The Galeodan Suites in Jardín de Helena
San Cristóbal, Galápagos
The Galeodan Suites in Jardín de Helena
San Cristóbal, Galápagos
Seasons - Selecting tours - Prices - Booking tours - How we can help
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Essential information for the proper use and enjoyment of the Galeodan Suites. Much of the information is covered during a check-in briefing, but it's a lot to remember, so we ask our guests to read this before coming to the Suites.
Seasons - Selecting Tours - Prices - BookingTours - How We Can Help
Galeodanturis Cia. Ltda. (Galeodan) is licensed by the Ministry of Tourism as a “Dual Agency”, allowing us to sell tourism services both in Ecuador and overseas. Guests often ask us which tours we most recommend. But there is no one answer to that question. It depends on:
General details of the tours, including itinerary and points visited, are on the Sightseeing page at GaleodanSuites.com . You should visit that page before reading on.
This section provides additional detail to help our guests decide which tours they should take, which they should book ahead, and how we can help them make reservations.
Some boat tours are impacted by the weather more than others. Prevailing winds are from the south, so the NW side of the island (most local tours) is protected while the SE side is more likely to be choppy on windy days (360 tour). Of course, the open ocean crossings to Española and Floreana are also impacted by wind, nonetheless, high season for Española is April through November when most visitors are happy to brave the elements for a view of the magnificent Waved Albatross.
Wear Summer clothing: shorts and t-shirts or light pants and shirts for more protection from the sun. Bring along a light jacket for early morning and evenings. In the rainy season you may need a rain-jacket. Bring comfortable walking shoes and/or well-secured sandals as some of the terrain can be quite challenging. You will definitely need a hat. The sombrero types will give better protection to your ears and neck.
Make sure you have plenty of sunblock, especially on boat trips where, even with a hat, you can get burned from the reflection of light off the water and deck.
A visit to the Interpretation Centre should be part of any visit to Galápagos – Indispensable for a better understanding of the natural and human history of these Islands. The information is well presented, in English and Spanish and it can be visited on its own, or in conjunction with Darwin Bay, the walking trails to Cerro Tijeretas (Frigate Bird Hill) and Carola beach.
The centre alone can take from a half to one hour, and the trails, from 1 ½ to 2 hours, excluding time at Darwin Bay.
The trail starts at the back of the Interpretation Centre and ends at Carola beach. It passes through several scenic viewpoints, and the best snorkel spot in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno: Darwin Bay. All but the last section, from Carola to the main road, is concrete, and an easy walk, in shoes or flip-flops.
From the viewpoint overlooking Darwin Bay, there is a rough, and quite challenging trail leading to the deserted beach of Playa Baquerizo – About an hour each way. It calls for proper hiking shoes, lots of water and sunblock.
La Loberia is worth the taxi-fare for its beautiful beach and snorkelling. The best time is at mid-tide: between too shallow and too deep \ susceptible to waves.
If you do not have local phone service, you will have to arrange for the taxi to come back for you.
Caution! There is a dangerous riptide on the left side of the bay – looking out. It is marked off by buoys, but if caught, we advise guests NOT to try to swim to shore – Better to drift out while swimming towards the centre of the bay.
If you are visiting only San Cristóbal, the Galapaguera is a must as it will be your only opportunity to see giant tortoises.
The crater lake at El Junco is spectacular in itself, and for the view from there of the island. But it requires a clear day, or a lucky break in the clouds.
Puerto Chino is a beautiful beach, and only 5 minutes beyond the Galapaguera.
There is usually a reasonably priced restaurant open at Cerro Verde, near the Galapaguera. Otoy, and its organic farm is no longer open except by pre-arrangement for groups.
You can visit any one of the attractions separately, but the distance, and cost, makes the combined tour much the best value.
More-or-less in order of recommendation, assuming no particular mobility, seasickness, or small children issues.
