Las Grietas
Las Grietas
4.5
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- Krysten JWashington DC, District of Columbia15 contributionsUnique and spectacular!!!Make sure to bring the $10 per person entrance fee in cash and wear closed toe shoes for the walk to the water. But what a beautiful place! The water is so clear that you can see fish standing at the top of the water...!!!Visited June 2023Traveled with familyWritten June 22, 2023
- DrRobertGuidoNorth Las Vegas, Nevada11 contributionsSwimming in a lava tunnel: do it on your ownThe snorkeling experience doesn’t stand up to other experiences in Galápagos but you can’t beat the idea of swimming through a lava tunnel and seeing the few fish in the water. Well worth the $10 entry fee. DO NOT pay for a guided experience that is advertised in the town for $35-$40. You can do this for $12 per person on your own. Take the water taxi and just follow the path. It’s about a 15 minute walk. Do yourself a favor and stop at German beach when you’re done as there is excellent snorkeling at the beach to include sea turtles.Visited June 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten July 2, 2023
- Jenny S13 contributionsSuper beautifulIt was worth the time and effort. Might be one place taking a tour there would be useful. You must wait for a tour to begin and they only go every hour or two. Make sure you rent a life jacket and snorkel if you aren't on a tour. They are available just inside the gate. Otherwise you will miss seeing all of the fish! Oh and don't go on yhe weekends! Apparently very full.Visited August 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten August 8, 2023
- Brendan SArlington, Virginia1,688 contributionsDelightful swimming holeLas Grietas is a saltwater swimming hole nestled between lava cliffs (apparently, cliff diving was allowed previously but no longer is). It’s accessed via water taxi from Santa Cruz and a walk through a salt lake and marsh. One hour reservations are required. This is a good thing as you have the pool to yourself and one hour is sufficient. The pool is about 75 yards long, very deep and about 70 degrees. There are a few fish, and apparently some eels, but it’s more about swimming in the scenic grotto between cliffs than seeing aquatic wildlife.Visited December 2023Traveled with friendsWritten December 22, 2023
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duhoz
Beroun, Czech Republic6,315 contributions
Mar 2020
There are 3 pools but many people just stay in the first one. This place has crystal clear water but it is all day too crowded to have a nice and relaxing experience. Not really possible to lay down or safely put the stuff. From the water taxi (0,80$) drop off it is about 10-15 minutes walk passing Playa de los Alemanes and pink salt flats. Then register at the boots and walk down the stairs. If you want to stay longer bring snack/drinks but there is small bar next the salt lake to get drinks.
Written March 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tim G
1 contribution
Nov 2022 • Solo
As of 2022 tourists are required to hire a guide and pay $10 to visit Las Grietas, while locals are allowed to visit for free without a guide. This is a new policy that is not reflected in most guidebooks - access used to be free for everyone. Even if I thought visiting Las Grietas was worth $10 (it's not), I would refuse to pay the entrance fee on principal, due to the discriminatory rules. There is no logical reason why only tourists and not locals would require a guide. In fact, there is no reason a guide would be needed at this site for any visitor, based on either safety or environmental factors. This new rule is a sneaky attempt by Puerto Ayora to extract even more money from tourists.
Please avoid visiting Las Grietas until free access is restored for everyone. Otherwise these discriminatory practices will be copied in other places and you will begin to see tourist fees and guide requirements for other sites in the Galapagos that are currently free. Vote with your wallet and let the local authorities know that this is not acceptable.
There is a nice beach (Playa de Los Alemanes) just before the entrance to Las Grietas that has excellent snorkeling at high tide. In about 15 minutes there I saw sharks, eels, rays, huge schools of fish, and a large variety of very colorful reef fish including some I hadn't seen anywhere else in the Galapagos. The snorkeling is vastly better here than at Las Grietas, and best of all it's free and you won't have a useless guide following you around.
Please avoid visiting Las Grietas until free access is restored for everyone. Otherwise these discriminatory practices will be copied in other places and you will begin to see tourist fees and guide requirements for other sites in the Galapagos that are currently free. Vote with your wallet and let the local authorities know that this is not acceptable.
There is a nice beach (Playa de Los Alemanes) just before the entrance to Las Grietas that has excellent snorkeling at high tide. In about 15 minutes there I saw sharks, eels, rays, huge schools of fish, and a large variety of very colorful reef fish including some I hadn't seen anywhere else in the Galapagos. The snorkeling is vastly better here than at Las Grietas, and best of all it's free and you won't have a useless guide following you around.
