Despite its small size, Puerto Ayora is packed with activities to fill your vacation in the Galápagos Islands. Tourists enjoy kayaking, scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing and mountain biking plus walking through the 6,500 foot lava tunnel named El Mirador. Several operators offer day trips to nearby uninhabited islands. And if you want to see Galápagos tortoises, you have two choices. These endemic creatures live in the wild at the El Chato nature reserve. Or visit the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center at Charles Darwin Research Station. Local hotels range from budget rooms for backpackers to luxury accommodations along the ocean.
