9. Post Office Bay
This old wooden barrel has served as a make-shift voluntary post-office since the 1790s. Whalers and merchant mariners used to leave messages here in the hopes that some passerby would deliver it to their addressee. It is still being used for this purpose today. Galapagos visitors from all over the world make a pit-stop at Floreana’s Post Office Bay to leave stampless postcards and envelopes, ideally taking a few back to their home countries for delivery too. It’s an honor system that gives you a nostalgic taste of life before the internet.
10. Galapagos Tortoises
Of all the native creatures in the Galapagos, the giant tortoises are the biggest draw for most visitors. The first time you encounter one of these lumbering beasts in the forest, you will be spellbound. Their unexpected hissing and mooing sounds might surprise you too. Did you know these reptiles can go without food or water for a year? Sadly, that fact led to their near-extinction, as mariners would take them as an easy source of fresh meat and oil on their long voyages.
