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San Cristobal FAQ

Where are the Galapagos Islands?

What is the difference between San Cristobal and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno?

What is the weather like on San Cristobal?

In which time zone is San Cristobal?

What is daily life like in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno?

What kind of transportation is available on the island?

What kind of housing and eating accommodations are available?

What if I don't have accommodations lined up when I arrive? Where can I stay upon arrival?

What health and safety precautions should I be aware of?

What kind of medical care is available on the island?

What is the typical food eaten on the islands?

Can I drink the water on the island?

What kind of banking facilities are available on the island?

What kind of currency does Ecuador use?

Can I use a credit card on the island?

What are some typical food prices on the island?

Can I get access to the Internet on San Cristobal?

How do I make international calls from the island and how much does it cost?

What do I do about laundry?

What is there to do in my free time on San Cristobal?

If I have extra time or want to learn more about other organizations and issues on the island, are there opportunities for additional volunteer work in other organizations?

Are there past volunteers that I can contact who will share their experiences with me and give me advice?

Where are the Galapagos Islands?

The Galapagos Islands are located approximately 1,000 km (625 miles) off the coast of Ecuador. They are comprised of thirteen islands and over forty islets. Some 18,000 humans inhabit five of the islands (San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, Isabela, Floreana, and Baltra), and 97% of the islands' total area is designated as National Park land. San Cristobal Island, the easternmost island and home to the New Era Galapagos Foundation, has roughly 5,000 residents.

What is the difference between San Cristobal and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno?

San Cristobal is the name of the island. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the name of the principal town on the island, a port on the ocean where New Era Galapagos is located. The population of the whole island is approximately 5,000, most of whom live in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.

What is the weather like on San Cristobal?

There are two seasons in the Galapagos, a dry season and a wet season. Surprisingly, the "dry season", from June to November, tends to be cloudier and cooler and frequently there is a mist in the air, called the garúa, more so in the highlands than in town. While real rain is infrequent, it does occur during the dry season. When the sun is out, it can be quite warm, even hot, and evenings are quite cool. The "wet season", from December to May, tends to be much hotter, with more frequent rain and also more intense sun.

In which time zone is San Cristobal?

The Galapagos are one hour behind Quito. They are parallel to MDT (mountain daylight time) or CST (central standard time) in the U.S.

What is daily life like in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno?

The pace of life in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and on San Cristobal is laid back and casual. While many people have emigrated here from mainland Ecuador, many others have lived here all their lives. They live here for the tranquility and peaceful lifestyle of the island. The local people are very friendly and helpful. Dress and customs are informal.

What kind of transportation is available on the island?

While a few people in town have private cars or trucks, you will notice white taxi/trucks available everywhere. For $1, you can ride anywhere in town, and for a couple dollars you can get a ride to El Progresso.

What kind of housing and eating accommodations are available?

Several different types of housing are available. The most common arrangement is to rent a room in the home of a local family or small apartment. Some arrangements have access to kitchen facilities; others do not. Occasionally, it is possible to both live and eat meals with a family, but this is not common. Some volunteers cook their own meals; others eat in local restaurants, some with a contracted arrangement to eat all their meals there.

Costs for accommodations (in 2010) begin at $200+ per month per person for a shared simple apartment with minimal kitchen facilities and hot water to a bedroom in a private house with no meals provided starting at $160+ per month, to a cabaña near the beach, which sleeps 3 and includes a kitchen and hot water, for $250 per month. None of these prices includes meals. Most are negotiated prices for volunteers. Food costs for simple standard meals on a contracted basis are approximately $150 per month - this is a minimal cost for eating at a very basic restaurant...standard, ample quantities of food, but nothing fancy. Eating in different restaurants can be done still relatively inexpensively but at a higher cost than this. Cooking for yourself can cut the cost down. Most people who do this end up combining cooking and eating out.

What if I don't have accommodations lined up when I arrive? Where can I stay upon arrival?

There are several relatively inexpensive hotels in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Among them are Hotel Chatham and Mar Azul, located just a couple blocks from the airport and also a couple blocks from the center of town. Others, including Hotel San Francisco, are in the center of town. You can arrange a room in one of these hotels for $10-15 per night.

What health and safety precautions should I be aware of?

Relatively speaking, San Cristobal is very safe. Unlike the mainland, there is very little theft and little concern for crime. However, normal precautions should be taken.

