4 Best Sights in Isabela, The Galápagos Islands

Sleepy Puerto Villamil, founded in 1897 as a center for extracting lime, is the focus of Isabela's tourist trade—nearby are several lagoons where flamingos and migratory birds can be viewed up close, as well as beaches with large populations of herons, egrets, and other birds.

Isabela's other community is Santo Tomás, 18 km (11 miles) northwest of Puerto Villamil.

A more ambitious trek, requiring adequate planning and equipment, is 1,100-meter (3,600-foot) Volcán Alcedo. The site can be reached only by boat, after which a 10-km (6-mile) trail climbs over rough terrain. You cannot traipse around the island without a guide, and you'll need one here. Your rewards are stunning views and a chance to see the archipelago's largest population of Galápagos tortoises.

The island's signature excursion is a guided 9-km (5½-mile) trek ascending the 1,370-meter (4,488-foot) Volcán Sierra Negra. The volcano's crater—roughly 10 km (6 miles) in diameter—is the second-largest in the world. The volcano erupted in October 2005, but, thankfully, the event threatened none of the island's population, human or animal. Seismologists keep close watch on any untoward activity and will suspend excursions if needed.