Floreana, Charles, or Santa Maria, those are the three names given to this Island by different people who came to Galapagos at various times. The official name is Floreana, after the first president of Ecuador, who allowed General Jose de Villamil to annex the islands in 1832. Floreana was a favorite stop for sailors in the 18th and 19th centuries who came for fresh water to drink and for giant tortoises to eat. Among those visitors was Charles Darwin aboard the HMS Beagle in September 1835. Floreana was the first capital of Galapagos and the first to be colonized, partially for use as a penal colony. The island would continue to attract colorful characters, such as the Baroness and Dr. Richter who arrived in 1934, hoping to start a utopian community away from the difficulties of life in Europe at the time. In Floreana, they made a fresh start but unfortunately, things ended on a tragic note. The story has been chronicled in books and movies. More interesting to us is the beauty and biodiversity of Floreana. There is much to see, such as the Post Office barrel that once served as an informal mail service, and so much to do, including kayaking, snorkeling, and walking on the beach. Something for everyone.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 25 Jun 2023
Floreana Island, 6/25/2023, National Geographic Islander II
- Aboard the National Geographic Islander II
- Galápagos
Franklin Ramirez, Naturalist
Edison Franklin Ramirez was born in one of the new provinces of Ecuador, Santo Domingo de los Sáchilas, also known as Santo Domingo de los Colorados; after the local ethnic group that uses a red dye made from achiote (from annatto seeds) to color the...
Read MoreShare Report
Galápagos Escape: An 8-Day Voyage
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
5/20/2025
Read
National Geographic Islander II
North Seymour and Rabida Islands
Today was an amazing day from sunrise to sunset. We explored the beautiful North Seymour Island in the first part of the day. So many birds! We even saw the fascinating courtship dance of the blue-footed boobies. What a treat! In the afternoon, we went for our first snorkeling experience in the Galapagos, swimming with sea lions and so many fish. To end our day, we had the option to go for a photo-oriented or natural history walk along the astonishing red sand beach of Rabida Island. I oversaw the photo-oriented walk, and we had so much fun. Our guests put into practice what they learned during the photo presentation we had yesterday, and the result was amazing. We cannot wait for another day full of adventures in the Galapagos Archipelago.
5/19/2025
Read
National Geographic Islander II
Santa Cruz Island
Our first full day had plenty of wonderful surprises as we disembarked in Puerto Ayora, the main town on Santa Cruz Island. As soon as we arrived, we took a bus all the way to the highlands of Santa Cruz until we reached El Trapiche Farm, a unique site where the guests of National Geographic Islander II learned about the production of organic coffee, cocoa, and sugarcane liquor. Afterwards, we visited the Twin Craters. This amazing site is comprised of two incredible pit craters formed by the collapse of volcanic magma chambers. The area is surrounded by a forest of the unique Scalesia pedunculata, a tree that is endemic to the area. The spectacular visit to El Manzanillo Ranch gave us the opportunity to walk among the incredible Galapagos giant tortoises, often found in the early afternoon having lunch and resting. Being surrounded by these gentle giants was the best way of ending our visit.