10 Wonderful Things To Do in Ometepe Island
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Isla de Ometepe (pronounced oh-MEH-teh-peh) is one of the most unique islands in the world. It is the world’s largest volcanic island formed within a fresh water lake. Ometepe is made up of two volcanoes that are joined by a shallow isthmus. The only way to reach the island is by ferry. Ometepe truly is a sight to behold as you approach it from mainland Nicaragua, so make sure to get a good seat on the ferry! The island is serene, it is idyllic. It is the perfect place to do nothing at all. In this post, I share 10 wonderful things to do in Ometepe. More accurately, I am sharing 10 of the most beautiful Ometepe spots do nothing at all.
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<3 Dominique
To help with our discussion, I am providing my rough map of Ometepe Island with all points of interest highlighted:
1) Climb a volcano
Since Volcán Concepción and Volcán Maderas are the two most iconic features of the island, it is understandable why climbing a volcano is THE top thing to do in Ometepe. Be warned: these volcano hikes are not for the faint of heart. Move on from this activity if you are currently out of shape.
If you are short on time and need help deciding on which volcano hike to do, below is a breakdown of each.
Volcán Concepción
This hikes takes 10 hours and starts at dawn. It has a high degree of technical difficulty. Volcán Concepción is an active volcano and at 1,610 m/5,282 ft, it is the highest point on Ometepe Island.
The first part of the hike goes through farmland and jungle. Eventually, rocks and volcanic debris cover the trail. Closer to the top, the trail becomes super steep and windy.
If you summit on a clear day, Concepción offers 360° views of Nicaragua – from the Pacific coast over to the Caribbean. However, clouds often cover the top of Concepción.
Volcán Maderas
This hike takes about eight hours and will take you 1,400 m/4,593 ft above Ometepe. While Volcán Maderas is 200 m shorter than Concepción and is a dormant volcano, the hike is also of high technical difficulty.
The trail is steep and since it goes through a cloud forest, it is also humid, slippery and muddy. The humidity on Maderas also makes it haven for bugs.
In ideal conditions, you will be rewarded with fantastic views of the crater lake at the top, with Volcán Concepción and Lake Nicaragua in the backdrop.
Travel tip: By law, you need a certified guide to hike Volcán Concepción and/or Volcán Maderas. Make sure to hire your guide a few days out before your excursion date as they need notice. Don’t make the same mistake I made by only allowing 48 hour notice 🙁
2) Take a panoramic picture at Punta Jesús María
Punta Jesús María is a popular beach on Ometepe because it has a unique feature. When visiting during the dry season, the water recedes to reveal a sandbar. The sandbar could extend out to Lake Nicaragua for more than 1 km (depends on water levels). In ideal conditions, you can walk so far out into the lake that you can turn and take a panoramic shot of Ometepe with both Volcán Concepción and Volcán Maderas visible.
Punta Jesús María is a popular spot at sunset. If you really had your heart set on taking sunset pictures here, I would recommend showing up at least an hour before sundown to get a good spot. There are nearby vendors selling drinks and snacks. Be warned: the area gets really dark after sunset. Consider this when planning how you are getting to and from Punta Jesús María. The beach is located along an unpaved road that is 1 km away from the main road. For these reasons, I recommend showing up any time before sunset to take panoramic photos.
Read more: 5 Essential Travel Tips for Isla de Ometepe
3) Explore Charco Verde
Charco Verde is an ecological reserve covering 20 hectares of tropical dry forest. The reserve is named after the mystical pond found within the reserve. Charco Verde is a great spot for a light hike and birdwatching.
There is a $5 USD entrance fee which includes access to a butterfly sanctuary. There are no vendors inside Charco Verde so I suggest packing water and snacks.
4) Cool off at Ojo de Agua
Ojo de Agua is a very popular spot for both local and international visitors. It consists of two natural spring pools. The water comes from an underground river that comes from Volcán Maderas. The water gets consistently replenished by the spring that comes from underneath the upper pool.
To be honest, I had no intention of going to Ojo de Agua. To me, it looked like a glorified swimming pool. But once out in the Ometepe heat, I instantly understood why this attraction is so popular. It is the perfect place to grab lunch and cool off midday!
Admission into Ojo de Agua is now at $10 USD per person. You can redeem $5 USD back if you buy food from the restaurant. They have WiFi and a restaurant on site. There are also lockers and change rooms available although the change rooms reeked of urine during my visit. Ojo de Agua gets super busy on holidays and weekends.
5) Grab drinks at Playa Mangos or Playa Perú
Playa Mangos and Playa El Perú are two beaches that lie on the same stretch of sand. They have very different vibes though.
Playa Mangos feels more like a beach club. There’s a DJ on site. They sell Playa Mangos merch. There are facilities available for use as long as you buy something from the restaurant/bar. You can also arrange for kayak tours for $10 USD per hour to Río Istián. Playa Mangos is a very popular spot especially during sunset. The parking lot fills up pretty fast.
