Hola! My name is Mirjam, I am from The Netherlands and I have been living in Ecuador for more than a year now, working in tourism. During this year I had the opportunity to experience the variety of the country to its fullest. I travelled to the 
Amazon, the coast, the Andes and last but not least: I got to work and live at one of the amazing Galapagos islands! My position at Rebecca Adventure Travel has made all these amazing travels possible! During my 5 weeks of working for the company at the Galapagos I was based in Puerto Ayora, the capital of Santa Cruz island. Luckily, I also got to escape two times to my favorite place: Isabela island.
The great escape to paradise: Isabela island
Why is Isabela my favorite island? Well, think about a place where there are only beautiful beaches, most of the roads are still sandy and everywhere you go people great you as if you already know them for years. With just about 3000 inhabitants it is a small town and you will definitely feel that way when you walk around. If you felt like living the island life in Santa Cruz, on Isabela island you will feel like this but twice as much.
Not twice as much island life but also twice as much animals you will see on Isabela island. Especially sea-lions and iguanas, they are literally everywhere! The best place to swim with sea-lions is the Concha Perla spot next to the dock. They are not shy and even want to play with you when they feel like it. Bring your GoPro and make the best memories!
If you like biking, the best thing to do is just rent some bikes and go to the Isabela Wetlands, very close to town. You will pass through nice beaches and if you are lucky you will see some big tortoises crossing the street every once in a while. Bring enough water and put on some sunscreen because the sun on the equator can be very strong!
What about the culture and the people? The greatest thing about such a small town like Puerto Villamil, the capital of the island, is that you don’t need phones or computers to meet each other and you will make friends so easily. There is just one bar everyone will go to and you already know that you will see each other there, no need to call or to WhatsApp, you just go! Then, the next day you will meet the same people on the only one main street there is and make plans for the same night. And so on..
Coming from the city it would be very difficult for me to live on Isabela island. That’s why I call it: The great escape!
| Top 3 Activities | |
|---|---|
| Los Tuneles Tour |   |
| Isabela Wetlands |  |
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Concha Perla snorkeling |
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| Top 3 Restaurants | |
|
La casa del asado de Anibal Garcia |
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Bar: Beto’s beach bar |
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Cesar’s |
|
| Nightlife | |
|
Bar: Beto’s beach bar |
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| Travalas Friendly |   |
Favorite travel quote
“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.”