• placement: fullWidthHero
  • path: destinations/hero
  • containerId: gpt-ad-180380615477
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "ecuador/the-galapagos-islands/puerto-ayora",
  "destination": "Puerto-Ayora",
  "title": "puerto-ayora",
  "type": "City",
  "city": "Puerto-Ayora",
  "continent": "South-America",
  "region": "The-Galápagos-Islands",
  "country": "Ecuador",
  "refresh": 30,
  "refresh_limit": 3
}

Puerto Ayora

Ecuador

South America Travel Guide

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Shop Book
Aerial view of the harbor and main pier Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos. Puerto Ayora is the most populous town in the Galapagos Islands, the population is about 15000 people.

Getty Images

Overview

This town, the largest in terms of population and size in the Galápagos, is a surprise to most visitors, who don’t expect to find anything but plants and animals on the islands. Puerto Ayora looks and feels like a fairly prosperous mainland Ecuadorian coastal town, despite the sea lions and pelicans hanging around the waterfront. Most of the hotels, restaurants and tourist facilities line Avenida Charles Darwin, and the airport is on Isla Baltra, around an hour away to the north. Several blocks inland, travel agencies give way to ordinary, humble dwellings and shops. Some descendants of the handful of Norwegian, Swiss and German families that originally settled here four generations ago maintain a presence in the tourism industry.

Take your Ecuador trip with Lonely Planet Journeys

Pick one of our ready-to-book trips or fully customize your own with help from our local experts.

bookable trip

Amazon Adventures, Cotopaxi Cowboys, and Quito Culture: Ecuador in 10 Days

highlights

  1. 1Straddling the Middle of the World at the world’s equatorial border of zero degrees
  2. 2Riding a horse in the style of a traditional Cotopaxi Chagra
  3. 3Hiking at the base of volcanoes in Cotopaxi National Park
from $3,400

per person

book this tripsee trip details
Want our experts to design a custom trip for you?
start planning

Must-see attractions

Explore all
  • placement: fullWidth
  • path: destinations/top
  • containerId: gpt-ad-851249537266
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "ecuador/the-galapagos-islands/puerto-ayora",
  "destination": "Puerto-Ayora",
  "title": "puerto-ayora",
  "type": "City",
  "city": "Puerto-Ayora",
  "continent": "South-America",
  "region": "The-Galápagos-Islands",
  "country": "Ecuador",
  "refresh": 30,
  "refresh_limit": 3
}
  • placement: fullWidth
  • path: destinations/middle
  • containerId: gpt-ad-215840667732
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "ecuador/the-galapagos-islands/puerto-ayora",
  "destination": "Puerto-Ayora",
  "title": "puerto-ayora",
  "type": "City",
  "city": "Puerto-Ayora",
  "continent": "South-America",
  "region": "The-Galápagos-Islands",
  "country": "Ecuador",
  "refresh": 30,
  "refresh_limit": 3
}

Get a book. Get inspired. Get exploring.

Explore all books

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Puerto Ayora

  • placement: fullWidth
  • path: destinations/bottom
  • containerId: gpt-ad-255980096374
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "ecuador/the-galapagos-islands/puerto-ayora",
  "destination": "Puerto-Ayora",
  "title": "puerto-ayora",
  "type": "City",
  "city": "Puerto-Ayora",
  "continent": "South-America",
  "region": "The-Galápagos-Islands",
  "country": "Ecuador",
  "refresh": 30,
  "refresh_limit": 3
}