Galapagos advice?

[kaylie]

I remember there being multiple folks here who had been, but the search function is failing me.

Our plane tickets are booked and I'd love any advice you've got, but I'm most curious about where to stay, where to eat and what you think the top things to see/do are. We're traveling with another couple and staying on a boat is absolutely 100% NOT an option (two out of the four of us have seasickness issues), but we should be fine to take boats between islands.

[v]

I've never seen anyone here post about a land trip to the Galapagos -- every post I've seen has been about a cruise. I have seasickness issues too but I'm planning on bringing lots of meds and a positive attitude because I've heard that land itineraries can be very limited.

But at any rate, I'd post this on Travel and I'd also check out the Tripadvisor Galapagos forum (http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g294310-i6637-Galapagos_Islands.html) -- I know that people on Tripadvisor have booked land trips.

I've also seen info in the Ecuador/Galapagos books I have by Moon and Lonely Planet.

[aurora]

We did a boat trip despite H's motion sickness (he got a prescription for those patches that go behind your ear), so I won't be much help, but I think there are only a couple of islands that you can stay on, so that will make it simpler to plan.

[countthestars]

I may be way off with this, but I want to say that @misoangry might have gone a few years ago?

[v]

Aug 28, 2014 8:27:19 GMT -5 countthestars said:

I may be way off with this, but I want to say that @misoangry might have gone a few years ago?

She did -- but she took a cruise.

[v]

underwaterrhymes may be helpful -- her sister runs a dive shop in the Galapagos

[underwaterrhymes]

kaylie, my sister and her husband and kids do indeed live there and run a dive shop. If you let me know when you're going and what kinds of questions you have, I can message her.

[wanderlustfoodie]

I think the only island that has the infrastructure for people to stay there is Santa Cruz, which is one of the bigger islands. That said, if you are fine to take boats between islands, you are fine to take a cruise, since you'll be sailing the same waterways. The water around the Galapagos is incredibly calm and the distances between the islands are small so you're actually sailing as opposed to anchored for very little time.

The top things to see/do are obviously experience the wildlife/landscape/geology. Crowd favorites tend to be the hikes, the snorkels, and the kayaking. You'd be able to dive if you went on your own since most of traditional cruises don't have dive licenses (you need to go on a special cruise for that).

But, really, cruising around the Galapagos is not like cruising the Drake Passage or Atlantic Ocean. I'm hard-pressed to see how someone who would be able to take boats between islands wouldn't be able to take the boats on a longer cruise, since it's essentially the exact same experience.

[Deleted]

If you can't do boats, this may not be the trip for you.

There's a reason people take boats.

[kaylie]

Aug 28, 2014 10:12:19 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

kaylie, my sister and her husband and kids do indeed live there and run a dive shop. If you let me know when you're going and what kinds of questions you have, I can message her.

Thanks! I'll send you a PM.

[Norticprincess]

Transderm Scop patch - I have horrible motion sickness issues. It can have we rid side effects. Only way I can get through our boat dives and I was fine for the majority of our Galapagos trip.

www.lonelyplanet.com/ecuador/the-galapagos-islands

[kaylie]

Thanks everyone. I know there are hotels/vacation rentals on all of the inhabited islands (Santa Cruz, Isabela, Floreana and San Cristobal) and we'll probably bop around between those. I guess I was really hoping someone would have feedback on a really great place they stayed. Trip Advisor has info, but it's a bit overwhelming and somewhat contradictory.

The seasickness is combined with claustrophobia (and it doesn't matter how roomy the cabins are, it just ain't happening) so cruising isn't an option even if it's the best way to do the trip.

[wanderlustfoodie]

I don't really think there are "luxury" accommodations on any of the islands. You don't go to a place like the Galapagos for the lodging options -- the goal is to spend as little time as possible inside them. Of all things I would prioritize on a Galapagos trip, my hotel room would be at the bottom of the list. I'd focus on the outdoor experiences.

[kaylie]

Aug 28, 2014 12:52:25 GMT -5 wanderlustfoodie said:

I don't really think there are "luxury" accommodations on any of the islands. You don't go to a place like the Galapagos for the lodging options -- the goal is to spend as little time as possible inside them. Of all things I would prioritize on a Galapagos trip, my hotel room would be at the bottom of the list. I'd focus on the outdoor experiences.

