Ometepe Island is one of the most beautiful places in Nicaragua. It is diverse, there is an abundance of wildlife and there is an almost endless amount of activities for anyone on holidays. It should be high on your list for any trip to Nicaragua and here are a few reasons why.
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1. San Ramon Waterfall
This was a super fun little hike through the jungle up to a beautiful little waterfall that falls into a small little swimming hole that you will be dying to dive into as soon as you get there because if you’re not one of the sweatiest humans on the planet by the time you arrive you’re either an ultra-marathon runner or there is something physically wrong with you internally.
The Entrance fee is $3 USD
2. Swim in Ojo de Agua
So the second thing to do on Ometepe is to venture to a perfect little swimming hole nestled in amongst the jungle. The spot is popular with tourists and locals alike. It is supplied from an underground water source that actually starts at Volcano Maderas. It is a great spot to wash off some of the heat of the day and stop and enjoy lunch or a snack before carrying on with your day. It also has a super fun little jumping platform complete with a rope swing.
The entrance fee was about $4 or $5 USD(depending on the current exchange rate). There are a few fun hiking trails around there also.
It is located about 2kms from Santa Domingo.
3. Hike Vulcan Maderas
I have a full post about hiking volcano Maderas over here but this is a beautiful volcano where you eventually arrive at a water-filled crater after hiking through the beautiful rainforest for a few hours. From the top, there is not a complete view of the island though so if that’s what you’re after you might want to think about hiking Vulcan Concepcion. Or just do both, which is what we did.
One thing I will stress very strongly here that you will understand why if you go through to the actual post is that you want good shoes. I am not talking a pair of Nikes(this is what I had and you can see what happened to them in the post) I am talking decent walking or hiking shoes or boots. If you need a little help picking a good pair of shoes here is a little guide that may help.
4. Hike Vulcan Concepcion
I have also written a more in-depth post about the experience of hiking volcano Concepcion here, but this was another beautiful experience although a little more physical than Maderas Volcano it was probably a little easier in terms of you didn’t have to worry about slipping in the mud the entire time. The weather is unpredictable so you won’t be guaranteed a view from the top but if the clouds clear for even a second it will be completely worth it and you will have stellar views over the island and the surrounding mainland.
5. Rent a bike and explore the island
We had our van to do this in but this was deffs your best option for seeing the island and they rent bikes literally everywhere! I am quite sure you can be sitting on a bike and someone will still try and rent you one. I would ask your hotel or hostel for best companies and prices. We asked and they are fairly consistent all over the island but from what I heard there are still a few dodgy ones around.
6.Discover the petroglyphs
This can be done on the same day as the Maderas Volcano hike and is something pretty cool to look at. There has not been sufficient research into them to know exactly when to date them but they are visibly very very old. All you have to do to get there is follow the track that heads to the left at a giant circle only a few hundred meters into the start of the hike at Vulcan Maderas.
7. Watch the sunset on Santo Domingo beach
This was one of the more spectacular sunsets I have ever seen… Actually, I don’t know if I can say that, that’s way too big of a call after being in dozens and dozens of countries and spending most of my life on the coast, however! This was for sure an incredibly spectacular sunset as you can see from the photos. You share the experience with a small point surrounded by water, the shoreline lined with coconut trees and soft sand and the sky is pierced by two different yet equally impressive volcanoes. We actually did this two nights in a row and it was equally as impressive both nights.
8. Stay in Zopilote Hostel
This hostel is just outside of Santa Cruz, about a 10-minute walk uphill into the forest. It’s like a mini village in the forest, with the dorms in wooden cabins dotted about on the eco-farm. This hostel might not be for everyone – if you feel squeamish about bugs, cold showers, or walking through the jungle at night, you might want to consider somewhere in town, not that any of this is bad. But honestly, El Zopilote is a magical experience. The community there is amazing, and you’re completely surrounded by nature. Another bonus is that it is very close to that start of the Volcano Maderas hike.
If this sounds like its something you would be into though you can make a booking by clicking the link here Zopilote Hostel. (Note: this is an affiliate link but there is no extra cost to you and it helps us out a little.)
When moving around the island also you have a host of different places to stay besides Zopilote Hostel, however, I do highly recommend it but here are a few other options we stayed at during our week there.
Casa Moreno is a beautiful colonial-style looking building with gorgeous rooms and located in a beautiful little corner of Moyogalapa on 200 meters away from the middle of town, easy walking distance to restaurants and shops. Make a booking for Casa Moreno here.
Hospedaje Los Chocoyos is another hotel located right on the beautiful Cocibolca Lake, it is only 4kms to San Ramon Waterfall and 8kms to Ojo De Agua. Most impressively though it sits right on the edge of a lake that is the only known place in the world where sharks and sawfish live in freshwater making it perfect for a kayaking trip. Kayaks are available for rent from the main office. The beds are comfortable and the internet is strong. Make a booking for Hospedaje Los Chocoyos here.
If there is anything else anyone who thinks I missed something you did that was incredible let me know in the comments.