Española is arguably the best tour available from San Cristóbal, especially when the waved albatross are nesting. But the site is also available to cruise boats and there is a limited number of time-slots available to the Daily Tour boats from San Cristóbal which can only visit once or twice in a week.
Espanola is also served by the Vivencial Fishing boats, which visit lesser known, although equally rewarding, locations around the island.
Espanola is 35 miles south of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, so the open water crossing takes from 1.5 to maybe 4 hours, depending on the boat and conditions. We recommend against taking the slower boats as most of the day is spent just getting there, and back. It can be a challenge to those especially susceptible to seasickness, but the reward justifies the discomfort, for almost everyone.
The long voyage to Española makes it less suitable for small children, and some operators will not take passengers below 6 years of age.
Espanola requires a full day, starting as early as 6:30am and ending up to 6:00pm, depending on the boat.
Peak season for Espanola is April to December, the breeding season of the Waved Albatross. But the scenery and always abundant wildlife, make it worth a visit at any time of year.
The 360 tour, operated by Vivencial Fishing boats, is very popular, and it is served by more boats with more visits per week, so you are more likely to find space at the last minute. But there is quite a range in comfort and quality of service, so if you want to be sure of going on one of the better boats, we still recommend booking in advance.
The 360 includes Kicker Rock and adds almost certain close-up views of white tip sharks at Rosa Blanca.
The 360 is popular year-round, but on windy days it can get choppy and uncomfortable on the unsheltered east side of the island.
The distance covered is equivalent to Espanola, but the boats are quick, and there are more stops on the way. The average 360 tour runs from 7:30 to 4:00.
Kicker Rock (known locally as Leon Dormido) is the most famous and popular location in San Cristóbal. It is an excellent, and sometimes great place to snorkel and, especially, to dive. It is only 40 to 60 minutes from port, on the sheltered side of the island. Even if you don’t swim, it’s worth the trip for the scenery alone.
Kicker Rock is visited in conjunction with one of many beautiful San Cristóbal beaches, as part of the 360 tour, or even in conjunction with Punta Pitt see below.
The basic Kicker Rock tour takes ¾ day: typically from 8:30 to 2:15 or so.
Punta Pitt boasts spectacular scenery and is the only place in Galápagos where you can see all three species of booby nesting: Nazcar Booby, Blue Footed Booby and Red Footed Booby, as well as Frigate Birds. The birds are present year-round.
While Punta Pitt is one of the best visit-sites in Galápagos, it can be hard to find. It competes, unfairly, with the 360 tour which is promoted to include Punta Pitt, which it does, but only in a very limited sense. The Daily Tour boats, include an onshore hike past the nesting birds, but the Vivencial Fishing boats can only pause in the bay; they cannot stop and put you ashore. You will see the birds, but at a distance.
Punta Pitt is a long trip, almost as far as Española, but 90% is on the NW side of the island, sheltered from wind and waves.
The distance traveled to visit both Kicker Rock and Punta Pitt, in the same day, limits the time available at each site, and few boats offer the combination. But if you do not have time for separate trips, you will see much more of Punta Pitt on this tour than you would on the 360.
It's a long trip: maybe from 6:30am to 5:30pm, with most of the time spent in motion, so it is not well suited to the seasick-prone or small children.
Floreana is 60 miles SW of San Cristóbal, so only within range of the quicker Vivencial Fishing boats which may still take 2.5 to 3 hours to get there, weather permitting. Boats seldom offer the trip, which is marginally more accessible and better served from Santa Cruz.
The “Vivencial Fishing” boats only offer snorkelling – There will be no divers on board.
Except for Isla Lobos, the “Daily Tour” boats are all licensed to carry divers, as well as snorkelers. So, if your group has a mix of snorkelers and divers, they can all take the same tour. But the extra attention and needs of divers, particularly the check-dive, can be an inconvenience for the snorkelers, and some boats handle the mix better than others.