Written November 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
oretro
oretro16 contributions
Aug 2021
Top 3 worst things:
1. The wasps. They are EVERYWHERE near las grietas. Saw one guy who was exiting the water get stung... sounded painful.
2. The guide. She made us wait at multiple points before going to Las Grietas - I'll never get back those 45 minutes she spent inching us towards Las Grietas to keep to a timeline.
3. The time enforcements. We had to wait to form a group to go in. Then, we were given just twenty minutes to spend in Las Grietas. (We had spent ten of our precious thirty minutes putting on wetsuits, which we didn't know counted against our time).
I can understand having different prices for locals vs. visitors, so that is less the issue.
It was EXTREMELY crowded with tour groups coming and going. We were there at 10:15 a.m. on a Wednesday.
1. The wasps. They are EVERYWHERE near las grietas. Saw one guy who was exiting the water get stung... sounded painful.
2. The guide. She made us wait at multiple points before going to Las Grietas - I'll never get back those 45 minutes she spent inching us towards Las Grietas to keep to a timeline.
3. The time enforcements. We had to wait to form a group to go in. Then, we were given just twenty minutes to spend in Las Grietas. (We had spent ten of our precious thirty minutes putting on wetsuits, which we didn't know counted against our time).
I can understand having different prices for locals vs. visitors, so that is less the issue.
It was EXTREMELY crowded with tour groups coming and going. We were there at 10:15 a.m. on a Wednesday.
Written August 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leaky B
Boulder, CO375 contributions
Jan 2020
Las Grietas is a swimming hole from the viewpoint of human users where fresh and sea water mingle (brackish). You walk along a path for 20-30 minutes to get there. It had rained that day, so the path seemed a bit slick. There are prickly pears (opuntias) growing along the path, lots of lovely little black finches, and of course, an abundance of marine iguanas. Along the path you will go past a salt pond — a small lake with little water that is white and orange with salt and ? There is also a bar where you can stop and have a beer with an Italian bartender. If you’re not planning to swim, you can just stop at the top of the stairs and look at the swimming hole. But as I said, it had rained, so the stairs seemed rather treacherous. We only looked and didn’t feel comfortable descending them (and we are fit).
Written January 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
product-of-canada
Toronto, Canada2,389 contributions
Jul 2022
Definitely a worthwhile stop while on Santa Cruz Island, and you have the time.
It was a bit surreal swimming in a cave-like environment. I would say it is worth the scramble through the rocks, at the mid-way point, to get to the other side of the Greitas. Much less busy over there. I did so, and I was the only one there.
If you do not want to scramble the rocks in the water, I noticed that they are building a wooden staircase on the other side. So you could just walk the perimeter to the back, and then enter the water from the back.
The reason for my 4/5 scoring is the lame, new $10 USD fee to enter. This was free pre-pandemic. There is no way there should be any charge for a government run/protected site after paying a $100 USD (cash only) fee at the airport. Boooooo!
It was a bit surreal swimming in a cave-like environment. I would say it is worth the scramble through the rocks, at the mid-way point, to get to the other side of the Greitas. Much less busy over there. I did so, and I was the only one there.
If you do not want to scramble the rocks in the water, I noticed that they are building a wooden staircase on the other side. So you could just walk the perimeter to the back, and then enter the water from the back.
The reason for my 4/5 scoring is the lame, new $10 USD fee to enter. This was free pre-pandemic. There is no way there should be any charge for a government run/protected site after paying a $100 USD (cash only) fee at the airport. Boooooo!
Written September 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cam
4 contributions
Jun 2022
You must pay $10/person in order to get into the area and guided into the pools of water. The time you are allowed to swim is quite short (30-45 minutes), but it is very beautiful. There are many people in each group so be aware that you will be with many people and getting good pictures of the water may be difficult. They are mostly finished with a second area for swimming, which from my understanding will be split into day visitors and big tours. Hopefully that will help with how crowded this place can get.
Written June 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mfjaramillo
Quito, Ecuador153 contributions
Jul 2019
Las Grietas is a beach on the other side of the Puerto Ayora pier. I believe the only way to get there is by water taxi, although you might also be able to get there by car and then walk (probably quite a lot). It's a beach inside a volcanic rock crevasse so it's pretty safe and awesome to swim there. Try to get there early in the morning because around midday and the afternoon there's a lot of people. You might also want to swim further into the crevasse to see more fish, turtles, and other animals.
