The northeastern most island in the Galapagos Archipelago, Isla Genovesa or Tower Island is just 14 sq km in size. A small island with no real tourist visitor sites, this place is actually one of the best islands to go bird watching for various seabirds.

An outlying island, it is well worth making a trip out here, as you can see not only large colonies of red-footed boobies, but nests of frigatebirds, swallow-tailed gulls, red-billed tropicbirds, storm petrels and masked boobies as well. Some other birds that have been spotted here as well include the endemic Galapagos Dove and short-eared owls.

Aside from the birds, this island plays host to many sea lion and fur seal colonies, and also offer some wonderful snorkeling prospects as well. Scuba diving here you not only come face-to-face with the playful sea lion, but also the intriguing looking Hammerhead Shark.

A relatively flat island, there are two places to land here. Make a wet landing on Darwin Bay Beach to take a panga ride of the area and see the many birds and sea lions in their natural habitat. There is also a 750m trail here that let you pass by many seabird colonies as you tour the island on foot.

For a dry landing head to Prince Philip’s Steps, which leads you up the top of a 25m high cliff, from here you can survey the rest of the island. Don’t forget to bring you camera here, as you will have plenty of photo opportunities if you are a birding enthusiast.

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