Wall/PelagicUNESCO World HeritageMarine Protected Area

Darwin Island

Depth: 10–40 mLevel: Advanced, drift divingJune-November

Together with Wolf it forms the core of the no-take sanctuary declared in 2016. A study by the Charles Darwin Research Station and National Geographic put the area's average fish biomass at 17.5 tonnes per hectare, more than double that of the second place on the list, Cocos Island.

Depth

10–40 m

Recommended level

Advanced, drift diving

Average visibility

20 m

Protection status

Galápagos National Park (1959) and Galápagos Marine Reserve (extended in 1998 to some 133,000 km²). In 2016 a no-fishing sanctuary was created around Darwin and Wolf; in 2022 the Hermandad Reserve was added, a migratory corridor towards Cocos, Coiba and Malpelo

UNESCO designation

World Heritage Site (Galápagos Islands, one of the first properties inscribed, in 1978; the Marine Reserve was added as an extension in 2001)

Did you know?

Darwin's Arch, the rock formation that gave the dive site its name, collapsed in May 2021 through natural erosion; the two pillars remain. The dive site is still the same, but the arch should not be described as though it were still standing.

Sources consulted: UNESCO World Heritage Centre (ficha 1); Galapagos Travel Center; Columbus Travel; Rebecca Adventure Travel

Location

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Darwin Island: 28 documented species

Ecosystem

WallLarge pelagics

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