Las Tintoreras Snorkeling & Wetlands Day Trip, Isla Isabela

Discover the wild beauty of Isla Isabela on a full-day adventure that blends coastal exploration with inland wildlife encounters—fun for all ages. Begin with a short boat ride to Las Tintoreras, a cluster of volcanic islets teeming with marine life, where you'll walk among iguanas, and spot banded penguins and blue-footed boobies before slipping into the water for a snorkeling session alongside sea turtles, rays, and playful sea lions. You'll then continue to Isabela's wetlands to see flamingoes in their natural habitat before heading into the highlands to see tortoises and ancient rock formations shaped by volcanic activity.

Highlights

• Walk across lava islets at Las Tintoreras and spot marine iguanas, penguins, and blue-footed boobies
• Snorkel with sea turtles, rays, reef sharks, and curious sea lions in clear coastal waters
• Peer into a lava channel to potentially see white-tip reef sharks resting below
• Visit the Flamingo Lagoon and observe these elegant birds in a natural breeding site
• Explore the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center and see tortoises at different life stages
  
  

What you'll do

From Puerto Villamil, you'll board a small boat for a quick ride to Las Tintoreras, a series of black lava islets just offshore, and best known for shallow channels where white-tip reef sharks like to rest. You'll follow a trail through marine iguana breeding grounds, watching these prehistoric-looking creatures bask in the sun and keeping an eye out for penguins darting along the shoreline and perched blue-footed boobies. You'll then switch shoes for fins and head out for a snorkeling session in the surrounding bay, swimming alongside sea turtles, rays, schools of colorful fish, and even the occasional penguin or sea lion.

Back on Isla Isabela, the adventure continues a short distance inland to the Wetlands Complex (or, Humedales), a large lagoon and natural breeding ground for flamingoes and other birdlife. You'll wander the wetlands boardwalk, about 0.9 miles (1.5 km), through the mangroves and over brackish waters for optimal wildlife viewing, stopping to see these pink birds feed and nest as you make your way to the Arnaldo Tupiza Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre. Here, you'll observe tortoises at all life stages, from young hatchlings to 150-year-old adults penned in large corrals. 

You'll then head farther inland, noting the coastal scenery giving way to dense forest and volcanic landscapes as you make your way into the highlands to check out sites like Sucre Cave, a unique series of rock formations created by lava tubes, and the family-owned Campo Duro, a ranch dedicated to giant tortoise conservation. The experience wraps up back in Puerto Villamil, leaving you with a well-rounded look at Isabela's landscapes—both above and below the water.