Last Updated on March 1, 2024
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An island on Lake Nicaragua was a destination like no other I’ve experienced so far. It’s formed from two volcanoes Concepción and Maderas in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. A place that is very relaxing, yet there are many things to do on Ometepe if you are looking to be active and adventurous. Beautiful nature surrounds you, no matter where you go. Horses, cows and pigs roaming everywhere, and if they decide to take over the road or take their sweet time crossing it, well, you’ll just have to wait. Ometepe felt like it’s world’s away, especially coming from a vibrant city like Granada.
Where is Ometepe Island
Ometepe Island ( Isla de Ometepe ) is a volcanic island located in Southwestern Nicaragua. It’s the biggest island on Lake Nicaragua, formed from two volcanoes Concepción and Maderas.
Things to do on Ometepe Island in Nicaragua
Climb a volcano
Volcano climbing is one of the top things to do on Ometepe Island. There are two volcanos that dominate the island’s landscape: the bigger and still active Concepción and the dormant Madera. If you are feeling adventurous you can climb both. But keep in mind, both are really challenging, even for experienced hikers.
Because of the difficulty level, it’s not recommended to climb either of the two volcanoes on your own. You want to go with a good, experienced guide, who knows the island and the volcanoes. The trails can be dangerous, especially in bad weather and they’re not always well marked.
- Concepción – at 1,610 m (5,282 f), this is the highest point on the island. Even though it starts out flat and seems easy at the beginning, the majority of the hike is pretty steep and physically challenging. Also, most of the hike is done in the sun with little shade, so if you combine the distance with scorching heat, the challenge is real. There’s no denying, that the reward is not bad, as the views from the summit are beyond spectacular. Expect about 10 hours to complete the hike. Most importantly, it’s highly recommended to go with a guide. This Climbing the Concepción volcano in Ometepe tour is top rated and ran by a reputable company. If you are offered a much cheaper rate, it’s most likely a scam, so beware.
- Maderas – this dormant volcano is the smaller (1,394 m) and easier of the two to climb, but the hike is not easy by any means. The trail is very uneven, and you’ll be climbing mostly through the rainforest, which means wet and muddy trails. Unlike the Concepción volcano, Madera has more shade, thanks to the dense jungle. You are also very likely to spot monkeys and birds along the way. It takes about 8 hours to complete the hike.
Horseback riding on the beach
One of my absolute favorite things we did on Ometepe was horseback riding on the beach. Even though I was a bit apprehensive at first, due to my lack of experience, my sense of adventure won, and it ended up being a great time. Our hotel Xalli set us up with a local guy Roberto, who took us on a great 3-hour horseback ride and showed us some great spots.
We started off on Playa Santo Domingo, which couldn’t have been more perfect spot. We trotted down the beach with the view of the jungle covered volcano Maderas in front of us. Next, we proceeded down the main road and then onto the path leading to Mirador Puerta del Cielo. Along the way we stopped to see ancient petroglyphs, which date back to pro-Colombian times and are very common to the island. They are scattered all over, but most of them can be found at the foot of Maderas volcano.
There are plenty of places on the island, that will take you horseback riding, and most hotels can also set you up.
Visit Punta Jesus Maria
This narrow strip of sand stretches out into Lake Nicaragua up to 2 km at certain times of the year. Although this will only be the case if you visit in dry season. Our stay on the island followed a record rainfall on Ometepe, making the sandbar much shorter than usual. Nevertheless, it’s definitely a must visit when on the island.
Punta Jesus Maria is also the top spot to watch the sunset. If you are doing an around the island tour on a scooter, make it your last stop of the day. I recommend getting there an hour before the sunset, which is usually around 6 pm. There’s a small bar, where you can get cheap beers, relax and wait for the sunset.
It costs only $2 to enter, which makes visiting Punta Jesus Maria one of the cheapest things to do on Ometepe.
