couples who want something more adventurous than a typical all-inclusive beach honeymoon, the Galápagos is an incredible fit.

A Galapagos honeymoon is ideal for couples who love adventure, nature, and wildlife. It’s great for those who love the idea of a small cruise setting or island hopping. It’s lovely for avid snorkelers, bird watchers, and those who nerd out over spotting as many unique species as possible (this is us!). 

After visiting the Galapagos Islands with my husband, I can highly recommend this destination for couples who want a more remote, intrepid, and truly once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon experience.

So let’s talk about how to plan it.

Is the Galapagos a Good Honeymoon Destination?

If you and your partner love wildlife-centered travel, then the Galapagos can be an idyllic honeymoon destination.

Chris and I have been to many wildlife destinations around the globe from the Amazon Rainforest to gorilla trekking in Uganda, to an African safari in both Kenya and South Africa.

I’ll be honest, we weren’t sure where the Galapagos would stack up. But it blew any expectations we had out of the water (literally!). 

It easily ranks in our top 5 trips that we’ve ever taken! And we found it incredibly romantic to watch sunrises and sunsets together from our 16-passenger catamaran cruise, witness species we’ve only ever learned about in textbooks, and admire stunning viewpoints on hikes.

It’s an adventurous honeymoon to be sure, but there are still many opportunities to relax and enjoy the comfort of your cruise or unwinding in town should you stay on an island.

This is a tough one to answer, because to be honest, there isn’t a “bad” time to visit the Galapagos. That is because each month of the year offers something different!

The Galapagos Islands have 2 main seasons: Wet Season (December-June) and the Dry Season (July-November).

Here are some pros/cons of each.

We actually visited in January, and it was great! While the wet season in many destinations around the world isn’t the best time to go, I actually think the wet season in the Galapagos is the perfect time to visit! 

In fact, it is a more popular time of year to visit versus the dry season. 

Pros:

• Warmer, calmer waters making it ideal for snorkeling
• Sea turtle mating season
• Many bird species are nesting
• Potential to see humpback whales in June (although this is more common in the northern islands of Darwin and Wolf)

Cons:

• Rainier, although it’s not too bad typically
• More popular time to visit, so prices are a little higher

The dry season in the Galapagos also brings in unique wildlife encounters! Here are pros/cons of the dry season.

Pros:

• More marine mammals and fish because of the cooler, nutrient dense waters 
• Great for bird watching as many nest during this time
• Cooler temperatures making hiking more pleasant
• Less rain overall (although clouds and mist is common in the mountains)
• Typically cheaper time to visit

Cons:

• Water is cooler, so less pleasant while snorkeling
• Rougher seas and visibility for snorkeling (and sea sickness)

Again, there really isn’t a bad time to visit the Galapagos Islands for your honeymoon because there are animals and fun things to see and do year-round! So deciding when to visit really depends on what kind of temperatures you’d prefer. 

Personally, though, I think the wet season is better!

There are 2 ways to experience the Galapagos Islands: cruise or land. 

There are definitely pros and cons of each, so I’ll share those here as well. But regardless, no matter how you experience the Galapagos Islands, it’s going to be an incredible experience! 

My husband and I personally did a cruise and loved it! But one of my best friends and her husband did a land tour and also enjoyed it. 

Galapagos Cruise Pros:

• You stay on the ship so you don’t have to move luggage around once you’re there
• You can go to further to reach spots that you can’t visit on land day trips because your ship cruises at night and you wake up there and can explore
• Cruise ships here are smaller (our ship was a catamaran with only 16 guests) and can only go up to 100 guests
• Many ships include your meals, activities, guide, etc.
• No need to figure out and book excursions typically–just pick your cruise itinerary and go!

Galapagos Cruise Cons:

• Typically more expensive than a land tour
• Seasickness is a concern as you’ll be cruising, especially at night and during dinnertime
• Not as much local interactions vs staying on land
• Can have a more older crowd because of costs (but also fewer kids)

Galapagos Land Tour Pros:

• More local interactions as you’ll be staying on inhabited islands
• Can explore different islands like Isabella, Santa Cruz, and Cristobal for longer as those are inhabited and you can stay there
• Younger crowd
• Much cheaper–perfect for budget-minded couples
• If you do a group multi-day tour, your excursions are usually already good to go–you just show up!

Galapagos Land Tour Cons:

• More family friendly on some tours–great for families, maybe not so much for honeymooners
• Can’t travel to the further to reach islands on day trips
• Likely moving islands at some point so you’ll have to repack and go
• No sunrises at sea when you wake up

Personally, I’m glad that we did a cruise as it was a smaller group, we had a lovely room as we were on a more upgraded boat on this cruise, and we mostly wanted to focus on seeing as much wildlife as we could!

