The Galapagos Islands are consistently ranked as some of the best scuba diving sites in the world. Diving in the Galapagos you see bucket list items and encounter rare marine life rarely seen anywhere else. The Galapagos Marine Reserve listed since 1978 is over 50,000 square miles of land, home to 2,900 endemic species. Divers have the chance to encounter over 30 species of sharks, whale sharks, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, and so much more. The best dive sites in the region are located at Darwin Island and Wolf Island. Here, hammerheads abound freely, silky sharks, whale sharks and galapagos sharks.
Experienced divers will enjoy the Galapagos for the sheer sense of adventure. The Galapagos is made up of 18 Volcanic islands located in the Pacific Ocean close to the equator and are also a protected national park. A seven day liveaboard will let you see most of the sites in the Galapagos. Most dive sites can only be accessed by liveaboard. Wolf and Darwin Islands are both remote and difficult to get to. Wolf and Darwin are uniquely located which explains their biodiversity in terms of evolution of flora and fauna. Strong currents and up currents bring food into the area and therefore pelagic life. At El Arco, Darwin’s Arch is a well-known stone arch above the water making it easy to locate the dive site. There’s the chance to dive with hammerheads, blacktips, whale sharks and eagle rays.
Some dive sites have minimum numbers of dives or require an advanced certification due to conditions. Due to strong currents, negative entry to most dive sites is required. Sometimes, divers have to hold only rocks to prevent themselves from getting swept away by strong currents. The water in the Galapagos is generally cold and would warrant a 7mm or dry-suit to feel comfortable. Visibility ranges from 10 to 20 meters and if conditions are harsh the visibility will be reduced.
You will have memorable dives at Cape Douglas where marine iguanas swim past and penguins do tricks around you. Galapagos sea lions and fur seals can also be spotted. Cabo Marshall dive site has passing mobula rays, cow-nose rays and mantas. At Punta Carrion you have the chance to dive with Galapagos sea lions. At Roca Redonda located at Isabela Island, the site is at the base of an underwater volcano which rises above the surface to form an island. There’s the chance to dive with Galapagos sharks, schools of hammerheads and barracudas.
Diving in the Galapagos can be done all year-round but is usually separated into the manta ray whale shark season. The wet and warm season is from December to June. The water is generally calmer, the weather is warmer and there is better visibility. During the manta ray season, hammerheads in their hundreds can usually also be spotted. For other divers, July to November is the best time to dive as there is the chance to spot whale sharks. The water is usually colder and rougher but the chance to see whale sharks attracts divers from all over the world.
