MONEY:
Ecuador,
and the Galapagos Islands, have officially been "dollarized." U.S.
dollars are accepted on the islands. Mastercard
and Visa are the most commonly accepted credit cards while American Express
are less used.
The
bank on the islands is called El Banco del Pacifico. There is another,
Banco del Fomento, but this is only usefull for locals and it is very
slow.
El
Banco de Pacifico in Puerto Ayora:
Will
exchange traveler's checks for a 5% commission (it doesn't make sense,
we know!). The bank is open Monday to Friday 8:00 - 3:30 and Saturday
9:30 -12:30. Personal checks of toehr banks are not accepted. The ATM operates 24 hours.
The
islands are not cheap by any means, and so budget for at least $60.00/day
per person for basic lodging and food. Everything else is extra. Keep
in mind that it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and so don't miss
out on anything extraordinary because of poor budgeting! Lodging ranges
from $20.00/night per person to over $150.00/night per person. If you
intend to stay several nights in one place, oftentimes you can work
out a deal. Be prepared, though, to pay about double what you pay on
mainland Ecuador.
FEES
AND TAXES: Upon arrival to the islands, everybody must pay a
park entrance fee of $100.00. In the past, they accepted student cards
to give a discount, but now they don't. The only ones exempt from this
fee are the residents of the islands, residents of Ecuador, or those
in the pacto-Andino (and they still have to pay $50.00).
The
entrance fee is a small price to pay, however, to maintain the islands.
The fee helps fund the maintenance of the parks and other national projects.
The
park entrance fee is distributed as follows: 40% Galapagos National
Park; 20% Galapagos Municipalities; 10% Galapagos Province Government;
10% Galapagos National Institute (INGALA); 5% Galapagos Marine Reserve;
5% Galapagos Province Inspection and Quarantine System; 5% INEFAN (National
Park Service); 5% National Army. In total, these fees assist in the
protection and preservation of the Islands.
Islas
Galapagos (Spanish)
What
to bring