The cruise was the perfect fit for us! However, for many, and especially those on a stricter budget post-wedding, a land tour can also be great!

Pro-Tip: Regardless, I highly recommend going with a group tour versus doing it on your own. That way, you don’t have to stress about getting from A to B, figuring out excursions, etc. We loved GAdventures, and they do both land and cruise tours.

Choosing where to visit in the Galapagos is another tough choice, but again regardless of where you go, you’re going to see epic wildlife!

In many places, you may see sea lions, land iguanas, marine iguanas, blue footed boobies, tortoises, frigatebirds, and possibly see sea turtles, sharks, and so many great fish species.

I found this guide really helpful in deciding which islands we wanted to prioritize because if there is something you really want to see, then be sure to go to an island with that animal. 

For us, we really wanted to see flamingos in the wild, so the Western and Central Islands made sense for us as you can spot flamingos on Isabella, Floreana, Santa Cruz, and Santiago.

But if you want to spot red footed boobies and albatross, the eastern islands are better for that as Genovesa is known for red footed boobies whereas Espanola is known for albatross. 

But don’t forget about landscapes! Some of the youngest islands are the western islands like Isabella and Floreana, meaning they have volcanic landscapes and unique lakes there whereas the eastern and southern islands are older and have cool landscapes too.

And for epic views, Bartolome is popular!

Personally, we did this western and central islands cruise and we had a great mix of epic landscapes, cool views, and lovely wildlife. And yes, we did see flamingos in the wild, and I almost cried.

Most Galapagos trips are about 7-10 days so here are some  ideas. Again, these are all through GAdventures. Now, this isn’t sponsored (although, yes, these are affiliate links), but they do a fabulous job with local, informative guides, and they have great itineraries! We sought out and paid full price for our cruise, and we’d do it again in a heartbeat (if it wasn’t so expensive lol)!

And even if you choose to do a land tour on your own, you can copy these itineraries for ideas!

7–8 Day Cruise Options (Great if you’re short on time)

7-Day North & Central Islands(Eden)

Genovesa, Bartolomé, Santa Cruz

Great for wildlife lovers who want iconic species and dramatic landscapes. This includes time in Quito and flights.

7-Day South & East Islands(Yolita)

North Seymour, San Cristóbal, Española, Santa Fe, Santa Cruz

Excellent for sea lions, blue-footed boobies, and more “romantic” beaches. This includes time in Quito and flights.

8-Day West & Central Islands(Reina Silvia Voyager)

Santa Cruz, Floreana, Isabela, Fernandina, Santiago, North Seymour

It’s fantastic for volcanic landscapes and amazing wildlife. This is just the cruise, so you’d have to find your way to the Galapagos. Does not include flight/time in Quito.

8-Day West & Central Islands(Eden)

Santa Cruz, Isabela, Fernandina, Rabida

Great for sea turtles and marine iguanas. This includes time in Quito and flights.

10-Day Central, South & East Islands(Yolita)

North Seymour, San Cristóbal, Española, Santa Fe, Santa Cruz, Floreana

A great balance of wildlife and snorkeling. This includes time in Quito and flights.

10-Day Central & East Islands(Reina Silvia Voyager)

Santa Cruz, Española, San Cristóbal, Santa Fe, Genovesa, Bartolomé, Rábida

Ideal if you want maximum biodiversity. This includes time in Quito and flights.

10-Day North, West & Central Islands(Yolita)

Genovesa, Bartolomé, Isabela, Fernandina, Rábida, Santiago

Perfect for adventurous couples who want the more remote islands. This includes time in Quito and flights.

10-Day East, Central & West Islands(Eden)

San Cristóbal, Santa Fe, South Plaza, Santa Cruz, Isabela, Fernandina

Great mix of islands overall where you get to see a lot. This includes time in Quito and flights.

10-Day North, Central & South Islands(Eden)

Santa Cruz, Genovesa, Bartolomé, Floreana, Española, San Cristóbal

Another great mix of landscapes and wildlife! This includes time in Quito and flights.

10-Day West & Central Islands (Reina Silvia Voyager)

Santa Cruz, Floreana, Isabela, Fernandina, Santiago, North Seymour

Excellent wildlife and bird watching opportunities! This includes time in Quito and flights.

There’s also a land + cruise combo itinerary on the Yolita that visits Santa Cruz and Floreana, which can be a nice option if you want a mix of hotels and ship life. This is a 7-day trip that includes time in Quito/flights.

