- Last Updated: March 29, 2024
San Cristobal or “La Isla Bonita” is one of the three main islands you can explore in the Galapagos, one of the “most expensive destinations on earth”, and in order to protect your wallet from going on a diet, here is a list of 12 free things to do in San Cristobal.
All of the activities here listed are 100% free, as you don’t require any guide to visit them, but some costs may be involved to get there, like renting a bicycle or sharing a taxi with your friends (maybe 5$ per person if the taxi is full), or renting a surfboard. I’ve done all of these activities by myself and have linked full detailed articles about them together.
FREE THINGS TO DO IN SAN CRISTOBAL
GENERAL INFO
San Cristobal, like all the other islands, is part of the Galapagos National Park, and therefore it has a number of things you should know:
- Most of the activities have to be done on a tour with a Naturalist guide.
- All the agencies have the same prices (although you can barter if you book more than one tour).
- Most beaches have opening and closing times (turtle nesting reasons).
- You should book your tour at least one day in advance (or you might risk not having a place on the best ones).
- Bring Seasickness Medication for the tours on the water.
- Always use strong sunscreen (Sun in the Equator line burns more).
- Have mosquito repellant with you, especially at sunset. There are horseflies in the Galapagos.
- You can’t fly a drone here unless you have a special permit from the National Park.
- You can’t rent a motorcycle or a car, everything has to be done by taxi, bus, boat, bicycle, or on foot.
- You can’t and shouldn’t touch the animals on the island.
FREE THINGS TO DO IN
SAN CRISTOBAL, GALAPAGOS
1. VISIT THE INTERPRETATION CENTER
The Interpretation Center or “Centro de Interpretación Ambiental Gianni Arismendy” is the island’s Natural and History Museum and the best introduction you can have to the Galapagos Islands.
Here you can find information about the history of San Cristobal, and the entire archipelago, from its discovery to its colonization. Scientific information about its geological formation, and its endemic species. An entire area dedicated to the preservation and conservation of the Galápagos. and finally a section about the local people that fought all their lives for the protection of this paradise.
I went here while hiking my way to Playa Baquerizo beach and also wrote an article about it. If you’re looking to learn something about the Galápagos and for example it’s raining outside, this is probably one of the best free things to do in San Cristobal.
View the full blog post here: CERRO TIJERETAS AND PLAYA BAQUERIZO HIKE
2. VIEWPOINT OF CERRO TIJERETAS
Cerro Tijeretas or Tijeretas Hill is San Cristobal’s best viewpoint. If you’re on the island you can’t miss your chance to come here. It’s not far away from the city center, and it’s right after San Cristobal’s Interpretation Center.
From here you have a beautiful view over the turquoise waters of Muelle Tijeretas Dock and you can even see in the distance, the most famous rock on the island, the Kicker Rock. I went here while hiking my way to Playa Baquerizo beach and also wrote an article about it.
View the full blog post here: CERRO TIJERETAS AND PLAYA BAQUERIZO HIKE
3. HIKE TO PLAYA BAQUERIZO BEACH
The Playa Baquerizo beach hike is the only hike you can do on the island that is free and not part of a tour. You can actually continue further to another beach but I would say for a normal hiker this is enough, especially on a hot sunny day.
It’s a nice long white sandy beach with almost nobody since it’s a bit hard to reach it, and you can snorkel in the water. I saw turtles many fish and a white-tip reef shark. On the sand and in the water marine iguanas can also be found here.
View the full blog post here: CERRO TIJERETAS AND PLAYA BAQUERIZO HIKE
Also, if you’re interested in beaches: BEST 5 BEACHES IN SAN CRISTOBAL
4. SNORKEL AT MUELLE TIJERETAS DOCK
It is a very nice alternative place to swim and snorkel. There is a cave full of sea lions right on the right of the dock and you will probably find them also in the water or at the dock with you (as you can see in the photo). If you’re in the Interpretation Center, you either go right to the Cerro Tijeretas Hill or go left to Muelle Tijeretas Dock.
It’s free and it’s the perfect refreshment stop on your way to Cerro Tijeretas or Playa Baquerizo beach. I went here on my way back from Playa Baquerizo beach and also wrote an article about it.
View the full blog post here: CERRO TIJERETAS AND PLAYA BAQUERIZO HIKE
Also, if you’re interested in beaches: BEST 5 BEACHES IN SAN CRISTOBAL
EVERYTHING YOU CAN DO IN
SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND
5. EXPLORE PUERTO BAQUERIZO'S DOWNTOWN
It comes without saying that the downtown of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno’s, San Cristobal’s “capital” is an amazing place to walk around and be amazed. You will find literally, everywhere you go dozens of sea lions chilling in front of you, on benches, on the beach, inside stores, and in the middle of the road. They own the place.
There are also some other special attractions like the Charles Darwin statue with its ship The Beagle, many cafes and restaurants, and a ton of other cute free things to do in San Cristobal. All the tours and activities start from here, and you will for sure love it. It’s not a busy touristy town like Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz island, it’s more unique and special.
For a reason, this island is called by the locals “La Isla Bonita” – “The cute island”. It’s adorable and I sure miss it and can’t wait to go back.
6. LA LOBERIA BEACH
This was the first activity I did on the island, it’s a long free beach full of sea lions and marine iguanas. When I went into the water a baby sea lion started playing with me, we raced together and I saw some beautiful turtles swimming around.
There is a National Park guard taking care of the beach and some minor facilities such as the guard’s tower where you can hide if it starts raining. You need to take a taxi to reach it or rent a bicycle and cycle your way there. I did a whole post about it and added the numbers of some taxi drivers you can call to take you there.
