Balgue

Balgue is a tiny village on Isla de Ometepe, an island on Lake Cocibolca in Nicaragua. The village lies at the base of Volcan Maderas.

Get in
From Moyogalpa port area there are direct buses to Balgue at 08:20, 10:15, and 15:45. You can also take a bus from Moyogalpa to Altagracia (leaves at least once per hour) then take another bus from Altagracia to Balgue. Buses do not run to Balgue on Sundays.

There are taxis as well.

Get around
The town of Balgue is small and can easily be walked in a few minutes. However, a system of footpaths connect Balgue with all the neighboring villages and farms. A day can be spend wandering the fields and paths, a hearty "buenas" usually enough to lead to adventures.

See
Climb Maderas Volcano, take in the sights from atop the muddy mountain, and then wander in the petroglyphs laden fields around Finca Magdalena.

Do

 * Tours Project Bona Fide offers 2- to 3-hour guided tour where you learn about soil management, waste water management, energy efficiency, our use of solar & wind power, inter-planting, agro-forestry, layering methods, water catchment systems, how to discourage ravenous insects and how to support wider varieties of birds, insects and animals on a farm all while maximizing food production. After the tours, full traditional Nicaraguan lunch prepared with products from the farm and a chance to meet the locals.
 * Tours Project Bona Fide offers 2- to 3-hour guided tour where you learn about soil management, waste water management, energy efficiency, our use of solar & wind power, inter-planting, agro-forestry, layering methods, water catchment systems, how to discourage ravenous insects and how to support wider varieties of birds, insects and animals on a farm all while maximizing food production. After the tours, full traditional Nicaraguan lunch prepared with products from the farm and a chance to meet the locals.

Eat
After eating the yummy if slightly over-priced gallo pinto at Finca Magdalena, wander down the road to the blue pulperia and order queso frito with tostones. Drink it with a tona and watch as the entire town of Balgue wanders by.

Sleep

 * Another place is Project Bona Fide. They offer dormitory rooms for US$25 a night which includes three square meals (except Saturday night), any fruit you find on the farm, and a tour of the farm. The price is cheaper if you volunteer for 4 hours in the morning. They also offer a private room for $23 a night.
 * Another place is Project Bona Fide. They offer dormitory rooms for US$25 a night which includes three square meals (except Saturday night), any fruit you find on the farm, and a tour of the farm. The price is cheaper if you volunteer for 4 hours in the morning. They also offer a private room for $23 a night.