Note: The longer tours include time in Quito too, so it really is a 7-day cruise, but they’re still longer than the shorter ones for the most part. 

Land Tours of the Galapagos

Here are some great land tours of the Galapagos!

8-Day Wildlife of Santa Cruz & Isabela Islands

Santa Cruz, Isabela

Great for snorkeling, kayaking, beaches, and local experiences. This includes time in Quito and flights.

9-Day Galapagos Island Hopping

Santa Cruz, Floreana, Isabela

Visit 3 of the 4 inhabited islands during your trip for local experiences and beautiful landscapes. This includes time in Quito and flights.

10-Day Upgraded Land Tour

San Cristobal, Floreana, Isabela, Santa Cruz

Visit all 4 inhabited islands, enjoy local cuisine, and wildlife adventures. This includes time in Quito and flights. You end the tour in Papallacta on the mainland.

Note that the land-based tours mostly include visiting inhabited islands. There is nothing wrong with that at all because these islands have a ton of great things to see both landscape wise and wildlife encounters.

But overall, I recommend cruising if you can simply because you can go further to reach remote parts of the Galapagos Islands with great nature and lots of wildlife!

There are also larger ship cruises (about 100 guests) like the Celebrity Flora that either does an inner loop 7-day cruise to Daphne, Santiago, Rabida, Isabela, Bartolome, Santa Cruz, North Seymour, and San Cristobal OR an 7-day outer loop cruise to Daphne, Espanola, Floreana, Isabela, Fernandina, and Santa Cruz.

Although, I don’t necessarily recommend these larger cruises as 1) Only 16 guests are allowed ashore with a guide at a time (which is better for smaller ships), and 2) they’re not cheaper than a smaller cruise.

I actually have a full article breaking down costs for a tour of the Galapagos islands here so you can read more about it.

But, in general, about $5,718-11,098 per person is what you’d probably see for a Galapagos cruise including flights, extra expenses, tipping, etc. (always check if flights to/from the Galapagos are included).

A land tour is closer to $4,003-7,618 per person for flights, extra expenses, tipping, etc.

As always, these are just estimates based on your travel style, when you go, where you go, and for how long you go!

We spent around $9,772 per person when we went. 

If you were to do this yourselves, it may be closer to like $4,000-5,000 per person. Note that this is a rough estimate.

Yes, this can be a more expensive honeymoon depending on what you choose to do, but for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure trip as a honeymoon, it’s truly worth it and epic!

Aside from a cruise ship, there are select places you can stay in the Galapagos.

There are actually only 4 inhabited islands in the Galapagos: Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, and Floreana.

Here is a hotel option for each:

Santa Cruz:

Hotel Cucuve Galapagos: Located in Puerto Ayora and a good jumping off point for exploring, this place has lovely rooms, and you’re close to the Charles Darwin Research Station and Playa de la Estacion beach.

Book it here!

Angermeyer Waterfront Inn: This upscale resort is on the water and has stunning views! It’s a little further from the Darwin Research Center (a 24-minute walk), but you are close to Playa de los Alemanes. They also offer Galapagos packages with tours. It’s also in Puerto Ayora.

Book it here!

San Cristobal:

Galapagos Eco-Friendly: Located in the main town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, you’re about 15 minutes from the beach. But this cozy little hotel with local furnishings is big on ecological responsibility. 

Book it here!

Golden Bay Galapagos: Located on the water and minutes from the beach, you’ll love this eco-luxury spot with stunning views! 

Book it here!

Isabela:

Hotel La Casa De Marita: Located right on the beach and in the main town of Puerto Villamil, rooms here are spacious! This is a great place to stay while exploring Isabela.

Book it here!

Floreana:

I’ll be honest, you probably won’t stay here, and hotel options are limited. That’s because this island has about 100 residents. So options for hotels and dining are limited.

However, you could opt for Hostal Santa Maria. It’s a lovely little spot with a few rooms for your stay! 

Book it here!

Again, I highly recommend a cruise, and we loved the Reina Silvia Voyager!

I mean just being in the Galapagos is full of romance. 

I remember getting off the plane in Baltra with Chris and we were immediately met by iguanas on the path into the airport.

We saw sea lions while waiting on the ferry to Santa Cruz. 

We saw tortoises on the side of the road (and sometimes in the road), while our bus was driving through the highlands of Santa Cruz. We had lunch while Galapagos finches were flying around. 

It’s a wildlife wonderland that is so fun and romantic to witness together! But here are great things to do here as a couple!

Guys, I cannot tell you how insane the wildlife watching is here! And the animals do not care that you’re there at all. 

