The Galapagos islands off the coast of Ecuador, technically Ecuadorian, is nothing like the mainland except for the people, food, language, and culture. Other than that it's a magical world of nature; where the sea lions outnumber the locals and even take to the streets.
The Galapagos was also used as a military base during WWII, of course....so there is an element of that as well. Along with all the sea lions there is other wildlife seemingly everywhere. Being surrounded by big animals and small, you really feel like you are living at the zoo, but with no cages, fortunately lions and tigers are not native to the land.
Sadly man killed almost all the tortoises for food and oil, except for a few which are now making a comeback. Their are breeding sites on the islands to ensure a steady population growth. If you are a fan of wildlife and exotic hikes then the Galapagos is surely the place to visit. Now come along lets have a closer look!