Six hundred miles off the coast of Ecuador in an Atlantian setting of volcanic rock, scores of sea lions frolic in the shallows of the western Pacific near 13 islands seemingly untouched by time. Penguins swim here, too. And marine iguanas as large as tea cup poodles that dog-paddle with sharpened claws, cutting a crest with their heads through the often roiling waters.

The Galapagos remain the quintessential natural history destination more than 100 years after Charles Darwin made them famous. Scattered across the equator they are home to an astonishing assemblage of birds, plants, reptiles and marine life, many indigenous to the 4 million-year-old islands.

Isolated from predators and — as a national park — free from unchecked exploitation, the wildlife of the archipelago welcome travelers, unafraid of close encounters. It is possible to snorkel with penguins, swim with the sea lions, kayak alongside giant sea turtles and hike inclines and promontories accompanied by blue-footed boobies and flightless cormorants.

Your Yacht Awaits

The Galapagos are also a premier dive spot with sunken volcanoes decorated with a myriad of coral covered with feeding tropical fish. The snorkeling is good too, but you will find yourself swimming with a shark or two, especially from January to April when the water is warmest.

It's boat travel all the way, either by yacht or slightly larger liner, with week-long itineraries that stagger the number of people visiting each island. In addition to the 13 large islands there are six smaller islands and numerous islets and rocks. And because of the ongoing volcanic activity, more islands are formed daily.

I traveled by 20-passenger, 83-foot motor yacht — actually two — as the first broke down and tour company Ecoventura transferred us to another more seaworthy boat. This was not luxury travel, much more basic including the food: iceberg lettuce, Jell-O and the occasional frozen fish.

Great Iguana at Rest

But the glory of the islands made up for anything lacking on the boat. And the naturalist guides were well-informed and made the day trips to the various ports exciting expeditions into the past.

Each of the islands is surprisingly different, ranging from arid outcroppings of desert scrub to slightly more verdant terrain, with ground cover of flowering succulents, large shade trees and salt water lakes. On some, you may discover lagoons rife with pink and orange flamingos; on others you'll witness Sally Lightfoot crabs scuttling across lava rock and land iguanas with equal ease.

A few of the islands are populated: San Cristobal has a population of 6,000, mostly fishermen and a great second story restaurant serving mammoth lobsters along with margaritas and a view of the sea.

Little Girl Mimicks Sea Lion

The islands were discovered in 1535 by the bishop of Panama, as he sailed to Peru to settle a dispute between Francisco Pizarro and his officers, after the conquest of the Incas. Thrown off course by unpredictable winds, he was pulled by strong currents into the Galapagos. In his ship's log he wrote about the inhospitality of the desert-like conditions and his amazement at how tame the animals were.

For years after, the islands remained the refuge of pirates and privateers, whalers and fur traders. Darwin first visited the archipelago in 1835 and later said the islands formed the foundation for every one of his theories. The islands' endemic species — including 14 types of finches — inspired his "Origin of Species."

For the next century, the islands were home to a penal colony which closed in 1959 when the area was named a national park. Today, more than 60,000 visitors travel to the Galapagos each year.

The best time to go is the dry season from June to August when the water is slightly warmer around 68 degrees. Most passengers embark from Baltra, after a bus ride to the beach from the tiny airport once an American military base.

First stop is Puerto Ayora (population 10,000) on Santa Cruz, and the requisite trip to the Charles Darwin Research Station to see Lonesome George, 77, the last of his species of giant land tortoise. The 650 pound behemoth is in search of a suitable mate. His female was killed 25 years ago and so far George has shown little interest in other female tortoises. But recent DNA tests show he may be from San Cristobal island, where there are several females for him to mate with, giving scientists hope for the preservation of the species.

Boats plying the Galapagos waters are always in motion. And often accompanied by dolphins. Over the course of a week, we visited Tower Island, with its great colonies of frigate birds; Bartolome, a spectacular snorkeling spot where we swam with the penguins; Fernandina covered with head-nodding, ebony marine iguanas; and Floreana, the smallest island where Spanish galleons are rumored to be sunken off shore.

My favorite stop was the capital, San Cristobal, on the last day of the voyage. After a week's worth of animal planet, just a bit of civilization was a welcome change. The port town is great for odd souvenirs: handmade jewelry, turtles made from shells and little seascape paintings. The disco attracts sailors from the naval base. There are lots of restaurants hawking homemade food, an internet cafe, and the lobster restaurant, Moreno, along the main drag or Malecon.

Stateside returns often require a day over in Quito or Guayaquil. I took a room for the day, (my flight left at 11 p.m.) at the wonderful Hotel Oro Verde in Guayaquil and spent my time at the arts and crafts market and the eateries at the Barrio las Penas.

A week in the Galapagos is the perfect length of time and time enough to transform even the staunchest urbanite into a nature lover.