OMETEPE ISLAND, NICARAGUA

Ometepe Island is located in Lake Nicaragua, the largest lake in Central America. It is home to two of the three tallest volcanoes in the country as well as the lovely white-throated magpie jay! And did I mention bull sharks? Astonishingly, they have adapted to fresh water life and swim the waters of Lake Nicaragua. Don’t let that divert you from visiting though; there have only been three recorded attacks in the last 200 years. To be safe, save the surfing and swimming for San Juan del Sur!

Attractions:

  • Ojo de Agua: For $3 USD, you can visit this natural phenomena! This spring pool is filled with water from an underground river running from Volcán Maderas. There are two swimming pools; one of which has a rope swing in which you can jump into the water! It’s a great spot to unwind and have some fun!

  • Hike Volcán Concepción: This hike is challenging; no doubt about it! Round-trip, it is 24km (15 miles) and takes between 8-10 hours; the ascent is 1,500m. A guide is mandatory (ranging from $20-$25 USD) as the volcano is active. You will be fined if caught without a guide. Entrance to the national park is an additional $3 USD and if you’re lucky you’ll see some howler monkeys! Be sure to bring a lot of water, sunscreen, and a towel to cover your mouth (as there’s a decent bit of sulfur smoke at the peak).

  • San Ramón Waterfall: The entrance to this hike begins at Estación Biológica de Ometepe. It is 8km (5 miles) and takes 1-2 hours round-trip. The walk is worth it regardless of the time of year! There is a C$100 ($3 USD) entrance fee at the waterfall.

  • Note: Getting around the island is tricky but can be done by bus or taxi. The most up to date bus schedule can be found here.

  • Note: Be sure to take out cash before you get to the island; there are not many ATMs on Ometepe Island.

  • Other attractions include: Charco Verde, Volcán Maderas, Museo Altagracia, and Playa Santa Cruz.

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Accommodation:

  • West Side of Island - Hostel Life is Good: This hostel is located 20 minutes walking (or 5 minutes by tuk-tuk) from the dock in Moyogalpa. If you stay here, the hostel will pay for your first tuk-tuk ride! In addition to hammocks, they have a kitchen, a fully-stocked bar, and motorbike rentals.

  • East Side of Island - Finca Mystica: If you’re hoping to relax and immerse yourself in nature for a few days, this is your spot. It’s truly gorgeous! They have private cabins as well as hostel dorms. They also have a kitchen where they serve meals for guests made from the produce in their garden!

Transportation:

In order to get to Ometepe Island, you need to travel through Rivas. Rivas’ main chicken bus station is located here and where all chicken buses below depart from. From Rivas’ chicken bus station, take a chicken bus to San Jorge. The ride is 15 minutes and costs C$10; buses run every 30 minutes. From San Jorge, take the ferry to Ometepe Island. Be sure to buy a ticket to Moyogalpa (not San José del Sur). The ferry is 1 hour and costs C$35; ferries run every 30-45 minutes from 5:30am-5:30pm. When looking at the transit information below, keep in mind you need to add 1.5 hours and C$45 ($1.30 USD) to account for getting to Rivas.

  • San Juan del Sur is 1 hour by bus from Rivas and costs C$15 ($0.50 USD); buses run every 30 minutes.

    • To save time, you can take a 1-hour taxi to San Juan del Sur directly from San Jorge for C$500 ($15 USD).

  • Granada is 1.5 hours by bus from Rivas and costs C$50 ($1.50 USD); buses leave daily at approximately 6:10am, 8:00am, 10:15am, 11:15am, 12:10pm, 1:55pm, 3:10pm, 4:20pm, and 5:55pm.

  • León is 5-6 hours by bus from Rivas (indirect; via Managua) and costs C$120 ($4 USD). The first bus from Rivas to Managua is 3 hours and costs C$60; buses run every 30 minutes. The second bus from Managua to León is 1.5 hours and costs C$60; buses run every 30 minutes.

  • Monteverde, Costa Rica is 5-7 hours by bus from Rivas (indirect; via Lagartos) and costs C$800 ($23 USD). The first bus (blue and reads “Transnica”) from Rivas to Lagartos, Costa Rica is 4 hours and costs C$700. Before reaching Lagartos, you will cross the border at Peñas Blancas. Depending on the day, you may wait 15 minutes to 2 hours. Once you get through border control, get on the same Transnica bus you were on before. 3 hours later, you will be dropped off on the side of the highway in Lagartos. From here, board the next chicken bus to Monteverde; this bus is 1 hour and costs C$100.

    • When crossing the border from Nicaragua to Costa Rica, you will have to pay two fees. The first fee is $2 USD to exit Nicaragua. The second fee is $3 USD to enter Costa Rica.

  • San José, Costa Rica is 6-8 hours by bus from Rivas and costs C$950 ($27 USD). Board the same Transnica bus mentioned above in Rivas. The ride is 6-8 hours and costs C$950 (the price is different because you are going to a different destination). Before reaching San José, you will cross the border at Peñas Blancas (see above for border crossing information). Once you get through border control, board the same bus you were on before. The Transnica Terminal in San José is located at the intersection of Avenida 5/Calle 20.

    • The same border-crossing fees mentioned above apply for this route, too.

There is an airport on Ometepe Island but it is not heavily-utilized. I recommend first traveling to Granada, León, or San Juan del Sur and then making your way to Ometepe Island using the above information.

Thank you, Praesentator (for the photo of Volcán Concepción at the top of the page) and Jorge Sjoberg (for the photo of Volcán Maderas from Playa Santa Cruz)!