I totally get that and we're really not looking for luxury. Safe, air conditioned and preferably quiet at night would be awesome. If it's a vacation rental with a helpful host, that would be ideal. It seems like a lot of the hotel reviews on tripadvisor are extremely mixed with several people saying it was the greatest place they've ever stayed and several saying it was a complete dump. I've found a few that seem more promising than the others. I really wish Rick Steves had a Galapagos guide.

[Deleted]

Dude.

When you go to the Galapagos, you go on a boat. The point is that you explore islands during the day, and the boat zooms you to the next place while you sleep.

You maximize your time this way.

I have terrible motion sickness. I've done this trip twice.

Suck it up, buttercup.

[Deleted]

Aug 28, 2014 13:01:16 GMT -5 kaylie said:

I really wish Rick Steves had a Galapagos guide.

Rick Steves would tell you to get on a fucking boat.

[kaylie]

Aug 28, 2014 13:05:21 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

Aug 28, 2014 13:01:16 GMT -5 kaylie said:

I really wish Rick Steves had a Galapagos guide.

Rick Steves would tell you to get on a fucking boat.

Good point. For the record, I love boats and would gladly live on one. It's H that really freaks the hell out around them. He can suck it up for a few hours, but the anxiety that staying on a boat would cause him would make it an extremely unpleasant trip. I would just be worrying the whole time.

[Deleted]

I'm sorry to be so insistent, but you will truly waste a lot of time if you do a land trip.

It's just not the way to do the Galapagos.

And, if you're going all the way there, you ought to make it count.

I get carsick. Carsick!

I did it, and I loved it. Twice.

Tell your husband to stop being a fucking baby.

[kaylie]

Aug 28, 2014 13:10:30 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

I'm sorry to be so insistent, but you will truly waste a lot of time if you do a land trip.

It's just not the way to do the Galapagos.

And, if you're going all the way there, you ought to make it count.

I get carsick. Carsick!

I did it, and I loved it.

Tell your husband to stop being a fucking baby.

I totally appreciate it, seriously. I'll try to make the case and see what the response is. We were on a boat for five hours last month in relatively calm seas so maybe he'll be more amenable since that didn't kill him.

[wanderlustfoodie]

Aug 28, 2014 13:09:06 GMT -5 kaylie said:

Aug 28, 2014 13:05:21 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

Rick Steves would tell you to get on a fucking boat.

Good point. For the record, I love boats and would gladly live on one. It's H that really freaks the hell out around them. He can suck it up for a few hours, but the anxiety that staying on a boat would cause him would make it an extremely unpleasant trip. I would just be worrying the whole time.

This is exactly my point. You're never on the boat for more than a few hours at a time other than when you're sleeping. So there's no difference between doing a land trip interspersed with a few hours on a boat versus doing a cruise. This is a unique area where because the distances are SO small it does not feel like a cruise so much as a boat shuttle service.

[aurora]

Aug 28, 2014 13:09:06 GMT -5 kaylie said:

Aug 28, 2014 13:05:21 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

Rick Steves would tell you to get on a fucking boat.

Good point. For the record, I love boats and would gladly live on one. It's H that really freaks the hell out around them. He can suck it up for a few hours, but the anxiety that staying on a boat would cause him would make it an extremely unpleasant trip. I would just be worrying the whole time.

Sounds like arguing him into a boat trip might make it less fun for you in the end.  Have you discussed what it is you really want to accomplish with this trip?  I loved the Galapagos, but it would have been an entirely different (and much less fun, IMO) vacation if I had tried to do it with minimal boat time.  Even if you stay on the major islands, you'll still have to take boats between them, and for access to many parts of the islands that are most special (because they're less touched by people - no roads, for example).  If I weren't willing to take a boat for those distances, I would have picked a different vacation because I would think it would be too limiting.  If I were willing to take a boat for all of the excursions and transport between the islands, then I don't see how that is much different than staying on a boat. 

