Puerto Ayora

Puerto Ayora, located on Santa Cruz Island, is the capital of the Galapagos Islands and has the largest human population of about 10,000 inhabitants. It has some of the few shops and hotels on the island (and an ATM!) and is home to the Galapagos National Park headquarters. The Charles Darwin Research Station is also located here, where you can see giant Galapagos tortoises and learn about the conservation issues facing the islands. You can also see Galapagos tortoises in their natural habitat in the interior. The highlands have some interesting geological features such as lava tubes and pit craters.