There are many more dive-shops than there are boats to take their passengers. So, we would not guarantee that a Daily-Tour boat will have only snorkelers on board.
This section is intended to provide only a general guideline for prices that can be expected at the time of a visit to San Cristóbal.
Most taxis are king-cab trucks which carry up to 4 passengers. The price is per vehicle – Not per passenger.
Although there are 4 taxi cooperatives in San Cristóbal, all taxis carry a tariff card with standard prices.
Drivers generally do not expect tips, but we do recommend adding a dollar or two, for a ride to the airport or pier if the driver is patient, courteous, helps with luggage – Or if you kept him waiting more than a few minutes.
The standard taxi fare, for the complete Highlands Tour, is $80 for the first 4 hours, and $20 per hour beyond that.
If you want to visit only the beach at Puerto Chino, or only the tortoises at the Galapaguera, that will cost between $40 and $60, depending on the driver, and how long you intend to stay.
Larger groups will need to rent a van ($140+), or even a bus ($200+).
We have a small number of taxi drivers whom we know to be courteous, knowledgeable, patient, and honest. They charge the standard fare, and we take no commission.
Bilingual guides are expensive ($140 and up) and in short supply in San Cristóbal. Most visitors manage perfectly well without one, but we will arrange for one if requested with ample notice. Organized groups of 8 or more must be accompanied by a Park Guide.
Of course, you can always make your own arrangements and most times that works out just fine.
There is a range of size, comfort, speed, and quality between the various boats, which is generally reflected in the prices. However, there are some boats which, while extra spacious, are also too slow to recommend for some trips.
These are the basic price-ranges excluding tax.
* Some "Daily Tour" operators offer these tours with diving, for an additional $60 to $80. The “Vivencial Fishing” boats do not take divers.
Any passenger 2 years or older counts towards the passenger limit specified by the Park. Isla Lobos is the only tour we know of that offers 50% discount to children (under 6).
Cash is much preferred. Some operators will accept credit card payments but will add 12% -19%. Online agencies will add 12% tax, plus a commission from 15% to 40%.
The prices may change at any time and should be confirmed at the time of booking.
Unfortunately, the Internet is full of really bad advice – Especially about Galápagos. One of the more popular myths is that you can get a better deal if you wait until you get here to book tours. We advise our guests to book ahead, for a variety of reasons.
Galápagos is not a typical tourist destination. The supply of daily tours is not driven by demand; it is restricted, by the Galápagos National Park, for protection of the environment.
The water-based “Daily Tours” are provided by a limited number of specially licensed boats, which have limited capacity (12 max). In order to minimize pressure on the visit-sites in the Marine Reserve, the boats follow a fixed itinerary set by the Park. So, you can’t always choose to visit a particular spot on a particular day – It may be booked up, or there may be no boat scheduled that day.
If you leave it too late, the best tours, on the best boats will already be booked up. You may be lucky, thanks to a last-minute cancellation, but it is more likely you will have to settle for a low-demand and inferior package. It is also possible there are no tours available. Even outside peak season, some large groups of 30 to 60 students travel through here, and if they take a tour, they may occupy all the space available.
At times of high demand for a particular location, like Espanola, operators can apply to the Galápagos National Park for a change of itinerary for a specific day. This is mostly done close to the departure date and the application is not automatically granted. So, while extra spaces may become available, it is neither predictable nor guaranteed.
There are numerous online agencies that specialize in booking excursions from the inhabited islands: San Cristóbal, Santa Cruz and Isabela. Some are more trustworthy and reliable than others, depending on their own ethics and competence, as well as that of the local agencies or operators with which they partner.
Now and then, you will discover, at the last moment, that your tour has been “cancelled”. That may be for a variety of reasons:
While most agencies make a genuine effort to provide honest and efficient service, there are some bad actors in the business that will sell non-existent places and then fail to tell you until the night before, at which point they pressure you to buy another tour more profitable to themselves.