[v]

Re: claustrophobia: not all cabins are created equal. Some boats have cabins that aren't super tiny. Just pay attention to square footage when researching.

[kaylie]

Aug 28, 2014 14:47:54 GMT -5 v said:

Re: claustrophobia: not all cabins are created equal. Some boats have cabins that aren't super tiny. Just pay attention to square footage when researching.

I did notice that there were some that had especially large cabins with balconies. Unfortunately it's more the idea of confinement and inability to escape that does him in. I'm going to talk to him about it tonight and see what his reaction is, but I think the idea of being confined on a boat all night could be an issue. I know that sounds nuts, but he has this weird combo of claustrophobia, sea sickness and fear of heights that leads to discomfort and sometimes vertigo in certain situations. We had him go to a bunch of different medical professionals a couple years ago for tests and it was all inconclusive. He's made progress (he got on a plane with no xanax last month and was totally fine) but I try not to push him too far.

Do you use a sea sickness med that doesn't make you drowsy? If we could find one that didn't knock him out that might be a good solution.

[cruiser]

Aug 28, 2014 15:11:35 GMT -5 kaylie said:

Bonine - it is the best way to go for OTC meds.  No drowsy issues, you can take it a few days before the trip to get it in your system and then every day while there.  Otherwise, for a natural fix, ginger and green apples help.  Not sure if they are as effective as Bonine though.

[kaylie]

Aug 28, 2014 15:38:00 GMT -5 cruiser said:

Aug 28, 2014 15:11:35 GMT -5 kaylie said:

Bonine - it is the best way to go for OTC meds.  No drowsy issues, you can take it a few days before the trip to get it in your system and then every day while there.  Otherwise, for a natural fix, ginger and green apples help.  Not sure if they are as effective as Bonine though.

Thanks! I still have the meds from our last trip in my purse and it looks like he was using Meclizine which knocked him out despite being the "less drowsy" formula. We'll give bonine a try.

[Norticprincess]

Aug 28, 2014 15:41:40 GMT -5 kaylie said:

Aug 28, 2014 15:38:00 GMT -5 cruiser said:

Bonine - it is the best way to go for OTC meds.  No drowsy issues, you can take it a few days before the trip to get it in your system and then every day while there.  Otherwise, for a natural fix, ginger and green apples help.  Not sure if they are as effective as Bonine though.

Thanks! I still have the meds from our last trip in my purse and it looks like he was using Meclizine which knocked him out despite being the "less drowsy" formula. We'll give bonine a try.

That is Bonnie.

The over the counter motion sickness ones knock me. I've done the ginger pills and then the candied ginger. On smoother seas it takes the edge off. The wrist bands were useless (tried those our first dive trip - I fed the fish.) For rough water the patch (not OTC) is the only one that works for me and doesn't make me sleepy. I've done the prescription pills too -- I have ones that work for nausea but not motion sickness.

[jg183]

saw this on the app...
we did a land trip to galapagos through G adventures. They coordinated our lodging, transportation and entries. It seemed complicated to plan on our own but we didn't want to do the ships.
It was great but I think I would do the ship if i did it again

ETA: ours was years ago but i think it was similar to this: www.gadventures.com/trips/galapagos-isabela-island-add-on/TSEGSN/2014/

[aurora]

Aug 28, 2014 15:11:35 GMT -5 kaylie said:

...
Do you use a sea sickness med that doesn't make you drowsy? If we could find one that didn't knock him out that might be a good solution.

H used the Scopamine patch. It works in a completely different way -by numbing nerve endings, I think - than many of the OTC motion sickness drugs and doesn't cause drowsiness. You do have to be really careful with it, though, since it's a powerful numbing agent. Also, if you're snorkeling or diving while on the trip you might want to take the patch off while you're in the water so it doesn't float away (H lost one this way and then removed it to swim for the rest of the trip, putting it back on when he got back on our boat).

[jenn248]

Ditto everything @misoangry said. The inhabited islands are not that interesting compared to the others. You're missing out by not doing a cruise. I don't mean to sound bitchy because I do understand that some people do not want to be on a boat for a prolonged period of time, but it seems like a shame to spend the time and money to go to the Galapagos and not see the best it has to offer.