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Hotel in Santa Cruz & San Cristobal (20 nights)

Hotel

Meals

Guide

Snorkel equipment and dive equipment on all tours

Equipment

Tours

Flights unless organised with Academy Bay Diving

Flights

National park entrance fee ($100 payable on arrival)

Entrance Fee

Tourist card ($20 payable in airport in Quito or Guayaquil)

TCT Card

Academy Bay Diving is a family owned and run business dedicated to providing our customers with an amazing and safe dive experience in the Wonderful Galapagos Marine Reserve.

Trip Price

Custom Package
 
itinerario por confirmar

About this trip

acabamos de regresar de Galápagos conde realizamos seis increíbles días de buceos... por lejos los mejores en 20 años. Tanto por los hermosos lugares y fauna de la isla y alrededores, por sus equipos de primera calidad y sobre todo por sus guías y todo el personal del centro. Es increíble como aman su isla y como transmiten todo lo que saben de su fauna e historia. 
gracias Alex, Jimmy y Santiago

Fabulous day- super professional crew. Did a great job of balancing newer divers and the more experienced. 
Would totally dive with them again! 

Daily Dive Tours

Absolutely amazing trip! Basically ruined diving for me due to the incredible experiences diving with sea lions, and so many sharks. 
The dive instructor and lead was great, focus on safety, really accommodating. 

This was a nice snorkel trip.  I found our guide treated us as if we were not supposed to be on the trip.  Serious ageism. For that reason it was not very enjoyable.  We are only 50 but the rest of the group was younger.  He insisted I wear a life jacket when I am a very good swimmer but didn’t make anyone else wear one. 
The price was very expensive compared to others we talked to for the same trip 

Snorkel tour - Pinzon 2023

I had a lovely time.  The team at Academy were fantastic.  Safe and highly professional.  We had a mix of experience in the group and they were able to split it by experience.  This allowed the more experienced divers to maximise the dive. 

The instructor was really good pointing out wildlife.  
 
The craic in the boat was great.  I was with the Maimi Uni students which made me feel young!

Thank you to all the team.  I will definitely be back to do all the other dive sites.

The trip was a great experience.  I would recommend this trip to anyone who loves scuba diving but doesn't want to do a live aboard.
Academy Bay Diving is a top notch dive operation.

Dive 2 Islands - 2023

Overall great experience. The staff very responsive and made all the logistics super easy. From a tour experience I think it gives you a good overview of the islands as getting you on the best local dive spots.  Would recommend to a friend. 

Complete Galapagos 2023

Our recent 4-day/5-night dive package with Academy Bay in the Galapagos Islands in 2023 was an absolutely unforgettable experience. From the stunning underwater encounters to the warm hospitality and mouthwatering homecooked meals, every moment of this adventure exceeded our expectations.

Our diving itinerary included some of the most iconic dive sites in the Galapagos, and each location was a treasure trove of marine life and underwater wonders. We explored Mosquera, Daphne, Gordon Rocks, Baltra, Floreana, and Seymour Islands, each offering a unique and breathtaking glimpse into the rich biodiversity of the Galapagos marine ecosystem. From playful sea lions to graceful manta rays and even the elusive hammerhead sharks, every dive was a thrilling and awe-inspiring adventure.

The team at Academy Bay Diving was not only professional and safety-conscious but also incredibly knowledgeable about the marine life and ecosystems of the Galapagos. Our dive guides made sure we had a deep appreciation for the fragile and unique underwater world we were exploring, emphasizing the importance of responsible diving and conservation efforts. It was clear that they were passionate about preserving this natural wonder for future generations.

Back on the boat, we were treated to some of the most delicious homecooked meals. The variety and quality of the food were outstanding. From freshly caught seafood to local specialties, every meal was a culinary delight that left us eagerly anticipating the next one. Dining with fellow divers and sharing stories of our underwater adventures made the experience even more enjoyable.

The accommodations provided by Academy Bay were comfortable and well-maintained, offering a cozy retreat after a day of diving. We stayed at Hotel Coloma and it is a true gem in a good location. The breakfast was great, plentiful and freshly made every morning. The front desk lady was very helpful. She helped us reserve taxis and other activities during our stay. She genuinly cared and helped make our stay even stress free.

