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| Waiting to take a dip in the sea |
| Aabhas Sharma / New Delhi Feb 15, 2009, 00:19 IST |
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The Galapagos Islands could be the place you want to visit next.
Charles Darwin remains the most celebrated visitor to the Galapagos Islands. In his book, The Origin of Species, he mentions how vital the visit was to the development of his theories. Even if you are not interested in Darwin or his theories, the Galapagos Islands are among the most exotic destinations in the world. The number of tourists visiting the islands have been growing year on year.
Galapagos, with 13 major volcanic islands and over 40 small islands, is heaven for people interested in exploring flora and fauna in the Pacific.
The islands are situated in the Pacific, near the coast of Ecuador. Most of the exotic wildlife on the islands can be seen through boat tours or yacht tours.
The one-stop shop for knowing everything about the islands is the Charles Darwin Research Center, on Santa Cruz Island. It exhibits a wealth of information on the Galapagos’ geology, climate and conservation efforts. You’ll find gorgeous beaches that offer great opportunities for hiking, biking, horseback riding and what have you.
For bird lovers the North Seymour Island is considered perfect. You can spot many kinds of birds here and also discover sea lions and nesting marine iguanas. Penguins, albatross, seals and flamingoes can easily be spotted here. If that’s not enough, some of the most exotic marine creatures are also found here. It is one of the best spots for diving, and people who visit these islands make sure they don’t go back without a diving experience. Of course, there are other water activities such as sailing and snorkelling which are extremely popular among tourists.
The Isabella Island is the largest body of land in the archipelago and houses six major volcanoes with lava flows emanating from them.
There have been concerns recently about tourism taking its toll on the islands. Several issues related to wildlife conservation have also been raised. Conservationists have argued that activities like snorkelling and scuba diving should be curbed. Tourists, however, have been flocking to the islands in huge numbers.
After all, there are very few islands in the world that are so picturesque, so beautiful.
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