You should either buy and drink only bottled water or you should boil water before drinking it. Some home stay arrangements will have water filtration systems or filtered water supplies available to volunteers.

With food, be sure to wash well all fresh fruits and vegetables before eating them. With packaged food, look for expiration dates before you purchase them as the health department frequently has to confiscate food because stores sell food beyond the expiration dates.

If you drink alcohol, it´s best to stick to beer and wine and not to drink hard liquor. Not infrequently bottled liquor has been tampered with, with ethyl alcohol or some other toxic kind of alcohol being substituted.

What kind of medical care is available on the island?

Minimal medical care is available, including minimal surgery, on the island. Major problems or accidents require transport to the mainland for care.

It is recommended that you be sure to have overseas medical coverage or purchase traveler´s medical insurance before arriving.

What is the typical food eaten on the islands?

Almuerzo is eaten in early afternoon and is the largest meal of the day. Typically, it consists of two plates, soup, and some kind of fish, chicken or meat (often fried), rice and/or potatoes, and vegetables. Merienda, the evening meal, is similar, but usually on a lighter scale. There are many fresh fruits available on the island, many grown locally. There are also many vegetables available, some grown locally, but many transported from the main land.

Can I drink the water on the island?

You cannot drink the water on the island. Bottled water can easily be purchased, at a relatively low cost. Some homestay arrangements will offer filtered water or a water filtration system. Some may not. All water must be treated or boiled before used for consumption.

What kind of banking facilities are available on the island?

There is only one bank on the island, Banco del Pacifico, located on the waterfront, just around the corner from New Era. Hours are Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and Sat., 10 a.m.-12 noon.

The ATM/cash machine is outside, is open 24 hours and accepts the following cards: Mastercard, Cirrus, and Maestro. Check on the back of your ATM card to see if it has one of these symbols.

Visa card holders can get a cash advance inside the bank. Ask the person sitting at the desk on the right as you enter, and be sure to bring along your passport.

Travelers checks are not a recommended form of currency for travel. Ecuador has discontinued the acceptance of travelers checks in the last two years due to fraud concerns.

What kind of currency does Ecuador use?

Ecuadorian currency was discontinued several years ago. U.S. currency is now the standard and used regularly, both bills and coins. Occasionally, you will receive Ecuadorian coins in change, but their value is equivalent to U.S. currency. However, there is a shortage of change on the island. Don't bring any bills larger than $20, and it's often difficult to get change for a $20 bill. The bank usually will change bills, but sometimes it runs short of change also. It's a good idea to bring a quantity of small bills along with you. (Note: the same change situation is the case on mainland Ecuador as well.)

Can I use a credit card on the island?

You can use a credit card for nice restaurants, but you are unlikely to want to count on using one. Any place that accepts them will charge you a significant additional fee for its use. Most stores, markets, hotels, and small restaurants (the majority) will accept only cash.

What are some typical food prices on the island?

In a variety of small markets (there is no real supermarket),you can purchase a variety of food items. Some typical prices include the following: loaf of bread - $2.00; individual rolls/buns - $.50-.75; package of milk - $2.25; beer - $2.00 per liter bottle; colas - $1 per 1/2 liter bottle, $1.50 per liter bottle; small bottle of water - $1, large bottle of water - $3.00; tomatoes - $.50 per pound; whole pineapple - $3; whole papaya - $3; eggs – 7/$1; toothpaste - $2.00, soap - $1.

Be advised that food on the Galapagos is a bit expensive compared to mainland South America, and that availability of some food may be limited compared to more developed countries.

Can I get access to the Internet on San Cristobal?

Yes, there are a number of Internet cafés on the island. However, the cost is more expensive than on the main land. They currently charge $2-3 per hour. An inexpensive option is the Mockingbird Internet Cafe.

There are options for accessing wireless internet spots on the island, most commonly in internet cafes. Some restaurants will offer wi-fi with purchase, and some homestay arrangements may have internet available. The NEGF office also has a computer with internet available to volunteers. Internet on the island may not be as fast or as consistent as volunteers are accustomed.

How do I make international calls from the island and how much does it cost?

There are two different telephone companies on the island, Pacifictel and Bell South. You can make all calls from these offices, local, national and international. Pacifictel is best for calling England ($.52 per minute), Canada ($.53 per minute), Australia ($.66 per minute). Bell South is best for calling the U.S. ($.25 per minute) and Germany ($.42 per minute). Pacifictel is in the same building as the Easynet Internet Café and Bell South is on the waterfront, directly opposite New Era Galapagos.

Another option to look into before you leave home is to find out from your personal long distance phone company what toll-free number to use from Ecuador to use to call back to your country in order to make collect calls.

Calls can also be made for very good prices via Skype. Skype is available from some computers at internet cafes around the island or can be accessed from a personal computer and a wi-fi connection. This option is very economic and tends to be quite reliable.

What do I do about laundry?

There are several laundromats on the island that will wash and dry your clothes for a fee (typically $1 per kilo). Turn around time is generally within a couple hours. Some homestay families will offer access to laundry facilities.

What is there to do in my free time on San Cristobal?

Nightlife in San Cristobal is fun and relatively safe. The options for evening entertainment are limited but there is no short supply on fun. There are a handful of bars and discotecas or clubs frequented by the volunteers and locals.

There are many more options for daytime activities, taking advantage of the natural environment of the island. Such activities include swimming, snorkeling, surfing, hiking, biking and wildlife watching. It is recommended for volunteers to bring a mask and snorkel if they have one, or snorkeling equipment can be rented for around $5 a day. While some snorkeling sites can be accessed for free, some are only accessed by boat with a naturalist guide. A day of snorkeling typically runs between $40 and $50.

There are some excellent dive sites in and around San Cristobal: Kicker Rock, Punta Pitt, Isla Lobos, Tijeretas, Five Fingers. The best of these is probably Kicker Rock where it is possible to see Hammerhead sharks. If you haven’t ever dived before, San Cristobal is a great place to do the PADI open water course and get qualified. One diving center that lots of past volunteers have used (and highly recommended) is the Wreck Bay Diving Center. The instructor, Ivan Lopez, will conduct the course in English, and offers a special price for New Era volunteers of $350 for the 7 day course. This includes four days of theory classes, three days of diving (6 dives) and all equipment. It is also possible to do all the further PADI diving qualifications, such as Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, and Divemaster. A day of diving will run at least $120 for two dives, but the price can be negotiated for large groups of divers.

San Cristobal is also home to an excellent interpretation center just at the edge of town near Playa Mann. It provides an excellent history and overview of the development of the islands and of some of the issues the island faces today.

Tours and trips can be arranged easily, but it is recommended that they are arranged in person once volunteers arrive. Often the best prices and arrangements are made once you are here. Also be advised that trips and tours are costly and should you choose to take advantage of day cruises and tours, you should budget accordingly.

Additional places to visit:

La Lobería - approximately a half hour walk from the airport (along the dirt road that passes the airport) - many sea lions live on this beach...great place to watch them, take photos, etc. Continuing to walk along the rocks to the point, you will see iguanas and many sea birds long the rocks.

El Progreso - located up the hill up the main road from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno...a small village, with the original settlement on the island...easily accessibly by bike (as long as your gears work, as it is uphill!), or a sturdy walk or an inexpensive cab/truck ride.

La Soledad - a very small settlement not too far beyond El Progreso...not much there except a nice mirador (view point) up above a little church, looking out onto the sea on the southwestern side of the island.

El Junco - a lake on the island, formed within the remains of an old crater...near the highest point on the island...a bit beyond El Progresso.

La Galapaguera - a protected area where large tortoises are cared for, fed, and raised.

Puerto Chino - a lovely little beach on the southeastern side of the island, with fine white sand, good swimming, seabirds...accessible via taxi/truck to the end of the road, then approximately a 30-minute walk from there.

Leon Dormido/Kicker Rock - only available by boat (about a 1-hr. ride from town)...great place for snorkeling, wildlife watching (sea lions, masked boobies, frigate birds, sharks).

If I have extra time or want to learn more about other organizations and issues on the island, are there opportunities for additional volunteer work in other organizations?

There are a number of other organizations that can sometimes utilize volunteer assistance. These include the national park, CIMEI (an organization that is working to eradicate introduced species), a coffee plantation, and INGALA (the organization responsible for the island´s infrastructure). Arrangements for contacting one of these or other organizations can be worked out with the assistance of William Puga.

Are there past volunteers that I can contact who will share their experiences with me and give me advice?

Yes, a number of past volunteers are available for that purpose. Please email Matt Garlick at matthew.garlick@2ergo.com, and he will put you in contact with a current and/or alumni volunteer.

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