Galapagos Islands Map

The Galapagos archipelago is composed of 13 main islands and seven smaller islands. There are also over 100 very small islets and rocky outcrops. The definitions of what is called an island or islet can be fuzzy when the land areas get smaller.

Of these areas, only 5 islands are inhabited by people. These are Baltra, Santa Cruz, Floreana, Isabela and San Cristóbal. The airports serving the Galapagos are found on Baltra Island and Isabela.

The 20 islands of the Galapagos are:

Baltra
Baltra Island is where you find one of the two airports on the Galapagos. A small island, Baltra has an arid landscape with little vegetation. However, there is a small population of iguanas living on Baltra.

Bartolomé
Bartolomé Island is a small islet near the larger island of Santiago. Although a small islet, this is one of the few areas where you can find Galapagos penguins. The island was named after the lieutenant of the HMS Beagle and lifelong friend of Charles Darwin, Bartholomew James Sulivan.

The Daphnes
The Daphne Islands are located west of Baltra Island and a little north of Santa Cruz. Daphne Major was where studies of the finch populations were carried out over 20 years. This was to track evolutionary changes over time. In addition to finches, there are a diversity of other birds despite the treeless landscape. There are no visitor sites on Daphne Minor, but there are interesting dive sites nearby.

Española
Española Island is the oldest island in the Galapagos archipelago and is home to many different animals. You can find lava lizards, marine iguanas, giant tortoises and different birds. Espanola is home to a different type of marine iguana, which have a beautiful red and green coloration.

Fernandina
As this is one of the newest islands formed in the Galapagos, you can see different lava flows and the black lava rocks. Dotted among the rocks you can find marine iguanas, Galapagos penguins, sea lions, and flightless cormorants.

Floreana
Floreana is where you can find flamingos, nesting sea turtles and different birds. Floreana is also where you will visit Post Office Bay. This is where whalers and early sailors would leave letters in the hopes that another ship heading near the address would deliver their messages. There are also some favorite snorkeling and dive sites near the island.

Genovesa
The island of Genovesa is a bird lover’s paradise with many species to find. You can also see the rocks from more recent lava flows and the smallest marine iguanas in the Galapagos.

Isabela
Isabela is the largest island in the Galapagos and home to a diversity of wildlife. Enjoy spotting iguanas, giant tortoises, cormorants and Galapagos penguins. You can also find a diversity of other birds and interesting vegetation.

Marchena
Marchena Island is inhabited by different animals, including sea lions, Galapagos hawks and the Marchena lava lizards, which are only found on this island. Although there are no visitor sites, there are dive areas nearby.

North Seymour
North Seymour is another great place for different birds and has a large population of blue-footed boobies, frigate birds and swallow-tailed gulls.

Pinta
Pinta is another island with no visitor sites, however, there are some nearby dive sites to explore. This is the most northern island in the archipelago and Pinta was the original home of Lonesome George, the most famous animal of the Galapagos Islands.

Pinzón
Pinzón Island has no marine or land areas to visit. However, the island does have a population of giant tortoises, Galapagos snakes and different birds. The nearest visitor site is a marine area known as No Name Rock. You can dive here to see hammerheads and Galapagos sharks.

Plazas
The Plazas are made up of the North Plaza Island and South Plaza Island. Home to abundant wildlife, these are both two small islands found near Santa Cruz. See many different birds, sea lions, and both land and marine iguanas. The largest population of land iguanas can be seen on South Plaza Island.

Rábida
Although a relatively small island, Rábida is home to flamingos, sea lions, marine iguanas and a diversity of birds. The island has red sand because of high iron content providing an interesting landscape.

San Cristóbal
Another large island in the Galapagos, San Cristóbal is home to many animals and plants. See a diversity of birds, sea lions, giant tortoises and natural features. In the highlands of San Cristóbal, you can find a beautiful lagoon called Laguna El Junco.

Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is one of the main islands of the Galapagos and is where you can find different hotels, top-rated restaurants and attractions. This is also where you can visit the Charles Darwin Research Center to see the work the Charles Darwin Foundation is doing to help protect the islands. You can also see marine iguanas, giant tortoises in the highlands, lava formations and a diversity of birds.

Santa Fé
Santa Fé is another small island near Santa Cruz where you can find land iguanas, lava lizards, sea lions and a forest of Opuntia cacti. This is one of the oldest islands on the Galapagos. Two species only found on Santa Fé are the Barrington land iguana and the Barrington leaf-toed gecko.

Santiago
Santiago Island is home to marine iguanas, sea lions, and fur seals. There are some popular dive and snorkeling sites near the island where you can spot sea turtles, sharks and a diversity of tropical fish. A popular visitor site on the island is called Sullivan Bay where you can see the black rock from recent lava flows.

Wolf
Wolf Island is a small island inhabited by fur seals, marine iguanas and different birds. Although there are no visitor sites on the island itself, this is a favorite area for diving. The surrounding waters are great places to see hammerheads, sea turtles, rays and sometimes whale sharks.

Darwin
Darwin Island is another small island without visitor sites and is home to different seabirds. However, there is a marine site called El Derrumbe for seeing hammerheads and the occasional whale shark.