In summary, our dive package with Academy Bay in the Galapagos Islands was a dream come true for any diving enthusiast. The incredible marine life, the professionalism of the dive team, and the outstanding homecooked meals all contributed to an extraordinary experience. If you're looking to explore the wonders of the Galapagos underwater world, we highly recommend Academy Bay Diving. They not only provide an exceptional diving experience but also foster a deep connection to the unique and fragile ecosystem of the Galapagos. This was a trip of a lifetime, and we are immensely grateful for the memories created during these five unforgettable days.

Basic Dive Package - 4 Days / 5 Nights - 2023

Academy Bay set up my family for success for all 5 of us gaining our Advanced Open Water Certification while in Galapagos. We had amazing dives during the certification and as recreational as well - 7 dives in all with Academy Bay. We felt VERY safe, safer than some of the other companies we dove with during our time in Galapagos.  It was an amazing experience to gain our AOW while also having the most amazing dives of our lives, seeing every animal you can imagine during our dives. Angel Cobeña was our dive instructor and he MADE our experience THE BEST. He made sure my teens were safe while also being a fantastic and engaging instructor. We have a friend for life in Angel. He ensured that we have the best experience but also learned and remained safe the entire time. That is a feat when instructing a 14 yo, 15 yo, and 18 yo along with 2 adults that hadn't dove in over a year. He also made sure we knew how to approach the dives to ensure we saw the most animals, to hold our bubbles, and not scare off the hammerheads and others. Because of his instruction, we saw more wildlife than any other groups we encountered during our trip. The captain was also fantastic. We encountered a HUGE pod of Dolphins and the captain and dive crew changed our dive plans and had us all safely scuba with the dolphins! An experience of a lifetime! The snacks and lunches provided were yummy. We didn't have to lift a finger, the crew took very good care of us. It was very well organized as well. We always knew what was happening and what to expect next. I highly recommend Academy Bay!

PADI Advanced course + Dive Tours - custom

I had a fabulous time. Diving was one of the items to cross in my bucket list and I am extremely happy of completing my OWC with Academy Bay Diving. Besides the fantastic facilities (boat, diving gear), the personnel was extremely knowledgeable, supportive and professional. Kudos to my instructors Caro (swimming pool) and Angel (open water) for the terrific job. You rock!!!!
My thanks are extended to the crew of the boat (Daniel 1, Daniel 2, Byron, Joao) for their friendly approach and for sharing their love to Galapagos. 
Thanks to Alice and the entire team for making this an unforgettable experience. 

Adios and hope to see you somewhere underwater. 
Cristhian 

PADI - Open Water Course

Best dive company on Santa Cruz! A great day diving with a fun, experienced and safety focussed team.  Pick Academy and you will be in great hands.

I had a great time diving! The staff were super knowledgeable and friendly. Leo did a refresh with me and made me feel very safe as I relearned how to dive. Great food for lunch. The boat was good. Overall, it was a great experience and I would dive again with Academy Bay.

This is an amazing dive shop. While the boat is small and the head is mechanical, it is still a 5-star experience. The full service of every crew member goes above and beyond what is commonly expected. Everything from your fins and tank is put on you. The homecooked meal on board is prepared according to your individual dietary restrictions and is extremely tasty. Should you desire to get the video footage from the dive, you may bring a flash drive and receive a copy free of charge. The guides speak English and Spanish and are warm and friendly. A different spot is visited every day of the week. In short an amazing experience. 

Excellent four dives in two days
The team is very professional , very secured dives and good material

Daily Dive Tours - custom

The dive was organised very well, I always felt safe with the instructors, the food on-board was really tasty and the group sizes for the dive was perfect with no more than 3 people per dive-master. I particularly liked that we got footage from the day afterwards.

Daily Dive Tours - last minute

Right from the start, contacting Academy Bay Diving I found the service to be very professional.

We booked two day tours, one to Bartolome and the other to North Seymour.

Both tours went off without a hitch, and I have to say, both were out of this world, seeing animals and bird life, and the opportunity to snorkel and see some amazing marine life, was absolutely brilliant.

If you’re looking at doing some day tours whilst you’re in the Galápagos, I’d definitely recommend bookings through Academy Bay Diving. You will be sure to be happy that you chose them! 

Land & Snorkel Tours - varios 2023

We had 3 amazing dive days with Academy. We were lucky, that the visibility was awesome. The food was delicious and we got to know many nice people. Especially the briefing by Oscar was really good and exact and Byron was a really nice guide!
Thank you!

We are very sorry to hear about your experience. We will definitely we taking this up with the tour operator.
It's not ok for the guides to behave that way with the marine life.
It's also not ok to lose passengers.
Thank you for your feedback.

