Most visitors land at the airport on the small, flat island of Baltra, just north of the main tourist island of Santa Cruz where they are confronted by a dry, desert-like moonscape of brown lava rock and tall cactus plants and wind-blown trees. American forces built the runway to defend the Panama Canal in World War II. The airport was given to Ecuador after the war, and is now the main entry point for tourists to the islands.

There is an Ecuadorian naval base to the west of the island and a small port for cruise ships and cargo boats. The Ecuadorian army supervises the island.

Getting there. On landing, visitors have to pay a National Parks Entry fee of US$100.

Places to visit. There are no visitors’ sites on the island.

|Article contributed by Dominic Hamilton|||