La Isla de La Plata (or the Island of Silver) is an uninhabited island about an hour by boat off the coast of Puerto López, making it an easy and popular day trip and a “must-do” on our trip.
Based on what we saw, all tours are nearly the same. So, although we scheduled our tour through our hotel (~$40), it would have been just as easy to find a tour company on the melacón (boardwalk) and schedule it that way.
So, let’s get going, shall we?!
First up, all boats leave from the pier at 9:30 am…Ecuadorian time. So, don’t be surprised if you don’t leave at precisely 9:30. Oh, and you’ll need $1 to board the boat, which isn’t included in the tour cost. Why? Who knows.
The tour is an all-day excursion with both hiking (walking?) and swimming activities. So, I recommend bringing (or wearing) your swimsuit, wearing good walking shoes, and bringing sunscreen, a hat, and LOTS of water.
The tour also includes lunch and some snacks. For us, this meant some fruit, banana bread, and one cheese and one tuna salad sandwich. So, you might want to bring some snacks.
After about an hour on the boat, we arrived at the only man-made structure on the island, which is a small visitor’s center with some bathrooms and places to sit but not much else. Getting off the boat is also a bit interesting. Be prepared to get a bit wet because there is no dock!
You can only tour the island with a guide since the island is protected and part of Machalilla National Park. So, first thing on arrival, the guide gave us a brief overview of the island and let us vote on which trail to take. He recommended Los Acantilados (the light grey trail) for the cliffs and the birds. No one objected, so that’s what we did!
But first, regardless of what trail you choose–red, green, yellow, or grey–you have to take the black trail, which is “150 meters and 80 steps up!” according to our guide (as he smirked).
The hike up was definitely… up! And it was HOT, hence my suggestion to bring lots of water. Full sun on the equator is no joke. However, we were rewarded with our first boobie sighting at the gazebo at the top!
Blue-footed boobies that is!
And in case you’re wondering where the island got its name, supposedly (according to our guide), one reason is the bird poop, which can cover the island’s cliffs, giving it silver-sheen from afar. Historically speaking, they discovered gold and silver (plata) on the island, hence the name.
As for the hike, it was beautiful, but I reiterate, it was HOT! There is no shade, so be prepared to sunscreen-up. Also of note, we visited in the rainy season. Yes, we were lucky with a perfectly sunny day. But, the day before, it rained all day and hard. Consequently, the vegetation on top of the island was green. However, our guide showed us some pictures during the dry season; it’s the complete opposite! So, depending on the time of year you visit, you’ll have variable experiences!
Now, this may come as a shock, but I’m no nature photographer, and the iPhone can only go so far. So, I don’t have many bird pictures, but there were a lot of ’em. Trust me.
I did, however, pretend to poke a bird, which is obviously very important.
The hike took longer than I expected, maybe 2–2.5 hours or so. Once we were back on the boat, they gave us lunch (no trash on the island!), then we changed locations for snorkeling.
Honestly, this part wasn’t great. Like I said, it rained the day before, so the general visibility was poor. Plus, the water was quite deep and choppy where we were, so few fish were swimming near the surface, and diving down was difficult. But we swam in the Pacific Ocean, which was the important part!
After that, it was time to head back to the mainland! We arrived around 5 pm THIRSTYYY and hungry but generally pleased with the day! I’d definitely recommend the day trip, but maybe go a bit more prepared!
Next up, we headed back to Quito for a few days with a day trip to Lago Cuicocha. So, until then…
Nos vemos,
The Shwits 
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