About The Finch Bay

The Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel is conveniently located in the heart of the Galapagos. It occupies a prime spot next to the only public beach in the town of Puerto Ayora, over on the south side of Santa Cruz Island (see map below). The hotel is reached by taking a plane from either Quito or Guayaquil on mainland Ecuador to the airport on Baltra Island. From there, guests travel across the channel to Santa Cruz Island, and then, by land to the Puerto Ayora docks. It takes about 45-minutes to get to the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel from the Galapagos Airport (GPS).
The island of Santa Cruz is part of the Galapagos archipelago’s central islands, which means that most of the National Park’s most important visitor sites (Bartolome, North Seymour, etc.) can be easily reached as part of our Day Tours aboard our very own Sea Lion Yacht. The hotel is both close and yet separate from the town, too, meaning guests can enjoy peace and tranquility while still having the urban center nearby.
The Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel is incredibly well-connected to the Galapagos National Park, meaning guests can look forward to an experience that puts them at the forefront of virtually everything that the Galapagos Islands has to offer, especially when it comes to fascinating wildlife and otherworldly landscapes.
Your stay at the Finch Bay is also an experience that’s complemented by exceptional hospitality, a Cordon Bleu-certified gastronomic director, it’s very own Sea Lion Yacht, a plethora of excursion options, beachfront living, a swimming pool, and plush beds with fine linens. All of this makes for a truly unique way to savor your Galapagos Islands experience.

 

The Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel, with capacity for 54 guests, was fully renovated in 2009, with improvement of guests facilities and public areas. The hotel now boats six Finch Bay Suites, each has an ample private terrace with a perfect ocean view, where hammocks can be hung to leisurely enjoy the unspoiled environments of the Galapagos. Four suites with two Queens beds and the other two suites have one King-size bed, all with top-quality bedding. Four of these suites have a communicating door –great for family travel! Suites are equipped with in-room safe, ironing board, air conditioning, reading lights, wireless internet connection, night table and desk, plus a small sitting room. Closets are ample and there is a space for luggage storage. The Finch Bay Suites and the additional 21 Finch Bay Rooms are decorated in exciting shaded of earth colors, with bamboo and black-out curtains; private baths have showers, hair dryers and other amenities. All rooms and suites at the Finch Bay Eco Hotel are smoke-free.

 

Finch Bay Suites

The hotel’s Finch Bay Suites are the newest additions to its architecture. They’re split into two sets, with four to the west of the property and two to the east. All of them are slightly elevated – although artfully mimetic with their walls lined with dark volcanic stones and discreet wooden handrails – giving them unparalleled views across the bay and the ocean. Their balconies are the ideal place to relax after a day of exploring, while the bedrooms and bathrooms are ample, at 32 m2 (344 sq ft). Four of the suites are interconnected, making them great choices for families or friends travelling together.

Finch Bay Rooms

The hotel’s 21 Finch Bay Rooms are arrayed in a ring around the property, connected by an attractive wooden walkway through the hotel’s recently re-landscaped gardens. All of the rooms have balconies with hammocks, perfect for a read or a snooze after a day discovering the islands.

 

 

ABOUT THE EXCURSIONS:

CRUISE ACTIVITIES
NORTH SEYMOUR ISLAND
North Seymour was lifted from the ocean floor by a seismic event, and its origins as a seabed give the island its low, flat profile. Cliffs only a few meters high form the shoreline, where swallow-tailed gulls sit among the ledges and rocks. A tiny forest of silver-grey Palo Santo trees stands just above the landing, usually without leaves, waiting for the rains to burst into bloom. This island is teeming with life!

BARTOLOME ISLAND
Bartolome is famous for Pinnacle Rock, a towering spearheaded obelisk that rises from the ocean’s edge and is the best-known landmark in the islands. Galapagos penguins—the only species of penguin found north of the equator—walk precariously along narrow volcanic ledges at its base. Sea lions snooze on rocky platforms, ready to slide into the water to play with passing snorkelers.

SOUTH PLAZA ISLAND
South Plaza is a small island full of fascinating wildlife, both along its shore and along its dramatic, wind-swept cliffs: sea lions, land iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls, Opuntia cacti and vegetation that changes colours according to the season. South Plaza is one of Galapagos’ most impressive visiting sites.

SANTA FE ISLAND
Santa Fe offers one of the more beautiful and sheltered coves in the islands. Its turquoise lagoon is protected by a peninsula of tiny islets forming an ideal anchorage. The island lies to the southeast of Santa Cruz within sight of Puerto Ayora. Like North Seymour, Santa Fe has been uplifted seismically, and you can see underwater lava formations.

LAND ACTIVITIES
Full-day Activity Option #1 – HIGHLANDS: GIANT TORTOISES, LAVA TUNNELS & LUNCH (GUIDED)
Depart from the hotel towards the Highlands of Santa Cruz. A short drive across the farming area will lead us to El Manzanillo, which is located along the northern edge of the Giant Tortoise Reserve. El Manzanillo sits right on the natural path that tortoises take every year as they either migrate to higher, more humid locations during the Dry Season (June-September) or when they descend to the lowlands during the Hot Season. The Galapagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) is the largest living tortoise species, weighing up to 250 kg (550 lb)! It plays an important biological role as the top grazer in its habitat. In the wild, these gentle giants slowly make their way through the dense foliage and bush of the highlands of Santa Cruz. The shape of their shell varies from island to island, too. Throughout the year on Santa Cruz, giant tortoises can be seen grazing on the surrounding vegetation, wallowing in muddy banks or in large ponds.

The area is teeming with life: chirping woodpecker mockingbirds, flycatchers, as well as ducks, herons and gallinules that all make this an exciting morning visit. On the way back to Puerto Ayora, we will visit one of the island’s lava tunnels – significant geological formations that take us back in time and allow us to learn about how lava flows shaped the islands. After this, we’ll have lunch at El Manzanillo.

Full-day Activity Option #2 – TORTUGA BAY, CHARLES DARWIN RESEARCH STATION & LUNCH (GUIDED)
Tortuga Bay is a glorious beach that is located southwest of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Tortuga means “turtle” in Spanish and it was named as such due to the fact that sea turtles have made this one of their favorite places to come and lay their eggs! The stunning, white sand beach is considered by many to be the most beautiful stretch of coast in the Galapagos archipelago. Tortuga Bay is reached via a marked and cobbled 2 kilometer (1.2 mile) path that starts at the west end of Charles Binford Street, not all that far from Puerto Ayora itself. Guests must sign in and out at the National Park control point that sits at the beginning of the path. It is open daily from 6:00 AM to 6:30 PM. The trail and beach provide excellent birdwatching opportunities, with plenty of Darwin’s finches and other seabirds. The beach itself is a great place to go kayaking, snorkeling, and/or surfing!

The headquarters of the Galapagos National Park Service and the Charles Darwin Research Station are located side-by-side, right on the edge of Puerto Ayora. Here, there is an interpretation center open to the public where you may also view their tortoise breeding program as well as giant tortoises in captivity. A visit to the Center is sure to expand your knowledge of this unique, iconic Galapagos animal as well as the ongoing conservation efforts in the islands.

 

Additional activities available: Kayaking, Surfing and snorkling

 

For questions or further information about these programs 
Have your Travel Agent call Tara Tours at 1-800-327-0080 or
e-mail us tara@taratours.com