The starting point for planning any cruise of the Galapagos is deciding exactly what type of boat you would like to join. There are many options to choose from depending on your personal preferences, but most boats are classed as either small ships, motor yachts or sailing vessels (see pictures below, left to right).

Other factors to consider, which will inform your choice may be as follows: Are you an individual, couple or family? As not all vessels cater for families and individuals may be expected to share a cabin with a stranger or pay the full price for a double cabin. Your personal interests may be imoprtant, for example, you might be a keen diver - in which case you would go for the 'Eric, Flamingo and Letty' fleet of motor yachts as they are the only ones who cater for divers. Dive conditions in the Galapagos can be challenging with currents and so this option is only really available for those with relevant qualifications and a record of logged dive experience.

Weather in the Galapagos Islands is attractive to adventure travel and small ship cruising year round. The climate of Ecuador's Pacific coast and the Galapagos Islands are almost entirely influenced by the ocean currents. The warm Panama current from the north warms the water and brings warm sunny days with sporadic rains from January until April. The rain usually arrives in the afternoon, and often clears up by the early evening. From May to December both the cool Humboldt and Peru currents from the south cooler weather predominates, and rain is uncommon creating comfortable hiking weather. Although seas are rarely rough, trade winds cause the ocean to be choppier this time of year and a misty fog may linger into the day.

December - May
December marks the beginning of the warm, wet season and until May it is usually warm and sunny with some showers.

June - November
June starts the dry season with cooler temperatures which continue right through to Nov. Water conditions may be windy and choppy.

After all the sights and sounds of Ecuador, where better than the sleepy, laid-back charm of the beautiful island of Bonaire in the South Caribbean for a few days relaxation? With return flights from Quito with KLM scheduled to stop at Bonaire, this is a perfect destination for a beach extension as part of your Peruvian Secrets tour of Ecuador & the Galapagos.

Bonaire is part of a group of islands, known as the 'ABC islands', comprising of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. These islands are all part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and lie just north of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea. Bonaire itself is the smallest of these islands being only 24 miles long. The charming laid-back atmosphere of island life to be found here holds much of its appeal. Although idyllic and great for water sports such as snorkelling and scuba diving, Bonaire is not as well developed as other Caribbean islands therefore you should not expect the same infrastructure as might be found on some of the other larger, more developed of the Caribbean destinations.

Our accommodation of choice on Bonaire is the Eden Beach Resort, which is one of only a few resorts on Bonaire with its own sandy beach. With one and two bedroom self-catering studio units that are fully equipped, you can find all the amenities of a beach home. Some Bonaire visitors prefer to stay at the larger hotels but Eden Beach caters to guests looking for a more personal and intimate stay, in keeping with the Peruvian Secrets ethos. Famous for its world-class scuba diving, other popular activities on Bonaire include snorkelling, windsurfing, sailing, kayaking and cycling.