I’ve always had a bucket list of dream destinations — Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Italy. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to visit them all, plus many more spectacular places. But when the opportunity arose to travel to the Galapagos Islands for a yoga retreat, even though I wasn't sure I could place them on a map, I jumped at it.
Flying first to South America, then to the middle of the Ecuadorian waters of the Pacific Ocean, this once-in-a-lifetime trip took almost 24 hours, four planes, two buses and a boat to finally arrive on Santa Cruz, the main island of the 127 in the archipelago, then onto our final destination of Montemar Eco Luxury Villa — or as I like to call it: Paradise. After the exhausting travel, owner and former naturalist guide Reyna Oleas told us to breathe deeply and embrace the moment, because here, unwinding isn't just an activity — it's a way of life.
Every corner of Montemar (montemar.ec) is designed to blend natural elegance with comfort, from hand-chosen local materials to open, light-filled spaces that breathe with the land. Architecture doesn’t compete with nature — it flows with it.
Our first walk around the 43-acre highlands of Santa Cruz welcomed us with giant tortoises roaming freely in their natural habitat. They cool off in ponds, doze in mud pits and saunter along paths munching vegetation, unbothered by humans because they, like all Galapagos wildlife, have no predators. Humans here choose to protect wildlife and the environment.
Every detail of our journey told a story. Chef Juan crafted dishes with ingredients from Montemar's community garden, bringing us the rich flavors of the Galapagos through food grown with purpose and care.
Bartolome Island, with its spectacular Pinnacle Rock, became one of my favorite destinations. After a boat ride that included lunch and breathtaking countryside views, we hiked 375 wooden steps to witness jaw-dropping volcanic landscapes and Sullivan Bay’s black lava flows. The descent led us past lounging lava lizards to Pinnacle Rock Beach, one of the Galapagos’ premier snorkeling spots. Swimming in this vibrant underwater universe, we encountered colorful tropical fish, playful sea lions, sea turtles, reef sharks and stingrays. On shore, we spotted the tiny Galapagos penguins, the second smallest in the world, and my favorite — the magnificent blue-footed boobies who look like they stepped in a can of bright blue paint.
Each morning brought outdoor yoga classes surrounded by wild horses, giant tortoises, beautiful birds and the sounds of nature. Another excursion took us to Isla Tortuga and Tortuga Bay, one of the world’s top five beaches. Enveloped by pristine white coral sand and turquoise water, we walked with land iguanas and Darwin’s finches to mangroves where we kayaked alongside giant sea turtles, reef sharks and brown pelicans.
We explored the highlands’ lava tunnels and a tortoise reserve housing more than 6,000 giant creatures (sadly down from 60,000). At Los Gemelos (twin volcanic craters), our guide led us searching for 13 species of Darwin’s finches — we found eight. North Seymour Island, created by uplifting submarine lava, is a bird watcher’s paradise with nesting frigate birds, swallowtail gulls and their babies.
South Plaza, the archipelago’s smallest island, hosts the only place where land and marine iguanas share territory — though no one knows why. A large sea lion colony also inhabits this island, and Darwin's finches nest under prickly pear cacti.
A before-sunrise water taxi and rocky hike led us to Las Grietas (the Grotto), where we floated between high volcanic walls in cool, clear water — a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Our reward was breakfast at locals’ hangout El Descanso del Guia in Puerto Ayora.
Each day, we woke to giant tortoises exploring the wild beauty around us, then sank into spaces designed for deep connection and peace. The Galapagos Islands are truly paradise — and Montemar is a gem among them, where nature and luxury create an unforgettable sanctuary at the edge of the world.