Wildlife, scenery and luxury on the Galapagos Islands

A marine iguana on Santiago Island.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

A male frigate bird displays his bright red gular pouch, a skin balloon that inflates under the beak to attract a mate, on North Seymour Island.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

Tour guide Veronica Maruri examines a rare cactus over the tortured shapes of arrested lava rock at Sullivan Bay on Santiago (James) Island. The bronzed and sporty Pikaia guide accompanied the group for the rest of the week.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

Blue-footed booby, or Sula nebouxii.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

Three species of land iguana can be found throughout six of the islands in the archipelago. These iguanas can grow to lengths of one meter on a diet consisting mainly of prickly pear cactus pads.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

South Plaza is a small but lovely island with Seussian-looking cactus trees and rocks covered in orange lichen.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

The Grapsus grapsus, or Sally Lightfoot crab, is one of the most common sights along the volcanic shores of the Galápagos islands. Juvenile crabs have darker, subdued colors; adults have more vibrant colors.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

A Galápagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) grazes in the grasslands on Santa Cruz Island.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

Time-lapse photo of rocks on South Plaza on the Galápagos Islands.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

Local goat hunters on Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos Islands follow a government mandate to rid the islands of pesky goats, introduced by settlers.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

Frigate birds are not unique to the Galápagos, but the islands host the largest and most protected populations of the birds on the planet.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

The Ecuadorian government is tough on development in this remote, ecologically fragile archipelago that lies west of the nation’s mainland.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

The Pikaia I is a 100-foot motor yacht converted from a live-aboard to a luxury day-tripping vessel that takes guests to surrounding islands for snorkeling and onshore explorations on the Galápagos Islands.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

Frigate birds fly over the the Pikaia I.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

A marine iguana on a public beach on Santa Cruz Island close to Puerto Ayora. Amblyrhynchus cristatus, the marine iguana of the Galápagos Islands, has evolved to feed on seaweed, both in and under the water. It can often be found swimming at depth in the ocean.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

Pikaia Lodge sits on the edge of an extinct volcano and offers sweeping views of the cerulean Pacific Ocean. Set on a private, 77-acre property, the lodge buildings were created from concrete, glass, recycled steel, bamboo and sustainably grown South American teak.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

Pikaia, a 14-room lodge, recently opened its high-end, eco-friendly doors on Santa Cruz Island, quietly transforming the landscape.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

Guestrooms are all large. At 800 square feet, the Pool Suite comes with a private plunge pool, sitting room, terrace and ocean view. The non-suite rooms are 650 square feet, and the upstairs Terrace Rooms have floor-to-ceiling glass walls on two sides.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

The spa at the Pikaia Lodge on on Santa Cruz Island on the Galápagos Islands.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

Pikaia Lodge’s Homo Sapiens Explorers Lounge, where visitors can watch DVDs and read books.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

The aji de carne soup with pan de yuca (cassava bread) at Pikaia Lodge.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)

The pool at Pikaia Lodge.  (Jon Whittle / Jon Whittle Photography)