We witnessed so many species! It was funny because every afternoon on the cruise, we would sit on the top deck and check off all the species we found in the Wildlife of the Galapagos book Chris got for Christmas. 

From frigatebirds with their red pouches to different colored iguanas, and penguins to Galapagos fur seals… the wildlife was magical to witness together!

2. Snorkeling.

If you’ve followed us for a while, you’ll know that we love snorkeling. 

In fact, we own our own snorkels and masks and brought them on this trip! Although, our tour provided these too.

But we had so much fun in the water together, witnessing flightless cormorants diving, playing with sea lions, admiring sharks, swimming with sea turtles (even being surrounded at one point!), and, of course, seeing multiple kinds of fish.

3. Remote beaches.

I mean it doesn’t get much more remote than an uninhabited island or completely empty beach in the Galapagos. 

And when I say empty, I mean of crowds of humans and high-rise buildings (if any buildings at all). It’s still full of sea lions, blue footed boobies, marine iguanas, and more!

But exploring the many sandy beaches of the Galapagos Islands is nothing short of breathtaking.

4. Kayaking.

We had so much fun kayaking around mangroves in Isabela! We kayaked a couple of times while exploring different areas of Isabela on our cruise. And we encountered a lot of wildlife–including a sassy flightless cormorant!

5. Admire sunrises and sunsets.

Some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets that I have witnessed were from our Galapagos cruise.

Call us crazy, but we would wake up at 5 am almost every morning to get coffee and catch the sunrise before the day started. In fact, our first sunrise was on my birthday. 

I almost cried because it was so beautiful. And the sunsets were vibrant too! 

6. Go on epic hikes.

Yes, they are typically guided hikes (at least they were on our cruise), but they’re so cool! My favorites included the Darwin Lake hike on Isabela (it’s a lake with a thin piece of land separating it from the ocean!), a lava field hike on Punta Moreno, and a gorgeous hike on Asilo de Paz on Floreana. 

We enjoy hiking together and love a good viewpoint, so this was really romantic for us!

This entirely depends on whether you’re on a tour or not. If you’re on a land tour or cruise, chances are that all of your transportation is handled. 

You’ll be transported around via bus, boat, etc.

Many tours may include your flights to/from the Galapagos and Quito too!

But if you’re doing this on your own, if you book a day trip, a lot of these include your transportation. Here are some day trip ideas:

• From Puerto Ayora in Santa Cruz: Isabela Island and Tintorera Islet
• From Puerto Ayora in Santa Cruz: Santa Fe Island Snorkeling
• From Puerto Ayora in Santa Cruz: Hiking and Snorkel Tour of Bartolome
• San Cristobal Tour hiking and snorkel tour

And on those islands, you’ll likely be staying in the main town. From there, a lot of things in the town are easily reachable on foot. 

Outside of that, however, you’ll probably need to take a taxi. In Puerto Ayora in Santa Cruz, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno in San Cristobal, and Puerto Villamil in Isabela, you can get a taxi. 

Taxis are pick up trucks and pretty easy to get!

Inter-Island Travel

For getting to the other islands, you can take inter-island speedboats. The ferries take you to the inhabited islands, and take about 2-2.5 hours. 

Just be sure to book in advance (they recommend at least 3 days ahead of time, but I’d book earlier than that), arrive 1 hour prior to departure, and have cash on hand for the $1 tax in Puerto Ayora and $10 entrance fee to Isabela. 

Just have cash on you regardless in the Galapagos for any fees. 

Check ferries and book here!

Aside from flying into either the Seymour Airport or San Cristobal Airports to get to the Galapagos, you can also do inter-island flights between Isabela, Seymour Airport (which serves Santa Cruz), and San Cristobal. 

Flights are 30-45 minutes, and they are in tiny planes. 

Check flights here.

Here are some other essential tips before you visit the Galapagos Islands.

1. Mandatory fees.

There are some fees that you must pay in cash for the Galapagos:

• Galapagos Park Fee: This is $200 and is the national park fee. It is paid in cash upon arrival in the Galapagos.
• Transit Control Card. This is $20, and you’ll get this at the airport in Quito. You’ll need to save it to get into and out of the Galapagos (don’t worry–if you lose it while leaving they can look you up, it just takes longer). They will ask for this upon entry and exit to the Galapagos. If you’re going on a tour departing from Quito, your guide will likely handle this at the airport on your behalf. If not, there is a place at the Quito airport to do this. 

2. Bring cash.

Ecuador uses USD, so you can bring cash with you (just be careful with it!). 

But cash is useful to have in the Galapagos for fees, tipping, additional purchases, etc. 

