Isla de Ometepe



Isla de Ometepe's name is derived from the Nahuatl words ome (two) and tepetl (mountain), meaning two mountains. An island in Lake Nicaragua in the country of Nicaragua, Ometepe is one of the country's must-see places. This island composed of twin volcanoes provides a remote escape in the middle of Lago de Nicaragua - a tourist slogan often found on T-shirts for the island is "oasis of peace". There are two towns (Moyogalpa and Altagracia) along with a few smaller settlements on the island, along with a number of small coffee plantations.

Cities

 * San Ramón. Sleepy little town on the water with a couple hospedajes/comedores. Nice view of the lake and starting place for hiking to the waterfall.
 * San Ramón. Sleepy little town on the water with a couple hospedajes/comedores. Nice view of the lake and starting place for hiking to the waterfall.
 * San Ramón. Sleepy little town on the water with a couple hospedajes/comedores. Nice view of the lake and starting place for hiking to the waterfall.
 * San Ramón. Sleepy little town on the water with a couple hospedajes/comedores. Nice view of the lake and starting place for hiking to the waterfall.
 * San Ramón. Sleepy little town on the water with a couple hospedajes/comedores. Nice view of the lake and starting place for hiking to the waterfall.

Other destinations

 * Reserva Charco Verde, a nature reserve with abundant wildlife on the southern part of the island, where you can swim, hike and kayak.
 * Santo Domingo Beach, the only sand beach easily accessible on the eastern side of the island. During the rainy season, the lake rises and the beach can disappear for several months.
 * San Ramon Waterfall, natural fresh waterfall inland that is easily accessible by trail via a 3-hour hike. Best viewed during the rainy season; ask before you go if there is water.
 * El Ceibo museum, a privately owned collection of pre-Columbian artifacts discovered on an old tobacco plantation on the island. The museum includes the country's largest currency collection as of 2012.
 * Punta Jesus Maria a beach on the Concepcion side of the island best accessed by bike. In the dry season, a long sandy headland stretches out into the lake. During the rainy season, it is mostly covered with water. Popular with locals as well
 * Ojo de Agua

Understand
One of its volcanoes active (Concepcion) one of them dormant (Maderas) Ometepe is a sight to behold already when coming in by ferry. Inhabitants like to call the island "oasis of peace" as it has been left largely unscathed by the violent conflicts of Nicaragua's younger history and lying at one of the black volcanic beaches or listening to howler monkeys during the strenuous ascent up one of the two volcanoes you might very well feel peaceful and forget whatever may exist outside this oasis. While it is definitely not a party destination there is hardly anything else you can't do on the island and even though it is not the well kept secret it once was the tourists quickly spread out over the island once you leave the ferry leaving the island mostly to you and your plans.

By boat
You can get to the islands main port (Moyogalpa; ), or a smaller new port at San Jose del Sur by boat or ferry from San Jorge near Rivas for about US$2-3. There are two ferries - one that carries cars, costs C$70 (Feb 2014), is quite comfortable and leaves on a set schedule, and another ferry that is smaller, cheaper, and appears to leave when full. There is also a tourist tax of C$36/USD$1 to pay on departure from mainland. (Mar 2023) There are plenty of hotels and restaurants within walking distance of the ferry. Buses pick you up and drop you off at terminal. Taxis are also present.

(**As of 3/2021 the ferry from Granada to Altagrecia is not running**) On Monday and Thursday, a ferry leaves Granada around 2 pm and arrives to the port of Altagracia  (4 hours) for C$104 (first class) second class (Nicaraguan nationals only): C$46. On Tuesday and Friday there is a ferry coming from San Carlos stopping in San Miguelito and Morrito to the Island (12 hr ride) for C$161(first class) second class (Nicaraguan nationals only): C$63. For more see the national port administration's website. Your bags will be searched and you have to present your passport to buy a ticket, so be at the port well before departure. If you arrive from San Carlos it will be after sundown and the port is about 2 km out of town. Take a taxi or arrange transport with your hotel.