Written January 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hedy R
Reisterstown, MD13 contributions
Feb 2023
Contrary to the folks who described this as a tourist trap, our family (we took our 2 twenty-something kids) thought this was well worth the trip and $. We had a wonderful guide and a group of about 8-10 tourists. It was a decent length hike and was over some very rocky terrain. Wear hiking shoes or sturdy sneakers for this part and bring water shoes for the swim as the rocks where you enter and can stand on are slippery. Our guide was great and provided a lot of info during our hike about the salt flats and other scenery. We were given a full 45 min to swim. Not too many fish to see, but a beautiful place to cool off and relax. You don't need to worry about "climbing over the rocks" to the other side as is described on some websites. They now have one side for land based tours and one side dedicated to cruise ships. The cost is reasonable (would have cost much more where we live in the Baltimore/DC area), the guide helpful in explaining what you see, and the "tour"necessary to control crowds and keep the environment safe.
Written February 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Polly E
35 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
We visited here after a two week visit to the Galapagos. We had already seen and learned so much from our other tours but still the guide was able to give us information that we hadn’t heard before. That is one reason why you pay $10 - the other is that the unique landscapes and wildlife can only survive if numbers of visitors and their behaviour are limited and controlled. The swimming hole is not enormous and would be uncomfortable and potentially dangerous if uncontrolled. Instead, the guides monitor the numbers snd make sure every has a fair time in the pool. They will be opening the second pool sometime in summer 2022 - the new steps were going in while we were there so that will help with capacity. Overall worth a visit.
Written June 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jorit N
West Melton, New Zealand111 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
We spend an afternoon at Las Grietas and the nearby beach, and had a great time snorkelling and relaxing. You can see lots of fish. Recommend to head into the third lagoon you climbing over the first set of rocks and then dive through a small tunnel into the third. Very quite there.
Written January 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Buenos días una pregunta, cómo puedo ir a la playa Alemanes y después a la grietas ? Sin ningún guía ? Cual es el valor de los botes que llegan allá ? Por favor :)
AKrepkiy
Toronto, Canada33 contributions
Is there a way from Las Grietas to Tortuga bay or we need to go back to town?
Carlos L
North Las Vegas, NV32 contributions
you can take a couple of water taxi (boat) once you reach the ocean. It is a 20 min walk from Las grietas to the ocean, take a first boat to the Port and then a from there another boat to Tortuga bay. I walked one way and came back at 5 pm in boat ($10 one way) so I could see the coast and relax a bit.
MrSnib405
Newton, NJ17 contributions
We arrive in Puerto Aroya onThursday afternoon prior to picking up our cruise on Saturday morning. Are we better having a "free day" on Santa Cruz and engaging a taxi and go to Las Grietas and maybe Tortuga Bay. We will be visiting many islands on our cruise so I get the feeling we will see/do most of the day trip destinations.
Alternatively, is there a day trip for kayaking or are there kayak rentals on Santa Cruz?
Lastly, how safe is our stuff when we are swiiming at Las Grietas? Just purchased a brand new expensive camera and wonder if we should leave it in the hotel for this "free day" unless we are with a tour.
Thanks for any suggestions!
mamafly
Salt Lake City, UT217 contributions
It’s basically a “swimming hole” and no formal place to store items. I personally, wouldn’t take an expensive camera although I didn’t feel like anyone was out to steal anything. Lots of families / locals etc but also travelers. You put your belongings on the rocks.
Deborah L
Buenos Aires, Argentina25 contributions
cuanto sale el taxi bote hasta klas grietas ? cuanto tiempo demandaria para hacer snorke alli?gracias!!
Daniel Bun E
7 contributions
Hola amiga que tal, te comento que yo me fui en un tour entonces nos llevaban ahí como parte del mismo, pero desde la en bote hasta las grietas te cobran como 0,80 centavos de dolar, la ida y el regreso me parece es igual, si van en bote vas a tener el tiempo que tu quieras para hacer snorkeling, ahi mismo hay personas que te alquilan los chalecos y las gafas para que lo puedas hacer
Deborah L
Buenos Aires, Argentina25 contributions
hoola! voy a galapagos y tengo un dia que quería ir a la playa tortuga bay y nadar con tintoreras.me da el tiempo si voy primero temprano a las grietas y luego , a la tarde, a playa tortuga bay?cuanto sale un taxi bote desde el muelle de puerto ayora hasta ahi? te espera el taxi botpara regresarte o se arregla para el regreso, parano quedarsealli?gracias!!saludos
Alexandra Z
Quito, Ecuador60 contributions
Hola
Recomiendo ir temprano atortuga bay si tu hotel esta en centro de puerto ayora hay señalizacion para llegar al sendero para ingresar a la playa es una caminata de 30 min, en tortuga bay hay dos playas una con el mar de muchas olas y otra con mar tranquilo que es al final de la playa las opciones de regreso son por mar o caminando, los botes llegan cada 30 0 40 min a la playa de tortuga bay. Y a las grietas puedes ir en la tarde pasada 14h mediante un bote taxi que sale de puerto ayora esos hay todo el tiempo debes llegar al puerto de finca bay y caminar 20 min y llegas a las grietas ambos lugares de puede permanecer hasta 17h.