We brought $1,000 each in cash for the fees, tipping, and extras as our meals were already included in our tour. We only spent about $700 each, but it was good to have the extra cash on us.

If meals and things aren’t included, you’ll want to bring more.

3. Galapagos has many rules.

The Galapagos Islands do a phenomenal job at keeping their wildlife and environment safe.

Check out their list of rules here, but the biggest ones to know include:

• Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from wildlife.
• Never feed wildlife.
• No flash photography.
• Leave no trace.
• Do not take anything (shells, rock, etc.).
• Use only reef-safe sunscreen. Mineral-based is best. Blue Lizard is a great one–our local guide approved!

4. Be prepared for sea sickness.

No, this isn’t just for those on cruises. Although, we had some rocky nights at sea, especially whenever we went around Isabela. 

Even for day trippers, the sea can be rough. Chris had sea sickness a couple of times on our cruise. But he loved his wristbands, and patches and/or seasickness pills are great to have on hand too! He’d take seasickness pills when the waves started kicking up and it helped a lot.

5. Ensure you know what is included in your tour.

Always check what is included and not included in any tour you take. Check whether flights to/from the Galapagos, tipping, hotels, meals, etc. are included prior to your trip.

6. Tipping.

Tipping isn’t mandatory, but it is generally expected.

GAdventures recommended $150 per person for the guide and $150 per person for the crew for our cruise. So we did that. 

So anticipate tipping your guides throughout your trip! 

For day trips, $5-10 per person is appropriate for the guide. But, depending on the tour, you may also need to tip the crew and driver too. Again, $5-10 for the crew and another for the driver is good. 

This is a good guide for tipping.

Some cruises may include tipping, though, so just check ahead of time!

7. Essential packing items.

I plan to write a whole packing list at some point, but here are some essential things to bring:

• Sunscreen. Again, the Blue Lizard is a great eco-friendly sunscreen. Bring this with you because it’s so expensive once you’re on the islands at a pharmacy. 
• Hiking shoes. I’m glad I had trail shoes while on volcanic rock. (men’s version here)
• Hiking sandals. Chris loved wearing his hiking sandals more than anything.
• Flip flops for the boat.
• Bathing suits–of course! I actually preferred a rash guard one piece that protected my back and shoulders from the strong sun! (men’s bathing suit here)
• Rash guards. Chris wore rash guards for extra sun protection.
• Athletic shorts/shirts. That’s what we lived in both while hiking and on the boat. 
• Reusable water bottle. They didn’t supply that on the boat, so I’m glad we brought ours because it got hot on those hikes!
• Drybag. This was essential for putting my camera in while on the panga.

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!

Yes, it is an expensive destination. There is no denying that this won’t be more expensive than other budget-friendly spots. But you’re in an eco-friendly paradise with abundant and incredible wildlife, pristine beaches, and gorgeous landscapes!

It’s a true island paradise unlike anywhere else in the world. This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime places that you’ll reminisce about for the rest of your life.

Here are a few other FAQs about honeymooning in the Galapagos. 

1. Are the Galapagos Islands romantic?

Yes, they are gorgeous with epic wildlife, dramatic landscapes, and beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

2. Is a Galapagos cruise good for a honeymoon?

While I will admit that you’ll definitely get to know the other people on board, it’s still super romantic! There was plenty of privacy in our room, and we even had a balcony on our ship to enjoy the views.

It’s a great honeymoon locale for adventurous couples who love relaxing in between epic experiences.

3. Are the Galapagos Islands safe?

Yes they are! It’s one of the safest places in Ecuador, and it’s very safe for tourists! 

It’s a protected area with low crime, making it a safe, fun spot for a honeymoon. 

4. How many days do you need in the Galapagos for a honeymoon?

The bare minimum is 7 days, especially if doing a tour. But even if you do this on your own, a week or more is best.

Our cruise was 7 days and our tour overall was 10 days because our trip included flights to/from the Galapagos, That was a good amount of time to enjoy the Galapagos! However, if we had the money, I easily would’ve booked an additional week-long cruise to the other side of the Galapagos! 

We were so sad to leave, but at least 7 days is good! 

Yes, you can island hop if you wish whether you take the ferry, fly, or take day trips.

6, What’s the best way for couples to see the Galapagos?

I recommend going on a cruise to reach more remote locals, have one place to stay, and it’s just romantic overall!

We loved the Galapagos Islands, and highly recommend it as a honeymoon destination. What better way to enter married life than a once-in-a-lifetime epic adventure?

I hope this guide helps you discover the best of this unique honeymoon locale!