Swim at Ojo de Agua
If you want to take a dip to cool off, Ojo de Agua is the place to go. This natural spring swimming pool is fed from underground river coming from Volcano Maderas and has crystal clear and refreshing water. There are chairs to relax by the pool, a rope swing and a restaurant on site as well. Great place to relax, grab a rum coconut drink from the vendor and enjoy a couple of hours in a beautiful tropical setting.
Ojo de Agua is one of the most popular things to do on Ometepe, not only among tourist, but also locals. It can get pretty crowded, especially on the weekends. However, since most people arrive later in the day, plan to go early to have the place to yourself.
Ojo de Agua is open daily 8 am – 5 pm and it costs $10 to enter. You get $5 voucher to spend at the restaurant/bar on site.
Explore the island on a scooter
This is a great alternative to the extremely expensive taxis and such a fun way to spend the day. There are plenty of rental places on the island, and most hotels can set you up with a guy renting one. We were not sure how long it was going to take us to get from Santo Domingo to Moyagalpa, so we headed straight there with no stops. An hour of riding on a nicely paved road, we ended up in town. We parked and strolled through the town.
A great thing about having a scooter is, you can stop whenever you see something you like. There is a lot to see between Santo Domingo and Moyagalpa, so we made several of these stops on the way back. Punta Jesus Maria, Charco Verde, the Ometepe Airport with its runway sitting at the foot of Volcano Concepcion. Finding a gas station to fill up the tank at the end, was fun on its own. We must have passed it several times before realizing that a little stand on the side of the road selling gasoline in recycled plastic bottles was what we were looking for.
Hike to Cascada de San Ramon
On the southern slopes of Maderas volcano, you will find Cascada de San Ramon, which at 213 feet (65m) is the biggest waterfall on the island.
Before you can take a dip in the refreshing water at the waterfall, you need to do some hiking. After paying 100 Cordobas ($3) at the entrance at the Biological Station, you start your trek up the 3 km path leading to Cascada de San Ramon. If you arrive on a scooter you can drive up the first 2 km, but the last 1 km can be done on foot only. Plan at least 3 hours to get there and back.
Visiting the San Ramon waterfall is definitely one of the top things to do on Ometepe, but only if you are there in the wet season. Don’t even bother going in the dry season, as there won’t be much waterfall to see.
How to get to Ometepe Island
Getting to Ometepe by Ferry
Most popular way to get to the island is taking a ferry. Much cheaper, but quite a hassle if you are coming from Managua or Granada. First you need to get yourself to Port of San Jorge from wherever you are. One way is to take a taxi right to the port (prices range from $ 40-60). The budget option would be to take a chicken bus to Rivas, and a taxi from there to the port. I was in Granada and it took a little more than an hour. Make sure to get on the big ferry. I’ve seen the smaller one, and I think I’d fear for my life being on that thing for the entire time.
There are two ports on the Island, Moyogalpa and San Jose, Moyogalpa being the bigger port with more ferries arriving. The service to San Jose is very limited, so when you arrive on Ometepe, it will most likely be in Moyogalpa, which is also the main town. The ferry ride takes about 1-1.30 hour, depending on weather conditions. You can check the complete Ometepe Ferry schedule here.
When you get to the San Jorge port, you’ll also need to pay a tourist tax of $1, that’s been imposed recently by San Jorge Port Authority.
Getting to Ometepe by air
Flying to Ometepe from Managua is possible, but your options are limited. La Costeña is the only airline, that flies to the island, with flights only on Thursday and Sunday. It’s very convenient, it costs $57.50 and 20 minutes later you are there. If this works with your schedule, it’s a great option and totally worth it, considering how much hassle it is to get to Ometepe from Managua or Granada. You can book your flights to Ometepe here.
