Floreana is one of the Galapagos islands with the most interesting human history. One of the earliest islands to be inhabited, this island has long been a favorite site of visitors including pirates, whalers and early settlers.
The island is best known for its colorful history of buccaneers, whalers, convicts, and colonists. In 1793 British whalers established the Post Office Barrel to send letters to and from England. This tradition has continued over the years, and even today visitors may drop off and pick up letters, without stamps, to be carried to far destinations.
One of the oldest islands Floreana illustrates the aging process of a volcanic island. The erosion process gave the island the nutrients and soils need to sustain plant life. The combination of this rich soil and a good water supply have given the highlands of Floreana a diversified landscaping of native and introduced flora.