The crossing is not always smooth: the ferry can get thrown around quite a lot. If you sit indoors on the boat, be aware that water splashes in through the windows, even when they are closed so you may get a little wet if sitting by the window

By plane
A small airport has been opened in 2014 just outside of Moyogalpa, with flights to/from Managua, San Juan del Norte and San Carlos twice a week. For more details check with the domestic airline's website.

Road network
Whichever mode of transportation you plan to use, it is helpful to understand the island's road configuration. As the island has the shape of a figure 8, so does its road network; it consists of the following main parts:
 * A loop around Volcán Concepción, connecting the island's main towns (Moyogalpa, San José del Sur, El Quinto, Altagracia, La Flor. It is known officially as National Highway 64; as of 2016, about 3/4 of it is paved, the unpaved section being in the north (Altagracia to La Flor)
 * A loop around Volcán Maderas, connecting Santa Cruz, Balgue, Tichana, San Ramon, and Merida. The only paved section is about 3 km long, in the loop's NW part, from Santa Cruz to Balgue; the rest is a dirt road, much of it in very rough condition, with big stones here and there. This is known as provincial road N226.
 * The connector between the two loop, from El Quinto (on the Concepción loop, south of Altagracia), along Santo Domingo Beach, to Santa Cruz (on the Maderas loop). It is paved, and is officially part of N226.
 * Short connector roads, usually unpaved, from the  Concepción loop to various lakeside villages and beaches.

The above means that by now most of the island's hotels and hostels are near a paved road, with the exception of those on the Maderas' west side (in Mérida and San Ramon). (The south-eastern half of Maderas, between Balgues and San Ramon, has no tourist accommodations, perhaps exactly due to the difficult road access).

The unpaved roads may have very short (20-50 m) paved sections at the steepest grades.

As of early 2016, the map at the Hacienda Merida's site is still up-to-date as to the location of paved roads.

By bus
Very slow local buses run to most villages on the island. Service is relatively frequent between Moyogalpa and Altagracia (roughly every hour), less so to Balgue and Merida (three or four per day).

You can easily flag down a passing bus for a ride; however, the infrequent schedule might make this impractical.

By taxi
Taxis meet all the ferries (in fact, the drivers want you to use their services almost immediately once you step of the boat) but apart from that, it is hard to find one. They also tend to be more expensive than on the mainland.

By motorcycle
For travelers with a more liberal budget, renting a motorcycle can be a fun and liberating way to explore the island on your own. There are a few rental outfits in Moyagalpa, and one small operation along the road through Santo Domingo. The best motorbikes and service on the island likely come from an operation run by a guy named Robinson ( robinson170884@gmail.com) He speaks perfect English and is very easy to work with. US$25 for a motorbike rented out of Moyagalpa and returned to their shop by 18:00 that day. US$40 for 24 hours. Also, Robinson will deliver a motorbike as far away as Little Morgan's, outside of Santa Cruz, then come and pick the bike up by 18:00 the same evening. US$40 for a bike delivered to your hostel. Or, you can ask him to bring bungee cords with the bike, then tie your bags down at the end of the day and drive yourself back to Moyagalpa for the ferry the next morning. A superb way to get around on a transportationally challenged island.

Word of caution when dealing with Robinson, he has been known to refuse to give back your full deposit or charge you an exorbitant cost to fix a seemingly minute repair ($5 for a scrape on a bicycle sticker, $65 for perforated tire). There are now dozens of other motorcycle rental locations in Moyogalpa who are far more reasonable business owners.

By bicycle
There are plenty of bicycle rental shops on the island that rent by the hour (C$20), day (US$5-7, as of 2016) or week. It is a good way to get to many of the beaches and places like Ojo de Agua, which are too far to walk to and impractical to reach (and get back from) by bus.

See the "Road Network" section above for the conditions of the roads. Most of the road around Volcan Maderas is in very rough shape. It's not recommended to try to cycle around it, although you could ride a motorcycle reasonably easily.

