Galapagos Islands

Touching down on the arid volcanic airstrip of Baltra Island, the sense of stepping into another geological epoch was immediate. I was transferred to the Aqua Mare, a bespoke 50-meter superyacht catering to just 16 privileged guests. Checking into the Owner’s Suite ($2,800/night all-inclusive), the stateroom was an oasis of Italian walnut woodwork, custom marble bathrooms, and panoramic windows framing the turquoise Pacific waters.

Our expedition was led by veteran certified naturalist guides. Stepping ashore on North Seymour Island via Zodiac dinghy, we were met by fearless wildlife that showed no apprehension toward humans. Frigatebirds with enormous inflated crimson throat pouches courted in the saltbushes, blue-footed boobies performed their comical mating dances on the rocks, and golden land iguanas basked under giant prickly pear cacti.

The underwater world was even more breathtaking. Snorkeling in the deep channel of Tagus Cove off Isabela Island, I swam alongside playful wild Galapagos sea lion pups that pirouetted around me like underwater acrobats. Beneath them, prehistoric marine iguanas grazed on green algae beds while majestic green sea turtles and Galapagos penguins darted through the crystalline water.

Evenings aboard the Aqua Mare were pure decadence. As the yacht navigated between volcanic islands, Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino served multi-course dinners of Peruvian-Ecuadorian coastal cuisine: fresh yellowfin tuna tataki with Amazonian chilies and grilled Pacific lobster paired with fine South American vintages ($140). Stargazing from the top deck jacuzzi under the southern celestial cross, the Galapagos revealed itself as the ultimate wilderness paradise.