Galápagos Diving: The World's Greatest Underwater Experience
The Galápagos Marine Reserve is considered the world's best scuba diving destination — the cold Humboldt Current brings extraordinary marine life; hammerhead schools, whale sharks, marine iguanas, penguins, and manta rays are all accessible on dives from Puerto Ayora
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Gordon Rocks Hammerhead Dive
Gordon Rocks - a submerged volcanic caldera 45 minutes from Puerto Ayora - is one of the world's top 10 dive sites; the schools of hammerhead sharks circling the reef, in groups of up to 200 individuals, create the most impressive shark encounter available in the Galápagos
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Wolf and Darwin Islands
The remote islands of Wolf and Darwin — at the northern edge of the archipelago, accessible only on live-aboard dive vessels — are the Galápagos' best dive sites; the whale sharks, schools of hammerheads and Galápagos sharks create an overwhelming underwater experience
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Penguin Diving Companions
The Galápagos penguin can be found underwater near Bartolomé and other locations near Puerto Ayora — the penguins' swimming speed of 25 km/h and their playful underwater behavior make for extraordinary diving companions; the penguins' hunt for fish through the diving group is unforgettable
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Marine Iguana Underwater
Marine iguanas feed on algae on the rocky underwater surfaces — the iguanas, diving to 12 meters, can be observed underwater foraging with remarkable efficiency; the experience of seeing the world's only marine lizard feeding underwater is uniquely Galápagos
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Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish)
The sea sunfish - the world's heaviest bony fish, up to 2 tons - is found at purification stations in the deep waters of the Galápagos; mola mola's extraordinary appearance (resembling a giant swimming head) and its silence at the cleaning station make for surreal diving encounters
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Diving logistics from Puerto Ayora
Puerto Ayora has several dive operators that offer day trips to the best local sites — Gordon Rocks, Kicker Rock (San Cristóbal), and Cousin's Rock; liveaboard ships departing from Puerto Ayora reach the more remote locations; the diving infrastructure is well developed and the guides are knowledgeable