Rábida Island is one of the smaller islands of the Galapagos archipelago. It’s unpopulated (by humans, at least) and is located just south of the far larger island of Santiago. Fairly arid and steep sided, Rábida has a distinct red color thanks to its highly porous and iron-rich lava rock. The island is home to a number of small volcanic craters.
Having recovered from some conservation challenges in the form of introduced goats and rats, Rábida is now a bird-spotter’s paradise and a popular destination for Galapagos cruises. The island is home to nine species of finch, as well as Galapagos doves, yellow warblers, large billed flycatchers, Galapagos hawks, mockingbirds, flamingos and brown pelicans. There’s also a bachelor sea lion colony, whose lazy residents love to lie around on the beach.
Main Visitor Sites on Rábida Island
The Beach — The coast of Rábida Island is mostly rocky and steep sided, apart from an amazing beach on the north coast. The beach has spectacular dark red sand, thanks again to the volcanic nature of the island. Sea lions relax here, and flamingoes wade through a lagoon just behind the beach. Most visits to Rábida end with swimming or snorkeling, both of which are excellent here. Tropical fish swim in abundance near the rocks to the east of the island.
The Trail — A trail leads from the beach, past the lagoon and on up to the island’s forest of palo santo trees (a medicinal tree in the same family as frankincense and myrrh). The whole trail is full of bird-spotting opportunities, and you can also expect to come across an occasional snake or lizard.
Read more about this island at Galapagos Conservancy.
Galapagos Cruises that Visit Rábida Island
Other Main Galapagos Islands and Visitor Sites
Baltra Island / Bartolomé Island / Chinese Hat Islet / Eden Islet / Española Island / Fernandina Island / Floreana Island / Genovesa Island / Isabela Island / Mosquera Islet / North Seymour Island / San Cristóbal Island / Santa Cruz Island / Santa Fe Island / Santiago Island / South Plaza Island
Galapagos Travel Guide
Galapagos Tours & Cruises / Galapagos & Machu Picchu Tours / Galapagos Land-Based Tours / Galapagos FAQ / Galapagos Weather / Galapagos Accommodations / Top Galapagos Activities by Land or by Sea / Galapagos Wildlife Calendar / Galapagos Packing List / Galapagos Blog Posts / Galapagos Cruise Deals / Galapagos Islands Map
Galapagos Wildlife: 15 Iconic Species
American Flamingo / Blue-Footed Booby / Flightless Cormorant / Frigatebirds: Great and Magnificent / Galapagos Fur Seal / Galapagos Giant Tortoise / Galapagos Hawk / Galapagos Penguin / Galapagos Sea Lion / Land Iguana / Marine Iguana / Nazca Booby / Red-Footed Booby / Santa Fe Land Iguana / Waved Albatross
Galapagos Cruise Ships
Galapagos Legend / Santa Cruz II / La Pinta / Isabela II / Coral I & II / Galapagos Sea Star Journey / Infinity / Natural Paradise / Horizon / Petrel / Treasure of Galapagos / Galapagos Seaman Journey / EcoGalaxy
Other Galapagos Tours
Ecuador Amazon Tours / Ecuador & Chile Tours / Ecuador & Peru Tours / Galapagos Adventure Tours / Galapagos & Amazon Tours / Galapagos Luxury Tours / Galapagos, Machu Picchu, & Easter Island Tours / Galapagos Wildlife Tours / Machu Picchu & Galapagos Tours / Peru & Ecuador Tours / Quito to Galapagos Tours
Galapagos Cruises by Duration
4-Day Galapagos Cruises / 5-Day Galapagos Cruises / 6-Day Galapagos Cruises / 7-Day Galapagos Cruises / 8-Day Galapagos Cruises
Ecuador Travel Guide
Ecuador Tours & Travel / Ecuador FAQ / Ecuador Weather / Ecuador Accommodations / Ecuador Blog Posts
Top Ecuador Travel Destinations
Baños / Cuenca / Guayaquil / Otavalo / Quito / The Ecuadorian Amazon / The Galapagos Islands