In The Movies, Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden

We are often asked by travelers coming to the Galápagos Islands to recommend books, music, or movies to watch before their visit.

Our Galápagos resources page covers most of these, as when it comes to the Galápagos, great wildlife documentaries and books are usually what people are looking for. However, some travelers are also interested in learning more about the human history of the Galápagos Islands, which can be just as intriguing!

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Galápagos, without a doubt, is its human history. From the first settlers trying to navigate life on these remote islands, there are stories that still capture the imagination of travelers today. One of the most famous of these is the mystery of Floreana, a strange and captivating story that unfolded on the first inhabited island of the archipelago.

The film The Galápagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden tells the story of the early inhabitants of Floreana Island. Friedrich Ritter and Dore Strauch were among the first settlers to move there, hoping to build a quiet life on this remote island paradise. But their small piece of Eden soon became far more complicated when the Wittmer family arrived, followed by the mysterious Baroness and her lovers.

What began as an experiment in isolation slowly turned into tension, rivalry, and eventually a series of unresolved disappearances and murder mysteries that still intrigue historians and visitors today.

Official Movie Trailer for Galápagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden

Floreana Island is often overlooked by travelers visiting the Galápagos Islands, but in many ways it is one of our favorite islands to explore. We include an overnight stay on Floreana on our 10-day Galapagos Adventure tours. 

There is fantastic snorkeling and hiking on the island, but one of the biggest highlights is staying at the Wittmer Hotel (pictured at the top of this post). The hotel is owned by the Wittmer family, one of the original families who settled on Floreana.

Floreana island is still a very primitive island compared to the other inhabited islands in the Galapagos, so the longer you spend on Floreana (home to less than 150 people today), the more you can imagine the events highlighted in the movie as being true. We like to think that no trip to the Galapagos Islands is truly complete unless you’ve spent a night on Floreana Island!

Guests can also enjoy one of the most beautiful beaches in the Galápagos: Floreana’s black sand beach, which offers incredible sunset views and the unique experience of having a volcanic beach just steps from your room.

Floreana remains a very small and quiet island compared to the other inhabited islands of the Galápagos. With fewer than 150 residents today, spending time there allows visitors to imagine what life might have been like for the early settlers whose stories inspired the film.

For us, no trip to the Galápagos Islands feels truly complete without spending at least one night on Floreana Island, where history, mystery, and the power of conservation efforts in the Galápagos can all be appreciated.

If you’re curious to learn more about the film, check out the link below:

IMDB link for: The Galapagos Affair: Stan Came to Eden

If you’re looking for more inspiration before your trip, visit our Galápagos Resources page, or explore our blog post:

Your Pre-Trip Guide: Galápagos Books, Films, Podcasts, and Documentaries.

And if you’re planning to visit the Galápagos Islands and would like to include Floreana in your journey, take a look at our 10-day Galápagos Adventure tour, or get in touch to start creating your own custom Galápagos itinerary. We’d love to help you plan it.