The snorkeling itself at pinzon island was amazing. 
The company that Academy Bay Divers asked to oparete the trip was terrible and the guide we recived was not ok. He bugged the animals and dove to wake up and scare the sharks so that they will leave the cave and all of that only to take a few pictures of the people who paid him extra for a picture with the animals.
More so, there were 2 people that got lost for a solide 15 minutes and the guide didnt even noticed. 
I would recommand the tour but with a different company.

Land & Snorkel Tours - varios 2023 - last minute

I had a very good time with the team. Very professional, willing to search for the best spots and the most variable amount of fishes possible, relaxing atmosphere inside the boat, good vibes, safe trip. Thanks for allowing me to have this memorable experience, ever. 
I’ll be back!
Neander

Given a previously dangerous experience with a local dive shop back in 2008, I did my research on reputable dive shops before booking anything. A former resident and dive instructor recommended a few shops, and Academy Bay was in the top 3 of her recommendations. Sebastian was our dive master for a refresher and 2 dives at Santa Fe. He was great as were the captain and crew making it a safe and fun experience easing us back into Galapagos diving, I highly recommend Academy Bay, they're a very professional and safe dive shop!

Awesome training, feel very prepared! Our Instructor Anderson was awesome! We dove by Floreana and Santa Fe and both sites were very beautiful, good visibility. 

PADI - Open Water Course - CUSTOM

I enjoyed my 1 4 day / 3 island package.  It was well organized with a good balance between sea and land based activities 

Complete Galapagos Package  - Custom

Wonderful dive experience.  Santiago was a great dive guide.  Mosquera, Daphne were beautiful; lucked out and saw a school of hammers at Mosquera that would give Darwin island a run for it's money.

Great company.  If heading back to Galapagos will certainly go with them again.

very friendly, helpful, everything went well, on time, food was delicious, small diving groups, equipment was in very good condition. The crew was super accommodating and humorous. I would dive with them again. Thanks

Born to Dive

Excellent from start to finish Have done over 600 dives and found Academy Bay one of the most impressive operators that I have ever dived with. Comfortable boat wirh sufficient space, good briefings before the dive , good checks and help getting in and out of the water and superb diving sites Really happy with the experience!

Great diving experience! Guides were knowledgeable and we saw plenty of fish, turtles, and a few glimpses of hammerheads! Gordon Rock was beautiful.

Great dive, lot of animals underwater, including hammerhead sharks.
Staff very very attentive.
I really recommend.

Our day was fantastic. Good equipment, professional guide and crew, good food and not to forget: lots of hammerheads. Amazing day and big recommendation!

We found the team at Academy Bay Diving to be very responsive, professional, organised, thorough and very friendly. It was five star diving treatment and although the visibility wasn’t super the teams did try to ensure the  best opportunities for us to see everything on our checklist. We spent 2 days diving with them and loved it all. Service was great and a big thank you to Oscar, Byron, Anderson, Kevin and Daniel for great days on the water. Highly recommend this company and would definitely use again if/when we come back to the Galapagos.

A great operation in Galapagos: friendly, responsive and professional! Academy Bay is one o have in the top list for divers!
 - top service
 - great briefing and dive plan
 - good equipment
 - great boat, instructors and service
 - sharp on schedule...
In other words, top service. these guys are keepers!

We had an awesome time. Delicious food. Professional crew. Awesome guide (Natalya). Great recommendations by Alice from Academy. 

Tiburon Explorer Dive Cruise

The expedition was an amazing experience. We got to try plane and sea excursions and the crew and guides were veré knowledgeable and helpful. The food, amenities and crew on the vessel were plentiful, clean and cheerful. Overall a great experience and I hope to return for another adventure. 

Great Dive trip to Goron Rocks, highly recommend it. 

My Sister and I had a wonderful experience with the Academy Bay Diving team.  From the first contact with Alice through both dives everything was seamless.  The dive team was wonderful and made us feel very comfortable in a new dive site for both of us.  We would highly recommend them for you diving in Galapagos.  Wishing to go back soon :-)

Academy Bay Diving is a very profesionnal, organize and attentive to your need dive tour/shop. We had reserved, 6 month a head, through Alice by emails before our trip to the Galapagos. She always answered our questions promptly and was very helpful. We reserved 8 dives in total. The boat is very clean, powerful and spacious. The Capitain, the Crew and Master Dive Guides worked togheter in a very coordinated way. Their instructions, expectations and communications were always clear and polite. They helped out with putting on your gear and with exit and entry on boat. They always offered  a very much appreciated warm tea after your first dive and snacks. The luches are excellent and they tend to your prefered food (they offer option or vegetarian and vegan). Academy Bay Diving made our trip memorable. We were very satisfied with their services.

