Galápagos: Secret Watering Hole

Many of the shores in the Galápagos Islands are trafficked by slow-moving tortoise paws, the blue feet of birds — and curious travelers' tiptoes. But there are at least seven rocky coasts here that have been worn down by high-heeled flamingos and little else. Rocas Bainbridge are a chain of volcanic cones off the southeastern coast of Santiago Island, where crater-formed turquoise lagoons attract cotton-candy-colored flocks. Don't plan a trek across these jagged surfaces; there are no Galápagos National Park visitor sites here. Instead, board a passing ship to spy flamingos gath- ered around these lakes. Or slip into the surrounding water — with a snorkel or an air tank — and look for the green turtles that have paddled past these shores for millions of years. However you take them in, Rocas Bainbridge are a departure from the ordinary. And in the Galápagos, where the unexpected is business as usual, that's no small feat.

More Information

• Learn more about the Galapagos Conservancy, formerly known as Charles Darwin Foundation Inc., and its dedication to the long-term protection of the Galapagos Islands at galapagos.org.