Aside from the additional risk, you may also pay exorbitant markups. Whenever possible, the best policy is to go direct to a San-Cristóbal agency or operator that actually provides the service.
Galeodan is a registered travel agency catering primarily to the needs of our own guests at the Galeodan Suites.
We can provide recommendations to guests and assist in the reservation of tours. Depending on the tour and operator, we will either make a direct reservation for you, or put you in direct contact for you to do it yourself. We focus on operators that give good service, do not cancel at the last minute, and are flexible with payment - Allowing cash on arrival, rather than pre-payment.
If we cannot help, we may suggest an online agency we have found more dependable than others; one that checks there is actually space available before he takes your money.
We only ask that our guests plan ahead and give us time to search the market for reservations. If you wait until you arrive, we may not have the time or resources to help, in which case, we may suggest some downtown operators or agencies to check for yourself.
Time-Zone - Power - Currency - Banking - Cash - Credit Cards - Safety - Drinking Water - Restaurants - Garbage - Toilets – Transport - Telephones - Internet - Texting - Television – Sports Equipment – Shopping - Taxes & Tipping
Galápagos is 1 hour behind mainland Ecuador, at GMT – 6.0 hrs. (CST). Daylight Savings Time is not observed.
We use USA-style plugs for 110v at 60Hz.
Barely 20% of our power comes from wind or solar, and the remainder comes from burning diesel. Also: The grid is fragile and easily overloaded, leading to constant voltage drops and frequent power cuts.
Please try to conserve power. It’s one thing to leave the A/C on, while you go out for a couple of hours, but please don’t be cooling an empty room for the whole day while you are off on a tour.
Ecuador’s Dollar is tied to the U.S. Dollar. Both U.S. and Ecuadorian bills and coins are freely used.
At one time, it was not possible to use large denominations ($50 or $100) but that was a few years ago now. So large bills are welcome – But only for large purchases. So, you should still come with a supply of smaller bills and try to maintain a stash of small denominations ($0.50’s and $1’s). In Galápagos, no-one ever seems to have change, especially the taxis. And you’ll have trouble getting change from the stores unless you buy something.
The Ecuadorian credit card service is very expensive for the vendor with fees of 10-12%. We stopped accepting credit card payments because there were too many double-charges, errors, and failures to cancel – Some of which could take months to rectify.
While you can use credit cards in many restaurants and some stores, tour operators will accept only cash, or will accept credit cards with a 12-19% fee.
Banks are officially open from 9h00 to 17h00 and on Saturdays only half day. In San Cristóbal, the Banco Pacifico is conveniently located near the main pier and has 2 bank-machines which support Interac transactions using credit cards (but not debit cards). You can get cash in the bank, for which you will need to have your passport (but Monday to Friday only). You may find the service “down” from time to time but it usually recovers within the hour so you can try again.
There are other machines: under the Town Hall, and by the Civic Market.
While there is petty crime, San Cristóbal is heavily policed, and it is safe to walk around the central area and waterfront in the late and early hours.
The Galeodan Suites are in a relatively quiet and secure sector, but you should still lock your room when you leave. There is a safe in each room for small valuables and cash.
When at the beach, try to put your belongings where you can keep an eye on them.
NEVER put paper in the toilet. The ceramic pipes are only 2 inches wide, with tight bends, and will block very easily. They are also very difficult to unblock. There are baskets next to the toilets, which we empty every day during our room-check.
San Cristóbal is the only island with a natural fresh water supply: at El Junco, a crater lake in the highlands, from where it is pumped and treated before distribution as “potable water”. Even so, we recommend drinking only filtered water.
We provide our guests with an unlimited supply of filtered water.
We segregate our garbage into:
Recyclable: Bottles, boxes, glass, cartons, etc. – In generally good condition and clean.
Organic: Food waste, vegetables, bones, meat, chicken, fish, garden refuse.
