Visiting the Galapagos may have just become easier for those looking to experience the natural diversity of the islands.
According to The Guardian, the United Nations (UN) has taken the Galapagos Islands off of its world heritage danger list, due to the improved efforts that Ecuador has taken to protect the island’s biodiversity.
This decision reverses UNESCO’s 2007 ruling, according to the news source. The island’s were the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.
The chain of islands are visited by an estimated 190,000 tourists every year, reports the news source. As a result the Ecuadorian government try to balance conservation and tourism demands along with the demands of the 30,000 permanent residents of the island.
A UNESCO team recently inspected the archipelago before the vote took place and said that controls on the introduction of invasive species have been tightened, which ultimately protects the native life on the island.
The best way to see the islands that inspired Charles Darwin is by taking a small cruise from Ecuador around the islands, as it will minimize your environmental impact.
