Is Snorkeling in Concha de Perla Worth It? My honest review

Isabela Island is home to the best snorkeling in the Galapagos Archipelago, and you can experience some of it for free at Concha de Perla (AKA Pearl Shell). I spent an afternoon exploring this free, easily accessible snorkeling site, playing with sea lions, and admiring its corals!

Here’s how to visit and snorkel in Concha de Perla, as well as my honest opinion on whether it is worth adding this attraction to your Galapagos Itinerary!

General Visiting Information for Concha de Perla
⏰ Opening Hours: 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM
📍Location: Address – It is just across the street from the main pier in Isabela!
💸 Entrance fee: Free!
🥾 Trail difficulty: Super easy! Suitable for flip-flops
🐠 Sealife: Sea lions, sea turtles, marine iguanas, tropical fish

How to Go to Concha de Perla?

1. Go from Downtown Puerto Villamil to the Main Dock

Concha de Perla is located near the main pier (Muelle Turístico) of Puerto Villamil, where the inter-island ferries arrive. Most accommodations are within walking distance from the dock, but you can also take a taxi for about $1.5.

2. Identify the trail entrance and follow the pathway

Across the street from the main pier, you’ll find a wooden sign saying “Concha de Perla” and the trail map.

Enter the well-maintained wooden trail just by the sign. It leads through mangroves and ends at Concha de Perla.

The walk is about 5–10 minutes and quite scenic, as you walk, you might spot wildlife like sea lions, marine iguanas, and local birds.

As I walked, I had to be very careful not to accidentally step on the many sea lions that were lying throughout the trail.

Once you reach the end of the trail, you’ll find a wooden deck where you can leave your belongings (unsupervised) and easily access the water.

What is there to see in Concha de Perla?

In Concha de Perla, you’ll find waters with varying depths (from 10ft+ to just a few inches) where you can regularly see corals, sea lions, small fishes, and sea turtles.

There, many people get lucky and swim with marine iguanas! During my visit, there were no iguanas in the water, but I still got to interact with a few playful sea lions!

Top 3 tips for an amazing visit to Concha de Perla

1. Visit during low tide: You’ll find the best snorkeling conditions during the low tide, as the visibility decreases and currents significantly increase during high tide. Make sure to check the tide forecast online before settling on a time to visit the amazing Concha de Perla.
2. Bring your own snorkel: There is no snorkel rental on-site, so either buy your own snorkel or rent one in downtown Puerto Villamil!
3. Visit towards the morning or early afternoon: During sunset, you might come across many annoying mosquitoes in the mangrove region where the Concha de Perla lagoon is located.

My experience and honest opinion about snorkeling in Concha de Perla

Just before boarding the plane to the Galapagos, I asked an airport employee what is a must-do in the Galapagos and she answered “Concha de Perla in Isabela!”

After that, my expectations for this free snorkeling site were very high!

Maybe that is the reason why I felt a bit disappointed while snorkeling in Concha de Perla. Wildlife was not extremely abundant during my visit, and I found that the corals appeared unhealthy.

Don’t get me wrong, I still had fun and would go back to Concha Perla, but I would not put it in my list of top 5 things to do in the Galapagos! I had better snorkeling experiences in other sites regardless of budget – I absolutely loved snorkeling in the expensive Bartolome Island as well as in the free Cerro Tijeretas!

I think that when planning an Isabela Island itinerary, Concha de Perla should be seen as a fun additional stop as opposed to being a main activity. It is an amazing place to quickly stop by after coming back from tours, or to pass by during a rest day!

Isabela Island has other amazing budget-friendly activities that I found to be much more remarkable than snorkeling in Concha de Perla: