The Galápagos Marine Reserve surrounds the Galápagos Islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean, about 1,000 km (600 mi) off Ecuador's coast. The Galápagos Marine Reserve covers 133,000 square kilometers (51,352 square miles). Indeed, it is one of the largest and most biologically diverse marine protected areas in the world. The reserve was created in 1998.
The Galápagos Marine Reserve is rich in marine and animal life. Around 3,000 marine species live here, of which over 20% are endemic to the reserve, including around 400 are fish species alone. Visitors can see marine iguanas, Galápagos land iguanas, Galápagos crabs, Galápagos sea lion, sharks, blue-footed boobie, swallow-tailed gulls, ducks, frigatebirds, and the galápagos tortoise. The reserve also offers some places to snorkel and scuba dive.
Entrance fee: Foreign tourists $100 adults $50 children. Andean Community and Mercosur nations $50 adults $25 children. Ecuadorians $6 adults $3 children.
