Galápagos Islands Local Custom Tips by Quero

As soon as you arrive in the Galapagos, you will wait in a long, long line to have your passport stamped (yes, even if it was stamped in Quito or wherever you entered the country). You will also need to pay the park fee.

IMPORTANT: You MUST pay your park fee in cash, and in US dollars. The fee is $100.

Here's a sketch of passengers waiting in line at Galapagos arrivals.

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Don't worry about taking any kind of cash to the Galapagos other than US dollars. That's the official currency. Bring enough to pay your park fee, offer tips to your guide and the boat crew, buy souvenirs, snacks to take aboard the boat, etc.

You can use credit cards in a few places in the Galapagos, but don't count on it. It's best just to have cash. If you do find youself making a large enough purchase that you exhaust your stock of greenbacks and need to pay with plastic, keep in mind that American Express just won't cut it here.

There is an ATM machine in Puerto Ayora that works--or should I say is *supposed* to work--with the Cirrus system. (One boatmate of mine tried to get some cash, but she was unsuccessful; I doubt she was the only one.)

(And no, that's not all my money.... this is a stock photo from somewhere, LOL.)

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