The beautiful white sand beach of Gardner Bay is situated on the north coast of Española, one of the oldest islands in the Galapagos archipelago. Just offshore is Gardner Islet, a great snorkelling spot where you can see sea lions, green turtles and (if you're lucky) reef sharks and rays.

Española is the most southerly island in the Galapagos, and the remote location means it’s home to several endemic species, including the Española lava lizard and the Española mockingbird. In addition, the island is the sole breeding ground for the world’s entire population of waved albatrosses, which can be seen here between April and December.

The name is slightly misleading, as you won't find any cormorants here! Instead you'll discover a wonderful white sand beach where turtles and stingrays swim in the shallows, and a brackish lagoon where vivid pink American flamingos nest.

Flamingos, cormorants and sea turtles can all be found around Floreana, and the island also has an interesting human history. This is the site of the famous Galapagos ‘post office’, a barrel where sailors would place letters to be transported home by passing ships.

Bahia Elizabeth, on the west coast of Isabela, is an incredible wildlife spot. As your zodiac cruises amongst the islets studding the bay you can expect to see blue-footed boobies, flightless cormorants and Galapagos penguins, while the mangroves beyond are home to sea turtles, rays, pelicans and even sharks.

Punta Espinoza is home to the largest colony of marine iguanas in the Galapagos, and you will see them draped across the black lava rocks sunning themselves during the day. Other species on Fernandina Island include Sally Lightfoot crabs, sea lions and the rare flightless cormorant.

Punta Vicente Roca is one of the best snorkelling locations off the coast of Isabela, and the waters at the base of the cliffs teem with life, including sea turtles, sea lions and Galapagos penguins. There are also caves where you can see birds including brown noddies and flightless cormorants.

South Plaza is one of the smallest islands open to visitors in the Galapagos, dotted with prickly pear cacti and home to a wealth of wildlife, including red-billed tropic birds, land and marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies and a large colony of sealions.

Access to Daphne Major is highly restricted and you won’t be able to land here, but a circumnavigation reveals birdlife including Nazca and blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, red-billed tropicbirds and swallow-tailed gulls. Daphne Major was also the site of Peter and Rosemary Grant’s 40-year study of Darwin’s finches, documented in the fascinating book ‘The Beak of the Finch’.

The aptly named Cerro Dragón, or ‘Dragon Hill’, is known for its population of land iguanas. These creatures were very nearly wiped out by feral dogs in the 1970s, but the conservation efforts of the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galapagos National Park have been very successful in protecting the iguanas and growing their numbers.

Puerto Ayora is the largest town in the Galapagos, on the south coast of Santa Cruz island. From here you can visit the lush highlands where giant tortoises roam free, and you can learn more about tortoise conservation at the Charles Darwin Research Station.