Small but Mighty: Chinese Hat
Your Guide to Galapagos Island Visitor Sites
A stand-alone visitor destination in Galapagos is a small islet near Santiago Island, China Hat, also known as Sombrero Chino. Named because of its shape, this tiny island is less than 1/4 kilometer but loaded with photo opportunities and wildlife.
You’ll experience a wet landing onto a sandy beach and a rugged walking path strewn with lava and rocks. There will be no doubt in your mind that you are on a landscape formed by the remnants of a long-ago volcano. This photographic series gives you a sense of the sky and changing atmosphere from China Hat. These photos were taken in the late afternoon light with the sun low and the clouds startlingly white against a still blue sky with a darkening background.
This landscape is the home to a very large colony of sea lions.
Often, we find what seems to be an enormous number of little sea lion pups who cooperatively pose for photographs.
The mother sea lions don’t mind being photographed “hard at work” nurturing their little ones.
You’ll also find that China Hat is the home to the endemic Galapagos hawk, the top of the food chain and the most serious predator in the archipelago.
And on the cliff sides of China Hat, you are likely to see the tiny and charming Galapagos penguin and also Sally Lightfoot crabs.
If your Galapagos cruise takes you to China Hat, you are in for a real treat.
Harry Jiménez, Owner and General Manager
Galapagos Eco Friendly
Av. 12 de Febrero y Av. J Roldo
San Cristobal Island
Galapagos, Ecuador SCY
Reservations: 593 052 520 124
Email: info@galapagosecolodge.net
A similar article was originally published at blog.galapagosecolodge.net.
