Černá želví zátoka (Galápagos Islands) / Ecuador

On the northern coast of Santa Cruz, the second largest of the Galapagos Islands, lies Black Turtle Cove, a mangrove bay protected for its exceptional natural wealth within the Galapagos National Park.

Visitors are allowed under strict conditions: they can visit aboard local boats, known as "panga," which must have their engines turned off.

The dense mangroves are very diverse: some are old, some younger, and in the bay, it is possible to find three different types – red, white, and black. In the seemingly impenetrable swamp, there are "paths" through which boats can navigate to get closer to its inhabitants.

The bay is home to rays, pelicans, herons, sharks, and many other animals that thrive in the mangrove thickets. The place is also popular with green sea turtles, which breed here: in January, they mate, and in February, they build nests where they lay 50-200 eggs, of which only some will be lucky enough to reach adulthood - the Galapagos green turtle is listed in the Red Book of Endangered Species.

For those who might find the nature of the mangrove bay insufficient, they can move to the eastern side of the island to Gordon Rocks, which is a popular place for exploring underwater life with a snorkel or tank on their back. Just a few hundred meters across the Itabaca Channel lies Baltra Island, where Galapagos iguanas were reintroduced in the 1990s. They can be seen crossing the road or strolling around the airport, the largest in the Galapagos.

 

Places Worth Seeing

Black Turtle Cove – Admire the diversity of species while cruising through dense mangrove thickets, home to sharks, pelicans, and rare green sea turtles.

Gordon Rocks – Discover the richness of underwater life with a snorkel or tank on your back.

Baltra Island – Observe Galapagos iguanas on the island where they were exterminated in the 50s and successfully reintroduced in the 90s.