Excellent crew and superb diving. Absolutely top notched. 

Humboldt Explorer Dive Cruise

Best Diving shop in Pto Ayora! Super well organised, Amazing crew, Excellent service and super good vibes! Simply Priceless.

DiveTour - custom

I have been diving at great barrier reef, turneffe atoll amongst others but never seen such wonderful sealife: hammerheads, stingreys, seaturtles... only the manta rey was missing. Thanks!

A great tour to Bartolome - nice sailing, friendly crew, great breakfast and lunch. The view from the top over the barely 120 years old lava field on eastern Santiago is spectacular. Nice snorkling .

Otto with family

Tour Bartolome

What a great diving trip! The staff was very helpful and the Dive Master, Mr. Santiago very knowledgeable and safety conscience, he made the trip very enjoyable. I would strongly recommend this dive shop for your next diving adventure. If there was one thing I wish they had, I would have liked to have bought a long sleeve dive shirt, but all they had was a cotton short sleeve T-shirt. I like buying a long sleeve dive shirt with the place's emblem on it.

Alice does a great job making sure everything in the trip goes well.   Diving,  tours, and excursions all set up for us.  

Galapagos Custom - JOE

I have 25 years of diving under my weight belt and have to say these are one of the best dive operators I've come across.
Everyone was very friendly and focussed on helping me have an enjoyable and safe dive holiday.
The main diving equipment (regs hoses etc) all in excellent condition and the instructors gave great briefings and extremely competent above and below the water.  I had 4 days diving (=8 dives) and it all went with military precision from start to finish.  
The boat (Pacific Seahorse) was also one of the newer boats that I saw at the dive sites and in the harbour.
The sea and visibility conditions can be variable in the Pacific but the instructors (Oscar and Byron for my dives) were very knowledgeable and focussed on giving me the best dive experience possible.
All briefs were in English (I have zero Spanish and language was no issue whatsoever).
There are a few operators on the Island but any of the divers I spoke to who had used the others all said Academy was the best.  I also felt it was good value with no "optional extras".  Everything was included in the package (gear, dives, transport, food, pics and video).  Galapagos diving is fantastic and if you are lucky enough to be able to get there then Academy Bay Diving is the best company to go with.

Operadora de mergulho muito boa, equipe muito bem preparada, embarcação, hotel muito bom, cumpriram tudo que foi contratado.

The course was AMAZING!! Wowww... The instructors were so helpful and informed on everything. The school of almost 50 to 100 Hammerheads swimming over us was absolutely out of this world to see!

EXTRAORDINARY experience!!

THANK YOU!!

I went on two dives with Academy Bay (one to Floreana and one to North Seymour) in July 2022. Some of the best dives ever! Academy Bay staff were professional and helpful! It was easy to book in advance online. They are incredibly responsive to any questions and went out of their way to make it stress-free to book with them. Additionally, my dive guides (Santiago and Byron) were incredibly knowledgable and delightful! They provided wonderful dive briefing that left me feeling confident and excited! I highly recommend diving with this team! 

Diving with Academy Bay Diving was an awesome experience.  We dove two days, at North Seymour and Gordon Rocks.  All the technical and administrative aspects of the experience were top notch.  The dives were well organized, safe and fun.  Amazing sites and marine life.  

Dive - custom package

Extremely expensive, really bad visibility, equipment wise: very poor, all customers were freezing and the dive masters didn’t have additional wetsuits as other Padi dive centers. Also the dive master Santiago was moving extremely slow- we would have preferred to move faster. The food was really good. Overall not as great as expected!

3 Days Dive Tours x2p

Excellent. Felt safe and the dive master was always informative and knowledgeable. 

Very good diving, most spots in the Galapagos are amazing for diving. Academy bay diving is great for day dives if you do not have the time/money for a liveaboard. Still able to see sharks, turtles, rays and sea lions (depending on the spot).

Photos and videos are also provided for free.

we enjoyed the trip very much. It's a good mix between diving and land excursions.

Paquete - CUSTOM

Paquete - CUSTOM

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