If you have your own bicycle, it is possible to bring it over on a ferry for a nominal fee (as of 2016, around C$10 paid to enter the dock at San Jorge, plus C$20 fee paid on the ferry). Since bicycles are commonly used as a means of transportation by the islanders (despite the awful quality of the roads in the Maderas half of the island!), small bicycle repair shops exist in several towns. Bicycle spare parts (tires, inner tubes, etc.) are available in some general store in several towns as well.

On foot
While it may seem like a great idea when looking at a map and the towns on the island are definitely walkable, outside of the towns almost everything is too far to walk for all but the most dedicated. That being said, if you can cope with the heat and the distances (bring plenty of water) you can walk some places.

See
Views of the volcanoes as well as sunsets are worth taking a picture or three dozen.
 * There's an island museum in Altagracia with texts mostly in Spanish; good option to kill time waiting for the ferry if nothing else

Do


Options on the island include:


 * Hike to the top of Volcan Concepcion (~ 8 hours return, strenuous, guide mandatory)
 * Hike to the 1000m look-out point of Volcan Concepcion (~ 6 hours return, moderate, guide mandatory)
 * Hike to the top of Volcan Maderas to a crater lake (~ 6 hours return, less strenuous)
 * Hike to 80-m San Ramon waterfall on the south side of Maderas (several hours return from Merida)
 * See petroglyphs at the village of Finca El Porvenir
 * Go horseback riding
 * Rent a bicycle and explore the island on your own (actually one of the fastest and most comfortable ways around the island as most things out of cities are not walkable for anybody but Marathon runners, and buses and taxis are slow and seldom to be found)
 * Rent a motorbike and explore the island on your own
 * Go fishing
 * Hike the trails from the park entrance center on the road from Altagracia (just before you enter Santa Cruz)
 * Hire a kayak and explore the lake and one or two of the rivers. Be aware of the strong western wind (trade wind) and concomitant waves, which are likely to be encountered everywhere outside of the sheltered areas (such as the western side of Maderas, around Mérida, sheltered by the volcano's cone).
 * Go swimming in the fresh water
 * Trails are generally unmarked and the terrain is rough. Local guides are inexpensive, good.
 * If off hiking on your own be aware that many trails are actually being used by locals as a means to work their bean fields,The same beans that are served in the local staple of beans and rice, These beans are of a low growing variety and are barely visibly so please stay on trails so as not to damage their crops.
 * The island is very large and to go by bicycle around one volcano in one day is very challenging but possible, getting around both volcanoes by motorbike in one day is a little easier but still difficult.

Groceries
Outside of Moyogalpa and Altagracia, most of the island's villages only have tiny grocery stores (more like kiosks), often selling fairly strange assortments of things (e.g. shoes and bananas). While the locals grow all kinds of produce for their own needs, only a small fraction of it is offered for sale at shops and kiosks, as most families have their own produce and don't need to buy it for cash.

Two local products that you can enjoy with your picnic lunch are plantains (platanos; bigger and tastier than regular bananas; ripe when yellow) and passion fruit (which are more commonly known in Nicaragua as calala, rather than maracuya; great by themselves, or with ice cream). Platanos are also eaten deep fried while still green. In that case their taste is similar to fries. Some other fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and oranges, are also commonly available. Tasty mangoes are grown in the island too (e.g., Mérida's main street is lined with majestic mango trees; you can see residents obtaining some fruit by hurling stones at them), but are rarely sold; the same is the case with the star fruit (carambola). Small tasty lemons and tamarind fruits can often be found scattered under the trees on your hotel or campground property.

Grocery stores usually have fairly fresh bread of several kinds (apparently shipped by truck on a ferry from the mainland daily), cookies, as well as cheese (queso or cuajada), which resembles rather oversalted feta cheese. (While there is often a fridge in the store, most shoppers would not have a fridge at home, and salt serves as a preservative). Cheese that is more akin to North American or European variants is known as "queso amarillo" (yellow cheese) and surprisingly hard to get on the island.

