Best of the Galápagos Islands

Charles Darwin Research Station [1]: Come face-to-face with the giant tortoises that gave the islands their name, including Lonesome George, and learn how scientists are rearing hundreds to be released into the wild.

Seymour Norte [1]: This small island is the best place to see large colonies of blue-footed boobies and frigate birds.

Isla Lobos and Kicker Rock (León Dormido) [2]: This site offers the best views of sharks. Snorkel through a narrow channel with white-tipped sharks or scuba dive with hammerheads.

Bartolomé Island [3]: Climb 114 meters up a wooden staircase to enjoy the most photographed sight in the Galápagos, a partially eroded lava formation flanked by two crescent beaches, with the black lava trails of Santiago in the distance.

Sierra Negra and the Highlands [4]: Get out your walking boots and hike past the second-largest volcanic crater in the world before descending into the pungent sulfur mines.

Corona del Diablo [5]: This half-submerged volcanic cone off the coast of Floreana is one of the best snorkeling spots, with marine turtles, sharks, rays, and sea lions. Nearby Enderby and Champion Islands are equally scenic.

Punta Suárez [6]: The biggest breeding site of waved albatross in the world, on the western tip of Española, is one of the top wildlife-viewing sites in the Galápagos Islands.