China Hat (Sombrero Chino)

A stand-alone visitor destination in Galapagos, a small islet near Santiago Island, China Hat, also known as Sombrero Chino, is another island absolutely filled with things to see. As you can see from this photo, the island gets its name from its shape. In my last post, I told you about the tiny island of South Plaza. This island is equally tiny, less than 1/4 kilometer, but also equally exciting.

China Hat offers a wet landing onto a sandy beach and a rugged walking path. There will be no doubt in your mind that you are on a landscape formed by the remnants of a long-ago volcano. I like this series of photographs because together they give you a really good sense of the sky and changing atmosphere throughout Galapagos. 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. They very cooperatively pose for photographs.

 The mother sea lions, as you know by now, 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.