Gonzalo G
Santiago, Chile1 contribution
¿Parra llegar a Las Grietas es posible hacerlo caminando desde Puerto Ayora o hay que tomar una embarcación y después caminar?
Michelle K
Sepang, Malaysia31 contributions
hi there, you have to take a boat from puerto ayora (less then 5 minutes) & then to walk for approx. 20 minutes, its a nice easy walk & you will cross the german beach as well
Claudia P
Vina del Mar, Chile86 contributions
es muy profundo el mar??
Javier V
Santiago, Chile21 contributions
son unas piscinas naturales que se forman por filtracion de agua desde el oceano, estaran a unos 800 metros delborde costero aprox.pero en un terreno de caractisticas como este puede que la percepcion sea erronea el punto es que si, son profundas, pero puedes parar en los bordes del acantilado y si no sabes nadar lleva el chaleco salvavidas, obviamente tu equipo de snorkeling hay unos pocos peces igual que valdria la pena que observaras o si no el simple hecho de nadar y ojala no te encuentres con turistas irrespetuosos que suelen hacer piruletas de pseudoclavados desde el acantilado, es mejor ir en la mañana tirando hacia el medio dia,debes tener cuidado al bajar por una escalera hasta la piscina natural.
javierdade
Madrid, Spain16 contributions
Hola, ¿cuanto te costó la panga? ¿Cuanto tardaste en ver las grietas más o menos? De ahí queríamos ir a bahía tortuga. ¿Crees que nos podría llevar la misma panga?
Muchas gracias,
Un saludo
marianBuenosAires
buenos aires109 contributions
Hola la lancha q te lleva a las grietas no es la misma q las q van a tortuga bay. En las grietas podes estar 10 minutos o más si te gusta hacer snorkel. Te recomiendo ir sin prisa cada lugar tiene algo diferente..yo quede encantada con la playa de los alemanes para hacer snorkel con tortugas
javierdade
Madrid, Spain16 contributions
Hola, ¿Cuanto cuesta el taxi acuático? ¿Cuanto tiempo se tarda en ver las grietas más o menos? Es que quería ver las grietas y bahía tortuga en la misma mañana, para ir por la tarde al garrapatero. ¿Lo ves factible? voy un poco pillado de tiempo porque solo paso una noche en puerto ayora.
Muchas gracias,
Un saludo
christianrod11
Guayaquil, Ecuador72 contributions
Javier como va? Lo q te conviene es ir primero a tortuga bay bien tremprano 7am pregunta a cualquier persona de santa cruz la direccion llegas caminando facil seran unos 45' hasta llegar a la playa tortuga, creo q con estar un par de horas esta bien para regresar...luego tipo 11am en el muelle de santa cruz pides un taxi lancha hasta la playa de los alemanes (80cvtos de dolar) ya estando en la playa de los alemanes preguntas el camino hacia las grietas son unos 15' de caminata creo q con estar un par de horas ahi suficiente cosa q ya para la 2pm regresas al centro de santa cruz y haces lo del garrapatero a la tarde tranqui...
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Claim your listingLas Grietas - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions about Las Grietas
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Las Grietas:
- Bay Tour in Santa Cruz - Galapagos Islands (From $60.00)
- Half Day Bay Tour in Santa Cruz Island (From $70.00)
- Galapagos Intensive 5 days, land base (3Islands) Excludes galapagos flight (From $1,323.00)
- 11 Days Galapagos Full Experiences " Santa Cruz- Isabela - San Cristobal " (From $3,833.00)
- Galapagos- Santa Cruz Explorer 4 days (From $468.00)
- Hotels near Las Grietas:
- (0.44 mi) Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel
- (0.23 mi) Bay House
- (0.61 mi) Angermeyer Waterfront Inn
- (0.70 mi) Ikala Galapagos Hotel
- (0.90 mi) Hotel Cucuve Galapagos
- Restaurants near Las Grietas:
- (0.41 mi) Finch Bay Restaurant
- (0.79 mi) FraFre GastroBar
- (0.73 mi) TJ Restaurant
- (0.61 mi) IslaGrill
- (0.74 mi) Galapagos Deli