Gardner Bay Beach(Bahia Gardner)

Located in Espanola Island, Gardner Bay – also called Gardner Bay Beach and Bahia Gardner – is a beautiful mile-long white-sand beach in the popular vacation destination the Galapagos Islands.  Lonely Planet magazine listed this beach as one of the 25 best beaches in the world in 2024.  In addition, CNN has named this beach as one of the best beaches in the world in 2017, and it is also a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach.

Gardner Beach Ecuador does not have lifeguards or any other amenities, so please plan accordingly.

Gardner Bay Galapagos offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, hiking, swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, scuba diving, boating, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, water-skiing, kayaking, canoeing, and wildlife watching. 

This beach is ideal for less-experienced swimmers because the shallow water here usually has gentle waves and a mostly sandy bottom.  This beach is also ideal for snorkelers, who often visit here to explore its vibrant nearby marine biodiversity – you can see many kinds of marine animals here including white tipped reef shark, manta ray, sea turtles, king angelfish, and marine iguanas.  There is an islet near the beach that is a particularly ideal snorkeling site.  If you are planning to swim, kayak, or canoe here, we recommend being careful because the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents and dangerous waves.  In addition, stingrays and scorpion fish also reside in the ocean bed here and these animals can also inflict dangerous stings if disturbed.  This beach is ideal for visitors looking for a quieter beach experience because it sees fewer visitors than other beaches of the Galapagos Islands. 

If you like bird watching, you can see Espanola mockingbirds here that are largely endemic to Espanola Island – in addition to mockingbirds, you can also see many other coastal bird species including Darwin’s finches and booby birds.  In addition, you can also see seals and marine iguanas here.  If you like taking pictures with beautiful views, Gardner Bay offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Pacific Ocean and the Espanola Islands shoreline. 

Gardner Bay does not offer wheelchair access to visitors with disabilities.

Getting to Gardner Bay can be slightly difficult because the only way to reach this beach is through a boat – you can get a private boat tour to this beach from the nearby San Cristobal Island or other nearby Galapagos Islands including Isabela Island or Santa Cruz Island.  You can check the websites of many private tour operators on the internet to get more information on boat tours to the beach – some of the private operators include Galapagos Travel Center and Galapatours.  Please note that the tourist boats visiting this beach usually offer a wet landing – you need to get down from the boat into the shallow water near the beach and then wade your way to Gardner Bay.

Green sea turtles use this beach as a seasonal nesting site between January and March.  In addition, this beach is also one of the longest beaches in the Galapagos Islands.

There are many attractions near Gardner Bay in the nearby Galapagos Islands.  Punta Suarez is a coastal area that is a popular bird watching site – some of the birds that you can see here are Espanola mockingbirds, Nazca booby birds, blue footed boobies, the Galapagos dove, red-billed tropic birds, and waved albatrosses.  This coastal area offers a moderately strenuous hike and a unique way to explore the local rugged landscape and unique biodiversity.  Punta Cormoran is a coastal area located on the nearby island of Isla Floreana – it has a vibrant landscape which includes multiple unnamed beaches, including a beach with green-colored sand.  In addition, this coastal area also has a sizeable brackish lagoon that is home to many flamingos – you can see many other animals here including turtles and reef sharks.  Concha de Perla is a natural pool within a mangrove forest in the nearby Isabela Island – this natural rocky pool is a popular snorkeling site.  This pool is home to many kinds of aquatic and semi-aquatic animals including marine iguanas, sea lions, and tropical fish.  Wall of Tears is a historical monument located on Isabela Island – this wall was built by local prisoners in the 1940s and the 1950s, when this island was used as a penal colony.  Many prisoners died during its construction, and some say that this historic site is haunted.  If you are looking for another attraction near the beach, Charles Darwin Research Station is a research center that was founded in 1959 to undertake scientific research and to promote environmental education.  This center offers many interesting exhibitions on local natural history, culture, and ecology – in addition, it also offers a native plant garden, a cafeteria, a library, and a gift shop.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Gardner Bay in the town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on the nearby San Cristobal Island.  Giuseppe’s Restaurant is an Italian restaurant that offers grilled chicken, Italian-style tuna steaks, pizzas, pasta, sandwiches, and burgers.  El Descanso Marinero offers a variety of delicious dishes including seafood, burgers, rice dishes, salads, and chicken dishes.  Restaurante Lucky offers many great snacks including seafood, pasta, empanadas, and French fries.  Cafe San Cristobal offers a variety of excellent dishes including hamburgers, pizzas, sandwiches, and fries – it also offers refreshing beverages and great desserts.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby restaurant, Cri’s Burgers is known for serving delicious burgers, along with other dishes including seafood, pasta, fries, tacos, and fajitas. 

If you are looking for a hotel near Gardner Bay, there are many great nearby options in the nearby islands of San Cristobal and Santa Cruz.  The 4-Star Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel offers many amenities including a restaurant, a bar, a garden, a pool, a spa, massage services, and loaner facilities for watersports equipment.  Another great upscale hotel is the 4-Star Angermeyer Waterfront Inn that offers many amenities including a restaurant, a cafe, a sundeck, a pier, and complimentary breakfast.  The 4-Star Golden Bay Galapagos is another great hotel that offers many amenities including a restaurant, a bar, and a terrace.  A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Casa Playa Mann offers many amenities including a garden and a terrace.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby hotel, the 3-Star Hotel los Algarrobos offers many amenities including a terrace and a restaurant.