Trash: Non-recyclable inorganic such as toilet paper, napkins, shoes, clothes, foam, paper scraps, plastic wrapping, bags, etc.
We take the garbage from our home and suites and put it at the street entrance on set days for pickup by the Municipality:
When passing by, on the street – Please do not put your waste in the wrong containers.
There are many good restaurants, and we list some of the more reliable establishments on the Galeodan Map which we send to guests. We can also provide recommendations on arrival. Dinner could cost anywhere from $7.00 to $50; more if you add wine and drinks. Many of the restaurants where you will be eating accept credit cards.
We recommend, that you stick to the “gringo restaurants” (gringo meaning just about any tourist). A lot of other places offer relatively inexpensive and very tasty meals or snacks, but local hygiene standards, tap-water use, and other practices can cause digestive and infection issues if you are not locally adapted, so to speak.
The Suites are within easy walking distance of local beaches, downtown, and the passenger piers. But beyond that, you will be using mostly taxis.
Almost all the taxis are white, or yellow, king-cab trucks which carry 3 or 4 passengers and their luggage. San Cristóbal has four taxi-cooperative dispatch numbers which you can call for a taxi.
Buses are mostly used for organized sightseeing trips but there are some regularly served routes such Puerto Baquerizo Moreno to Puerto Chino (beach), in San Cristóbal and Puerto Ayora to Baltra Airport in Santa Cruz.
The import of regular cars, motor scooters and motor bikes is tightly regulated to minimize environmental impact - They are not available to rent.
You can rent a bicycle or electric scooter.
If you have a GSM mobile phone, you should be able to use it here using your carrier’s roaming service. But some carriers provide limited roaming function so you can only make but not receive calls. You may want to consider buying a “Visitor SIM Card”.
Pretty much all hotels and guesthouses now provide a Wi-Fi connection to the Internet. You will also find numerous free “hotspots” in town, particularly at restaurants and coffee-shops.
Until recently, the only Internet provider was the state-owned carrier: CNT. CNT’s Internet service features slow and inconsistent throughput (download and upload) with very high latency (ping) making it hard to connect with some online services. Some establishments, including Galeodan Suites, have now installed Starlink dishes and terminals. The Internet experience is now significantly improved, allowing us to work more efficiently, and our guests to enjoy easier and faster connections for communication, planning, remote working, and entertainment.
Most Galápagos mobile phones do not come with basic text service (SMS). So they can receive SMS text messages but cannot respond.
But our phone plans do come with WhatsApp, which is used extensively for business as well as social. We also have Viber, We-Chat, and Telegram.
Many hotels provide flat panel TV’s with cable service. We do not install TV’s and almost all of our guests appreciate that. Many of our guests read books and bring cards or board games for family entertainment.
Neither do we have a swimming pool – The beach is only 5 minutes away.
You should be wary of unreliable counterfeit batteries and memory. So bring an ample supply.
If needed, we can suggest a reasonable tech-store in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno that has a good variety of memory, adapters etc.
I would not count on finding film here anymore.
Outside of the organized tours, sports equipment rental is a volatile business here, with suppliers coming and going like the seasons. We will update our guests as best we can when booking and on arrival.
For snorkelling around town (Darwin Bay, beaches, Loberia) there are several places in town that rent snorkel equipment, including short wetsuits which you may need in the cooler season. For daily boat tours, the operator, or the agency you booked through will provide gear – In most cases included in the price (verify when booking).
As with snorkel excursions, dive tour agencies and operators will have the gear you require, which is usually included in the price (but verify).
There are several agencies in town that rent bicycles. Some will provide an emergency toolkit in case of a breakdown in the middle of nowhere.
Although San Cristóbal is the undisputed capital of surf in Galápagos, there is a not a lot to choose from in rental boards – Especially long boards which are especially rare. We will update guests when booking and closer to arrival.
Although these activities are much more regulated than in past years, there are still a few locations that rent paddle boards and kayaks.
