Posted by There really isn’t any good beach close by Puerto Ayora – there are some sandy stretches close to Charles Darwin Research Station – but out there the way are pretty rough so it is better for surfing than swimming. If you want the main beach of the city you have to go for a bit of a walk.
The main beach is Tortuga Bay which is located at the end of a 2,5 kilometer – 1,5 miles trail. There is no road to the beach so you will have to walk if you are going to the beach. The trail is fairly flat and easy and takes you through a nice vegetated area with the occasional birds. You shouldn’t go too late since the area is closed at 6 pm.
When you finally make it to the end of the trail you will get rewarded by a nice sandy beach where you can enjoy the not so warm waters of Santa Cruz.
At the beach you are pretty certain to spot some marine iguanas and probably some birds looking for a meal. Apparently there are sometimes flamingos at this beach – but they must have been taking a break from the beach life while we visited.
Bird along the trail to Tortuga Bay 
Fly catching bird along the trail to Tortuga Bay
It is worth to walk to the beach even if you don’t want to go into the cold waters – the walk is nice and you can spot some birds along the hike.
FrejaTravels 