Ecuador
Rabida Island, Galapagos Islands
Rábida Island: Red Sand and a Saltwater Lagoon in the Galápagos
Rábida covers just 4.9 square kilometers and has no residents, yet it is one of the most volcanically varied islands in the Galápagos. Its dry slopes carry opuntia cactus, palo santo trees and scrub, along with one plant listed as critically endangered. Divers off its northern tip see sea lions, sea turtles and eagle rays, and now and then sharks and penguins.
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Good to know
A Guided Landing
Visits to Rábida are made only with a naturalist guide authorized by Galápagos National Park, and the island has one visitor site on land. You come ashore by a wet landing on a maroon beach on the north coast, so expect to step into the shallows, and a short trail leads inland from there.
- Rábida lies about 4.5 km south of Santiago Island, and its highest point is 367 meters.
- Apart from that beach, most of the coast is rocky and the slopes are steep.
- Marine iguanas and sea lions often rest in the shade of small caves near the landing.
- Visits ashore are allowed only in daylight, between 6:00 and 18:00, and the national park sets every boat's itinerary.
- A naturalist guide leads no more than 16 visitors at a time.
- Visits here often end with a swim or snorkel off the beach.
Visiting Rules
Rábida is part of Galápagos National Park, so an authorized naturalist guide leads every visit and the park's rules apply from the moment you land. The trail here is short, and your guide will keep the group on it.
- Keep to the marked trail and follow the signs.
- Stay at least two meters from every animal, even one that walks toward you, and never feed wildlife.
- Switch off your flash when photographing animals.
- Do not bring food, plants or animals into the islands.
- Smoking and fires are not allowed anywhere in the park, and all rubbish goes back to the boat with you.
- Do not buy souvenirs made from black coral, shells, lava rock, animal parts or native wood.
A Brief History
Rábida has no residents, so its history is mostly about its names and about the animals people brought there. Recent work has focused on undoing that damage.
- 1793: The British captain James Colnett named the island Jervis Island, after Admiral John Jervis.
- Its Spanish name: Rábida honors the convent of La Rábida, where Christopher Columbus left his son during his voyage to the Americas.
- 1905: The California Academy of Sciences collected a giant tortoise recorded as coming from Rábida. Genetic tests later showed it came from southern Isabela.
- 1959: Ecuador declared most of the islands' land a national park.
- The 1970s: Goats were brought to the island twice and removed both times. They had already led to the loss of several native animals, including geckos, land iguanas and rice rats.
- 2007: An international workshop in the Galápagos drew up a plan to rid Pinzón and Rábida of rats.
- January 2011: Park staff, working with Island Conservation, removed the introduced rats to help Galápagos penguins and a tree daisy, Scalesia stewartii.
- To learn more ashore: The Charles Darwin Research Station stands on Academy Bay in Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz Island. It is the base of the Charles Darwin Foundation and has a natural history interpretation center.
Rábida with Children
The trail at Rábida is short, which suits younger walkers. The landing is wet, so sandals or water shoes make it simpler.
- Younger children: Count the sea lions on the red sand and look for marine iguanas in the shady caves near the beach. Brown pelicans nest in the saltbush right behind it.
- School age: Check the lagoon for flamingos, which take their pink color from the tiny shrimp larvae and water boatmen they eat. In some years none come at all, so treat a sighting as a bonus. Nine species of finch have been recorded on the island.
- Teenagers: Snorkel off the beach with your group, then ask your guide why the island is red: the lava has a high iron content. The tortoise that genetic tests traced to another island makes a good puzzle to talk through.
Accessible Travel
At Rábida you step from the boat into shallow water on the beach, and the trail inland is short. Galápagos landings can be slippery and trails rocky, which makes them difficult for people with mobility or balance problems.
- Ask your boat before booking how the crew helps passengers from the dinghy to the shore.
- Bring a hat, water and sun protection.
- Travel health insurance is mandatory for foreign visitors to the Galápagos, so check that your policy covers the islands.
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