Calling Ometepe one of the world’s natural wonders might be a slight exaggeration. But having an island with one volcano is already pretty special, having two is an even more incredible sight. In every other country this would be a huge tourist trap. Ometepe island though has remained relatively sparsely populated, and is as far removed from mass tourism as you can imagine.
CONTENTS
General introduction
Activities
Getting there and getting around
Miscellaneous
General introduction
The island is located in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, which might some day be connected to the ocean on both sides as an alternative to the Panama canal. Until then though, this is a rather quiet and not entirely easy-to-reach part of the country.
[two_fourth]On the western shore, it is lined with windmills. Yes, in scorching hot Nicaragua this lake is actually usually quite windy. Which often makes the boat trip to the island quite bumpy, especially if you don’t have the bigger ferry but the smaller boat instead. Seeing two locals puke the entire floor over didn’t actually fill us with confidence, but our stomachs survived the trip.[/two_fourth]There are two ports of entry. There is basically one road running across the island, with a chicken bus being the main mode of transport. There are hardly any real villages, the best tourist accommodations can be found between Santa Cruz and Balgüe on the Maderas part of the island (the eastern part).
Activities / things to do
- To explore the island at your own pace, one of the best things to do is rent a moped or a mountainbike. Quality of bikes can be, eh, rather underwhelming, but is of course the most sustainable way. You can easily cover the entire road on a moped in one day
- Hiking is obviously a main attraction here. Because of deadly incidents in the past (mainly tourists getting lost), it is now compulsory to get a guide. The hikes to Maderas anc Concepcion are VERY demanding as well, and only suitable for trained hikers
- Ojo de Agua is a beautiful swimming pool in the middle od the jungle. Fed by dozens of hot springs in the area, water temperatures vary between 22 and 28 degrees. Loved by locals and tourists alike
- Canoeing is possible at several places. Rio Istaim is one of the best, an inlet full of turtles, caimans and much more
- Charco Verde is a stunningly beautiful nature reserve. The butterfly garden alone is worth a visit. There is also a trail that takes around 30-45 minutes, but take your time and enjoy the beautiful Playa Bancon
- Beaches: just doing nothing is also already a good idea here. We stayed in San Jose del Sur and ate literally every evening at the Rancho Morgan restaurant, one metre away from the water. Literally an unforgettable experience
Getting to Ometepe and getting around
- You have to get to Rivas first, either by a long-distance bus to/from Costa Rica or by chicken bus from Granada. In Rivas, plenty of people will dive upon you to offer a taxi ride or a minivan collectivo. In both cases, costs will be low )couple of dollars max)
- In San Jorge, only a five minute drive from Rivas, you have to pay a small fee to get into the gated boarding area. You can also eat something here and buy a ticket for the ferry. There are either smaller boats or a ferry for cars going to the island. Most of them go to Moyogalpa on the western edge of the island, some go to San Jose del Sur more in the middle (the one we took). In both cases, expect around 90 minutes for the trip
- Once on the island, either take a taxi or a chicken bus. That one will take you across the island. Most tourists go to the northeastern side of the island, towards Balgüe. We opted to have San Jose del Sur as a homebase. There is not a lot of accommodation there, and in any case book in advance
Miscellaneous
- Weather can vary during a day, especially when it is windy. The volcanoes are often surrounded by clouds near the top. The humidity can also take a toll on people not used to it
- If you are really looking for a retreat, Ometepe is a really good choice. Prices are quite alright, but it is especially really relaxed and calm
There is a separate article with more photos from Ometepe