There is nothing in San Cristóbal you could describe as a “supermarket”. And the quality and range of products is both varied and inconsistent. We will advise guests of the current best options during check-in.
There are several pharmacies in town, and outside opening hours, there is always at least one open (by rotation).
There are many shops selling souvenirs – mostly along the Malecon (waterfront). We do not have high-end (i.e. expensive) galleries as they do in Santa Cruz.
There is no set pattern for store opening hours: whether for weekdays, weekends, or public holidays.
Most stores open between 7 and 9am and are open until early or late evening: 5:30 to 9 pm.
Most hardware stores close by 5pm and are not open on Saturday afternoon or Sunday.
Some stores close on Sundays, while others have shorter hours.
Some stores are closed on Saturday but open on Sunday.
Public holidays are unpredictable: institutions (banks, etc.) always observe them, but many merchants do not.
Other than a limited range and quantity of local produce, such as fruit, veggies, coffee, meat, etc., most of what we consume is shipped from the continent in refrigerated-container ships. Thanks to boat breakdowns, inspection failures, quarantines, and contract disputes, supply is a constant problem and there are weeks during which we cannot find eggs, fruit, and a variety of other essential and non-essential supplies. The repeated supply crises are alleviated only slightly by emergency airfreight from the continent. But we never run out of beer.
Most goods and services in Ecuador are subject to 12% tax - IVA. Some service establishments will also add a service charge (usually 10%).
The following tax and service charge requirements are widely misunderstood, and frequently abused.
12% IVA Tax
Hotels and guest houses must charge 12% tax (IVA) to residents of Ecuador, or foreigners who are visiting Ecuador for more than 90 days. This includes Ecuadorians living abroad.
Registered lodging establishments should NOT charge IVA to non-resident “foreign” tourists.
10% Service Charge
The Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) requires certain first-class hotels to add a 10% Service Charge in addition to IVA (where applicable – see above). Other establishments should not be adding this fee, all of which is meant for the employees.
So, at a designated hotel, an Ecuadorian tourist should have 22% (12%+10%) added to his bill, while a “foreign” tourist should pay only 10% (12% IVA is not applicable).
We are a guesthouse – Not a hotel, so we do not add the 10% fee.
Staple foods, such as rice, corn, fish, eggs, etc. are exempt from the 12% IVA tax. Displayed prices for other products will generally include any applicable tax. Where the store issues proper receipts, you will notice that the tax is extracted and identified separately.
Manufactured goods, including souvenirs, are subject to 12% IVA. Usually, the displayed prices will include IVA. You may also see, or be offered, tax-free prices for cash.
Restaurant meals are subject to IVA, and written menus at tourist-oriented restaurants usually state that 12% will be added to the bill. But if you are paying cash for a modest snack or meal, at a “local” restaurant, you will not generally be asked to pay tax.
Some restaurants also add a 10% service charge. When considering whether or not to tip your waiter at one of these establishments, do not assume that they are earning more than they would at another restaurant, or that they see a share of that 10%.
12% IVA should be added to all tours, but operators and agencies seem to occupy a grey zone. Whereas online prices may include 12% IVA, or indicate it will be added, the prices advertised on billboards, and on WhatsApp, do not. And IF you pay cash, it will usually not be added.
If you pay with a credit card, the vendor will add a fee of 12% to 19%, comprising the tax plus a handling fee.
Staff on boat tours will be expecting a tip of maybe 10% - 15% between them. If you can manage: the fairest way is to give separate tips to the marinero (sailor), the captain and the guide, remembering that the marinero earns half as much as the captain who earns half as much as the guide. If that’s not feasible, give it to the captain – He’s the one in charge.
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| Contact Us - Galeodan Suites | |
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| Email: | info@galeodan.com |
| Telephone: | +593 5 252 1613 |
| Mobile \ WhatsApp | +593 99 654 9948 - English |
| Mobile \ WhatsApp | +593 99 643 4823 - Espanol |
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