It is surrounded by the Guayas River and populated by 47 families living there since the 1950s and before.
The island is low-lying and subject to flooding by fluctuating water levels in the Guayas River.
Other vegetation cover includes deciduous forest, natural savannas and cattle pasture.
Santay has been declared a Ramsar site and the island is in the process of becoming a National Protected Area.
The island has also been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports a significant population of resident red-masked parakeets.