Visitors to the Galapagos Archipelago often set foot on Baltra island for the first time‚ as it is where the main airport‚ "Seymour Airport"‚ is located. The airport was built by the Americans during World War II. This island is located only 1 km from the north coast of Santa Cruz Island and has no tourist attractions other than a few last minute gift shops. However if you have a little time‚ you might want to get out of the airport and explore the surroundings and look for the local land iguanas.

To get to Santa Cruz Island‚ you must cross the Itabaca Channel. The island serves as a small naval base for Ecuador. There are no places for accommodation‚ but there is both public and private transportation from the airport to Puerto Ayora.

Highlights:

• Estimated Age: 2 million years
• British Name: South Seymour
• First Ecological Airport in the world
• One of the two airports that connect to Guayaquil & Quito
• Wildlife: Galapagos sea lion & land iguana
• Visitor Sites: Remains of World War 2 American Airfield base

MORE TO KNOW:

Baltra Island, also known as South Seymour Island, is where most of the tourists who visit the archipelago pass through, but they do not stay for long. The reason? Well, Baltra only works as an airport station and does not have many of the attractions and lodgings that the inhabited islands have.

Not for this reason, it is less interesting, since Baltra has many curiosities that can make your visit to this first stop a much more enriching experience:

The remains of a war:

In itself, the main reason why people set foot on Baltra is already interesting. The airport -which makes up the largest mobility on the island- was built by American soldiers during World War II, and today, this same airport achieved the recognition of being the first completely eco-airport in the world, becoming an international benchmark in the world.

Land of cacti and iguanas:

Since the island's soil is made up of remains of volcanic activity, the land turns out to be very arid and just a few types of flora and fauna can prevail in the area. That is why Baltra has a curious landscape in which shrubs unusual trees and, above all, curious species of cacti prevail. Its fauna has small birds named Pinzones that come to greet you as soon as you enter the airport and many land iguanas that have been gradually reintroduced after they were depleted during the military occupation in World War II. Today you can see them through the extensive areas of vegetation and land that surrounds the island and you can even play to recognize them on the ground while, due to their color, they are camouflaged with the naked eye.

Start point

Getting to Baltra puts you in the Galapagos mindset from the moment you set foot on the island. With an airport so well structured to be efficient and, at the same time, friendly to the environment, the people who receive you with a smile, the birds that come down to greet you even while you are inside the airport facilities, makes breathe the air of the Galapagos Islands in the best possible way and prepare you for an unforgettable trip.