2024 UPDATE: The flights from Managua to Ometepe are currently discontinued, due to low demand.
Visiting Ometepe on a day trip
I can’t say this is something I would highly recommend. Mostly, because one day is not long enough to see what this amazing island has to offer. With so many things to do on Ometepe, you need at least 3-4 days to fully enjoy and explore the island. However, I do think this is such a unique and beautiful place, that if you are really short on time, this full day trip to Ometepe from Granada, will at least give you a little taste of it. Hopefully enough, that it will inspire you to come back for a longer visit next time.
How to get around Ometepe Island
- Taxi -the most convenient and the most expensive option. I found taxis on the island to be really pricey. The price of gas on the island is way higher than mainland.
- Bikes – the island is pretty big and there’s no way to cover it on a bike, but it’s definitely a great and cheap way to around. Whether to some attractions nearby or a local restaurant.
- Scooter – definitely the most fun to get around Ometepe. You can rent one for the day and explore the island. They are easy to use, and go fast enough to cover some distance, but not extremely fast.
- Chicken bus – a local bus, that is basically a yellow school bus, you see every day on the streets in US. Very cheap, but much slower, often very crowded.
Where to stay on Ometepe
Looking at the map of Ometepe is a little deceiving, as the island is much bigger than it appears. Choosing where to stay will depend on what you are looking for. If you want the most convenient and cheap place, you can stay in Moyogalpa, although I personally don’t recommend it. If you are looking for a place close to nature and a relaxing experience, get out of town and head to more remote areas. However, you will need to factor in some sort of transportation to get places.
Moyogalpa is the main town on the island and where the ferry arrives. It’s where you will find lots of hostels and restaurants, but it’s not the most attractive part of Ometepe. It’s definitely the most budget friendly area, therefore popular with backpackers and there are plenty of bars within walking distance, as well as the ferry port. If you want to see the beauty of the island, I would not recommend staying in Moyogalpa, but choosing areas closer to nature.
Balgue, Santa Cruz and Santo Domingo are all great areas to base yourself. You get to experience all the beauty and you’ll also be centrally located to explore the island. There are so many things to do on Ometepe and you’ll be just a short drive away from all the above locations.
Xalli Ometepe Beach Hotel – this is a place where we stayed during our 4 days in Ometepe, and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s a small, 9 room hotel located in Santo Domingo, which is in the middle of the island. It also sits right on the beach on Lake Nicaragua. There’s a large garden area with hammocks and chairs, where you can relax. We chose to stay in one of the lake view deluxe rooms and it was very comfortable and spacious. It included a delicious, made to order breakfast, which is served at the restaurant on site. If you don’t feel like venturing out to dinner, they have a great dinner menu as well. Most of all, service at Xalli is top notch and the hotel’s staff went above and beyond to accommodate any requests, as well as helped with organizing all the activities.
Selvista Guesthouses – beautiful property located in Belgue, which is one of the best areas to stay on Ometepe. The place is a great mix of luxury and jungle living at a very reasonable price. The views are simply spectacular.
The Jungle – if you’d like to be in a more remote location, you will love this beautiful and family run hotel in Mérida. The hotel sits up on the hill, above the Lake Nicaragua and you get some amazing views of Volcano Concepción and breathtaking sunsets.
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I have been to Nicaragua twice and I can’t believe I skipped visiting Ometepe both times. What was I thinking? What a beautiful, relaxing way to get back to nature for a few days. Thanks for sharing
It’s really beautiful there, but kind of a pain to get to. So worth it though!
This looks like such a cool place! I would love to go horseback riding on an island like that!
It really is, such a cool and relaxing place!
This looks like such a beautiful place. The horse riding sounds fun. And with views like that!
The views were not bad 🙂
Great post and lovely pics – this is firmly on my travel to-do list!
Thank you!
Ometepe is so beautiful! It definitely is a bit of a pain to get there but it’s so worth it. It has such a relaxed atmosphere. I was there for a few weeks a couple years ago and it was such a fantastic time. Still dreaming of all the yummy food to be found there.
A few weeks on Ometepe sounds awesome ! I could have definitely stayed there longer.