This is the Galápagos Islands chapter from Lonely Planet's Ecuador & the Galápagos Islands guidebook.

The Galápagos Islands may inspire you to think differently about the world. This isolated group of volcanic islands has taken on almost mythological status as a showcase of biodiversity, with many of the creatures who call the islands home found nowhere else in the world.

• take in spectacular views at Isla Bartolomé, where you may feel like one of the last people on earth
• maps
• witness the pageantry of birdlife around the dramatic cliffs at Punta Suárez
• transportation
• engage in a staring contest with the slumbering beasts in the El Chato Tortoise Reserve
• restaurants & accommodations

Coverage includes: Isla Santa Cruz & around, Isla San Cristóbal & around, Isla Isabela & around, Isla Fernandina, Isla San Salvador & around, Isla Santa María, Isla Española, Isla Genovesa, Isla Marchena, Isla Pinta, Isla Wolf, and Isla Darwin, Understanding the Galápagos Islands: History, Geology, Ecology & Environment, and Tourism, Survival Guide: Getting There & Away, and Getting Around.