Isla Santa Maria, Galapagos Islands

Santa Maria Island (also known as Isla Floreana) is one of the oldest of the Galapagos Islands, located 4 -5 hours west of Espanola. It is best known for its colorful history of buccaneers, whalers, convicts, and colonists.

A highlight on the island is the post barrel at Post Office Bay, wherevisitors can send post cards. Another is a snorkeling site called Devil's Crown, located just off Punta Cormorant. Here visitors can snorkel inside a volcano crater filled with schools of colorful fish.

At Punta Cormorant there are two highly contrasting beaches. The landing beach is of volcanic origin and is composed of olivine crystals, giving it a greenish tinge. At the end of the short trail is a carbonate beach of extremely fine white sand. Formed by the erosion of coral skeletons, it is a nesting site for green sea turtles.

Things to See and Do

* Post Office Bay - post barrel
* Snorkeling at Devil's Crown
* Marine life
* Wildlife viewing

Cruise Season - Jan - Dec
Currency - U.S. dollar2 (USD)
Language - Spanish
Population - 40,000 approx (Galapagos islands)
Land Area - 173 km²
Electricity - 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style
Time - GMT minus five hours
International Country Telephone Code - + 593

Port Location - There is a wet landing sites at Punta Cormorant and Post Office Bay.

Transport Links - Flights to the Galapagos are relatively easy to arrange and depart from Quito and Guayaquil on a daily basis for the Isla Baltra airport, about two hours by public transport from Puerto Ayora, the main settlement of the Galapagos, on the central island of Santa Cruz. It is a 4 -5 hour boat trip to Santa Maria island.