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SOUTH AMERICA TOURS

Go big and go small on a Galapagos adventure

To appreciate the amazing diversity of the islands, adventurers on Galapagos tours might visit the archipelago's largest and smallest islands, Isabela and Darwin.

Named by Christopher Columbus for Queen Isabella of Spain, Isla Isabela is not only the biggest of the Galapagos islands, but one of the most visually arresting. It was formed by the fusion of six oceanic volcanoes, which create a dramatic landscape.

Isabela is among the best places to spot land animals like the Galapagos tortoise and Galapagos penguin, as well as land iguanas and flightless cormorants.

There are a few towns on Isabela, including the southerly outpost of Puerto Villamil, where visitors can feast on fresh shrimp and stay overnight in a quaint bed and breakfast before heading out to nearby sites such as La Grieta de los Tiburones, a prime spot for swimming with white-tipped reef sharks.

Serious divers can take the scuba action to a whole other level by heading for Isla Darwin, named for the famous naturalist. There is no landing spot on the island itself, but adventurers still make the voyage in order to dive into the waters surrounding Darwin, which are home to a dizzying array of amazing - and very large - marine creatures, such as manta rays, sailfish, hammerhead sharks and whale sharks. 

Posted: November 11, 2011

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