For those not fortunate enough to have the money (or time) to visit the Galapagos, you might consider visiting the Ballestas Islands off the coast of Peru.
You cannot physically set foot on the islands but a boat tour will take you close enough to see all the sealife and make you feel emersed in the environment. The boats leave from a town called Paracas (4hrs south of Lima) and offer a 2hr round trip.
While it may not come anywhere close to the magic of the Galapagos we certainly had a fun time and I have never seen so many birds in my life! We finished the trip by having a wonder around Paracas town and eating the traditional Peruvian dish ceviche…can’t get fresher fish than that!
