www.ecuadors.org

[bmckay]

We are planning a trip for this October. Do you have any advice as to which boat is better. We are looking for a small group (15). Where did you stay in Quito?

[SteveL]

I think the smaller boats are a better choice for the Galapagos, as they allow a more personal feeling, and more importantly keep the crowds down while walking on the islands. I can't imagine what it would be like to visit an island from a large boat--you'd no doubt have to wait a while for your turn to be shuttled to shore and then you'd have lots of people on the island at once. One of the best parts of the trip for me was to not be around hordes of other people while exploring the islands with our naturalist guide.

The naturalist can really make a difference in helping you understand and enjoy the islands.

I traveled on the Aida Maria and really found it to be a great value--good trip and service while also being not too expensive. Others might find the boat a bit crowded and not too comfortable as it is difficult for two people to stand up in the cabin at the same time. We also had bunk beds and hving both beds on the ground would be more comfortable. You get that on the more expensive boats. They also have more group space for hanging out and relaxing.

[Deems]

The Secret Garden in Colonial Quito (but quite close to New Quito) has been getting great reviews and also books trips to Galapagos. The Mariscal Sucre area may offer a good social life to tourists but Colonial Quito offers a good nightlife if you know where to go where many locals hang out and the atmosphere and architecture is lovely. I enjoyed my stay in Colonial Quito