Sleep
Note: For hotels within the urban areas of Moyogalpa and Altagracia, see the respective articles.


 * Hostal Ibesa Owned and operated by a friendly and helpful local family, shared room US$3 per person, your own private room US$4, there is also a dorm room which may be even cheaper, very clean and comfortable (prices in 2008), laundry service.
 * Puesta del sol. The community association invites you to come share the rural lifestyle of 16 families in the community of la Paloma, 1.5 km away from Moyogalpa. You will be able to practice Spanish and if you want to, protect environment and help them in their projects.
 * Hotel Bahia, Primary a restaurant, it also has two rooms in the back after the open fire kitchen. Private with a bathroom with a shower, no sink and a toilet with cushioned seat for US$7.
 * Puesta del sol. The community association invites you to come share the rural lifestyle of 16 families in the community of la Paloma, 1.5 km away from Moyogalpa. You will be able to practice Spanish and if you want to, protect environment and help them in their projects.
 * Hotel Bahia, Primary a restaurant, it also has two rooms in the back after the open fire kitchen. Private with a bathroom with a shower, no sink and a toilet with cushioned seat for US$7.
 * Puesta del sol. The community association invites you to come share the rural lifestyle of 16 families in the community of la Paloma, 1.5 km away from Moyogalpa. You will be able to practice Spanish and if you want to, protect environment and help them in their projects.
 * Hotel Bahia, Primary a restaurant, it also has two rooms in the back after the open fire kitchen. Private with a bathroom with a shower, no sink and a toilet with cushioned seat for US$7.
 * Hotel Bahia, Primary a restaurant, it also has two rooms in the back after the open fire kitchen. Private with a bathroom with a shower, no sink and a toilet with cushioned seat for US$7.

Stay safe

 * The trails are not marked so if you don't know the island, it is best to hire a guide. They are usually cheap and can give you so much help. Many people have gotten lost climbing the volcanoes and the trails are small. There are no services and help is hard to come by when climbing one of the mountains, so bring what you need before hand.
 * Thanks to the fact that it's an island which is kind of easy to check traffic of persons it is, in comparison to the rest of Nicaragua, pretty safe.
 * Minor annoyance such as kids begging for money may happen, but in a day, many locals will greet you and are happy to help you.
 * As in much of rural Central America, semi-feral dogs (or, if you wish, "free-range dogs") hang out around most tourist establishments. The property owners would neither kill them nor take charge of them in the European sense of the word (as in, keeping them indoors, in a fenced area, or on a chain). They rarely attack adult guests, and don't even bark much during the day; but if you eat outdoors, the dogs will congregate around you and watch you eat. Hotel owners advise guests not to feed these dogs; if you are camping, make sure to put your food supplies at a location not accessible to dogs (e.g., in a bag hanging from a tree).
 * Some locals report that there is some danger when climbing the top of Concepcion because of the activity that exist in the top. It is important to take a guide and make sure that if you notice anything suspicious, get away.
 * Climbing Concepcion without a guide is illegal. Make sure to bring plenty of water (more than 2 liters) if you climb it. Good shoes go without saying.

Go next

 * San Jorge, Rivas and southwestern Nicaragua.
 * San Carlos with the twice weekly ferry from Altagracia; from there you can go on exploring the Rio San Juan.
 * San Juan del Sur, a surfing paradise, easily accessible by bus
 * Granada, a colonial city on the lake. Take the ferry to San Jorge, get on a Managua express bus (C$70) and ask to be left at the "Empalme para Granada" (intersection of road to Granada) to catch the Granada bus (C$20).

Costa Rica

 * San José (Costa_Rica) - the capital is a bus ride away from Rivas. During the border crossing, it is common for a bus driver to collect all passengers passports and handle immigration for you. This can be a little alarming to those unfamiliar with the border crossing.