View the full blog post here: LA LOBERIA BEACH IN SAN CRISTOBAL
Also, if you’re interested in beaches: BEST 5 BEACHES IN SAN CRISTOBAL
7. PUNTA CAROLA BEACH
This is for me the best beach in San Cristobal. It’s free, it’s long and beautiful, you can relax, there are not many people and its perfect location allows you to watch amazing sunsets from there.
To reach it you have to walk perhaps 15 mins from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno’s downtown. You can surf here, it’s actually one of the best places to do it on the island and you can also swim with sea lions and marine iguanas if you’re lucky.
View the full blog post here: PUNTA CAROLA BEACH IN SAN CRISTOBAL
Also, if you’re interested in beaches: BEST 5 BEACHES IN SAN CRISTOBAL
8. PLAYA MANN BEACH
If you have a group of friends or you are with your family and don’t want to be just with nature, this is the place to come. There are kiosks where you can get some snacks and drinks, you can play music on the beach, watch the sunset and relax next to some sea lions.
This beach is literally 10 minutes away from downtown and it’s also on the way to Punta Carola beach, so if you find it too busy you have a close-by alternative.
View the full blog post here: PLAYA MANN BEACH IN SAN CRISTOBAL
Also, if you’re interested in beaches: BEST 5 BEACHES IN SAN CRISTOBAL
9. SURF IN SAN CRISTOBAL
If you have your own surf board it is free, If you don’t it’s relatively cheap to rent one in town. San Cristobal is the best island in the Galapagos for surfing and it has 8 different spots for you to do it. I don’t usually surf but I was with a friend that did and I wrote an article where you can see which beaches are best for surfing and for all the other activities.
View the full blog post here: 5 BEST BEACHES IN SAN CRISTOBAL
10. "EL JUNCO" CRATER LAKE
El Junco crater lake is a natural and open-air attraction which in theory, if you find a way to get there walking or by bicycle, you could do it for free and that’s why it’s on the list of free things to do in San Cristobal.
The El Junco crater lake is the largest natural freshwater reserve in the entire Galapagos Archipelago. It is located in the crater of an extinct volcano and its name comes from the “junco” plant, which is very common around the area. The lake’s diameter is 270 m. and its maximum depth is 6 m, comprising a total of 360.000 m3 of water.
In order to visit it you should order a taxi, for that reason, it’s usually included in a tour where the taxi takes you to multiple destinations. This tour is called “The Highlands Tour” or “Tour Parte Alta” and takes you to El Junco Crater Lake, The Giant Tortoise Reserve “La Galapaguera” and Puerto Chino beach.
View the full blog post here: HIGHLANDS TOUR IN SAN CRISTOBAL
11. GIANT TORTOISE RESERVE
"LA GALAPAGUERA DE CERRO COLORADO"
The “Galapaguera de Cerro Colorado” or “Centro de Crianza de Tortugas Terrestres David Rodriguez” is San Cristobal’s giant tortoise reserve, every main island is it’s own and this is the one you can visit on this island. On the same order of ideas as El Junco Crater Lake, if you find a way to get here, by your own means you won’t have to pay a thing.
On its compounds, you can find tortoises of different ages and sizes, from baby to adult ones. This is a breeding center and what they do is rescue tortoises’ eggs that were recently laid and take them here thus significantly increasing their chance of survival.
In order to visit it you should hire a taxi, for that reason, it’s usually included in a tour where the taxi takes you to multiple destinations. This tour is called “The Highlands Tour” or “Tour Parte Alta” and takes you to El Junco Crater Lake, The Giant Tortoise Reserve “La Galapaguera” and Puerto Chino beach.
View the full blog post here: HIGHLANDS TOUR IN SAN CRISTOBAL
12. PUERTO CHINO BEACH
To conclude the list of free things to do in San Cristobal I present you, Puerto Chino beach, one of the most beautiful and secluded beaches on this island. There are almost no tourists here, you can snorkel, sunbathe, and even surf. If you’re lucky you might even find sea lions.
In order to visit it you should hire a taxi, for that reason, it’s usually included in a tour where the taxi takes you to multiple destinations. This tour is called “The Highlands Tour” or “Tour Parte Alta” and takes you to El Junco Crater Lake, The Giant Tortoise Reserve “La Galapaguera” and Puerto Chino beach.
If you find a way to get here by your own means you won’t have to pay a dime. If you don’t you can always rent a taxi and share the price with your friends.
View the full blog post here: HIGHLANDS TOUR IN SAN CRISTOBAL
Also, if you’re interested in beaches: BEST 5 BEACHES IN SAN CRISTOBAL
FREE THINGS TO DO IN SAN CRISTOBAL
WHERE TO STAY
San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos has a range of accommodation options to choose from, and we’ve narrowed down the top three choices for you.
If you’re seeking a luxurious and modern lodging experience, Hotel Indigo in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the perfect option for you. For a private and romantic getaway, Villa Bonita Guest House offers a charming villa with a private pool and all modern amenities. And for budget-conscious travelers, Cactus Hostal is a great choice with its colorful rooms, socializing areas, and convenient services.
To learn more about these options and other accommodation choices, check out the full article:
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ALL THE ARTICLES ABOUT THE GALAPAGOS
San Cristobal Island – The easternmost island of the Galapagos, the “Isla Bonita”
Santa Cruz Island – The island with the best tourism infrastructure.
Isabela Island – The most adventurous and less explored island of the main three.
