Floreana: A Murder Mystery in the Galápagos
Floreana has it all: an isolated island, seven distinct people trying to cohabitate (or not), love triangles, a missing Baroness, shipwrecked bodies, competing stories all resulting in a mystery that has never been solved.
I love a good whodunnit.
And the history of Floreana has it all: an isolated island, seven distinct people trying to cohabitate (or not), love triangles, a missing Baroness, shipwrecked bodies, competing stories all resulting in a mystery that has never been solved.
I didn't know much about Floreana before I arrived in the Galápagos. Floreana was simply one of the islands we could visit. It wasn't until I started hearing the history that I became intrigued.
One of the friends I was traveling with Joe, is friends with a guy who had done a documentary on the history of Floreana: The Galápagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden, which chronicled the strange events that unfolded there in the 1930s. So we watched it together from our rental in Santa Cruz. The documentary uses archival photographs and film along with the accounts of descendants, and it really brings the personalities involved to life. There is even life footage of the Baroness. In 1934, Captain G. Allan Hancock's expedition filmed a movie with her in it: The Empress of Floreana, featuring the real Baroness and Robert Philippson.
So when you see those old images, you're not watching actors recreate her. You're watching her. It makes the whole story much more interesting.
We also watched Eden, Ron Howard's dramatization. It's not his best movie, but it was cool to see his interpretation of the mystery.
Floreana is well worth a visit. See the caves where the Wittmers lived and try to imagine the life they built from virtually nothing. Visit the famous Post Office Barrel, look for the special Floreana tortoises, and, of course, go snorkeling. It's a great combination of history, wildlife and a little mystery.
The story starts with two people on a remote island in the Galapagos.
In 1929, German doctor Friedrich Ritter and Dore Strauch left Germany and their previous lives behind and moved to Floreana. They wanted to get away from modern society and live a simpler life on the island. Their unusual experiment attracted attention, and before long, people were writing about the eccentric couple living on this remote island.
Then another family arrived.
In 1932, Heinz and Margret Wittmer came from Germany with Heinz's teenage son, Harry. Margret was pregnant, and she later gave birth to Rolf, who became the first person of European descent born on the Galápagos. The Wittmers were there to build a life, farming and making a home on the island. They started by living in the caves in the highland there.
Then came the Baroness.
She was as flamboyant as her self anointed title sounds. Eloise Wagner de Bousquet arrived in 1932 with Robert Philippson and Rudolf Lorenz, her two lovers. She had wild ambitions to build a luxury hotel and attract wealthy travelers to Floreana.
Seven very different people, with very different goals living in a very remote island.
And then people started disappearing.
In 1934, the Baroness and Philippson vanished. Their bodies were never found. The German doctor Friedrich Ritter died suddenly. And Rudolf Lorenz died shipwrecked on another island nearby.
Only the Wittmers lived on. Their descendants are still on the island operating Pension Wittmer, the island's historic hotel and one branch of the family operates the restaurant, where we met the grandson.
Floreana: Know Before You Go
GETTING THERE
We visited Floreana as a private day trip from Santa Cruz. A private boat gave us more flexibility with the day's itinerary and meant we could combine the island's history, the caves, lunch and snorkeling. There is also a public ferry.
HOW LONG IS THE BOAT RIDE?
Plan on roughly 2 hours each way from Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz,, depending on the boat and sea conditions. It's a real boat day, but completely doable as a day trip.
DAY TRIP OR OVERNIGHT?
We did it as a day trip and thought it was well worth it. If you have more time, staying overnight would give you a chance to experience more of the island after the day-trippers leave. It is very quiet so if you like the remote it might be an interesting experience.
WHERE TO STAY
The most historic option is Pension Wittmer, the family property connected to the Wittmer family. There are also a couple of other small lodges and guesthouses on the island.
WHERE TO EAT
Don't come to Floreana expecting a big restaurant scene. There are only a handful of places to eat, and options can be limited, so if you're staying overnight, arrange meals ahead of time. Our private tour included lunch.
DON'T MISS
Las Cuevas — the caves where the early settlers, including the Wittmers, lived.
Post Office Bay — the famous barrel where travelers have been leaving and collecting mail for centuries.
Snorkeling — particularly around the island's famous marine sites.
Researching the curious island history.
Floreana Tortoises
Floreana's giant tortoise has an incredible story of its own. The original Floreana tortoise was hunted to extinction in the 1800s, but in 2000 scientists discovered tortoises on Isabela carrying Floreana DNA. Some had the distinctive saddleback-shaped shell associated with the old Floreana lineage. The discovery led to a decades-long breeding and restoration project—and in February 2026, 158 young Floreana-lineage tortoises were returned to the island for the first time in more than 180 years. You can see them when you visit the caves.
