Short answer: stay on Santa Cruz (Puerto Ayora) if you want the most day trips, add two nights on Isabela for penguins and the volcano, and use San Cristóbal as the start or end because it has its own airport. A mid-range double room costs about $111 a night in Puerto Ayora, $125 in San Cristóbal and $84 on Isabela.
Which island should you sleep on?
- How many nights do you have on the islands?
- What matters most?
- Do boats make you sick?
What a hotel room costs, by town
Typical double-room rates per night: the budget end, the middle and the top of each town.
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal
Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz)
Good for: First-timers and anyone doing boat day trips: most tours start here, and it is 1 hour or so from Baltra airport. Less good: The busiest town; the beach is a 45-minute walk away at Tortuga Bay. More in the Santa Cruz guide.
A double room costs about $63 at the budget end, $111 mid-range and $270 or more at the top. Check Puerto Ayora prices for your dates →
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristóbal)
Good for: Sea lions on the town beach, Kicker Rock, Española day trips, and an airport you can walk to. Less good: Fewer day trips to the central islands than Santa Cruz. More in the San Cristóbal guide.
A double room costs about $68 at the budget end, $125 mid-range and $198 or more at the top. Check Puerto Baquerizo Moreno prices for your dates →
Puerto Villamil (Isabela)
Good for: A slow beach village with penguins, flamingos, Los Túneles and the Sierra Negra volcano. Less good: Reached only by a long ferry or a small plane, so plan at least two nights. More in the Isabela guide.
A double room costs about $57 at the budget end, $84 mid-range and $205 or more at the top. Check Puerto Villamil prices for your dates →
Floreana and the night before your flight
Floreana has only a few small guesthouses in Puerto Velasco Ibarra; most visitors come on a day trip from Santa Cruz. Stays on Floreana.
Quito: flights to the islands leave in the morning, so many travellers sleep near the airport in Tababela the night before. Rooms there cost around $65. Hotels near Quito airport (Tababela) · Hotels in Guayaquil. How the flights work: getting to the Galápagos.
Updated 2026-11-06. Fees, boat times and prices change, so confirm with the operator before you travel.