On the other hand, Playa El Perú offers almost all the same amenities and is a lot quieter. There’s no DJ or merch, but there’s a restaurant on site. There is also a place offering kayak rentals and Río Istián tours.
I would suggest parking at Playa El Perú, spending some time there before making your way to Playa Mangos on foot.
6) Go kayaking on the Río Istián
Río Istián is a river that cuts through the isthmus. The river offers one of the most biodiverse environments in Central America. For this reason, Ometepe Island has a protected Biosphere Reserve designation from UNESCO. When kayaking the mangrove forests of Río Istián, you may encounter caimans, monkeys, and turtles. You will definitely encounter many bird species. Kayaking Río Istián with a local guide may provide deeper insight on not only the flora and fauna of the region but also the Indigenous communities and Ometepe history.
There are places in the town of Mérida where you can rent a kayak and/or hire a guide. Caballito’s Mar is a highly rated tour company (they also have a restaurant and hotel). There are also kayak rentals and Río Istián tours offered at Playa Mangos and Playa El Perú.
From experience, wildlife is typically most active during sunrise and sunset. Try to book your tour during these times. Wear clothing that you wouldn’t mind getting wet and don’t forget to pack water and sun protection!
7) Hike to San Ramón Waterfall
The San Ramón waterfall (Cascada de San Ramón in Spanish) is 50 m/164 ft high. If you’re looking for a quiet activity that would immerse you in the natural beauty of Ometepe, this would fit that vibe. During the dry season, San Ramón waterfall could be reduced to a trickle. Ask locals before you go if there is water at the falls. I hiked to San Ramón in the middle of May. While the falls weren’t at their strongest, I still enjoyed the experience.
The entrance to San Ramón is in an area of Ometepe that is tougher to reach (the southern slopes of Volcán Maderas). There is a $3 USD entrance fee. For those arriving on two wheels, where you pay this fee would be the ideal place to park. The road between here and the hydroelectric dam (where the hike official starts) is in poor condition and not suitable for bikes and motorbikes.
For those arriving by ATV or car, continue driving for two kilometers until you reach a second parking lot. From here, the hike to the waterfall takes about two hours. The hike is pretty challenging as it involves vertical climbs and scrambling over rocks coupled with the Ometepe heat.
The water at the base of San Ramón is not deep enough for a swim. But the nevertheless, standing beneath the waterfall after that hike was so delicious. There are no vendors on site so bring enough water and some snacks. I would also suggest wearing good hiking shoes.
8) Have a beach day
If you are looking to have a chill day by the lake, there are shorelines aplenty on Ometepe. While I have already covered Punta Jesús María, Playa Mangos, and Playa El Perú in different sections of this post, this sections covers other beaches worth mentioning.
Playa Santo Domingo
Located centrally on the isthmus, Playa Santo Domingo is a 4 km stretch of pale sand. The water here is always choppy as it faces the windy side of the island. Lake Nicaragua is so vast that it could be mistaken for the ocean. The water here is shallow and warm and ideal for swimming. There are restaurants and hotels on this stretch of beach. Playa Santo Domingo gets busy on holidays and weekends as it is a popular spot with the locals.
Playa Santa Cruz
Directly beside Playa Santo Domingo is Playa Santa Cruz. It is actual unclear on where one starts and the other begins. But the further east (or is it south?) you go, the less crowded the beach gets. From Playa Santa Cruz, you can get a good view of both Volcán Concepción and Volcán Maderas.
Tagüizapa
To get to Tagüizapa, you need to walk a little over one kilometre through banana plantations from Altagracia. There is a hotel and restaurant on site. At this hotel, you will find an 800 year old ceiba tree. This tree is reportedly the oldest tree in Ometepe.
Calaiza
To get to Calaiza, start from Hotel Central in Altagracia, head east on the road and turn right at the fork (about 1.3 km from the hotel). During dry season, you can follow the beach all the way to Playa Santo Domingo. The walk is quite scenic, offering views to Volcán Maderas and small islands.
Paso Real
If you really wanted to be isolated on a beach, then Paso real may be the Ometepe beach for you. It is only 800 m away from Altagracia. To get there, head north towards the port of Altagracia and turn right past the power plant.
9) Savour a coffee at Finca Magdalena
Located north of Volcán Maderas, Finca Magdalena is a 350 hectare organic farm. It was built in 1888 and was once owned by a former dictator of Nicaragua. After the revolution, the Sandinistas confiscated the farm and gave it to the people. Today, Finca Magdalena is run by a cooperative of 24 families.
Finca Magdalena offers coffee and farm tours. As part of the tour, you will be shown a couple sites with petroglyphs from pre-Columbian times. Alternatively, you can skip the tour and just pop in for a cup of a coffee with views of Volcán Concepción.
10) Marvel at pre-Columbian Petroglyphs
Ometepe has a rich pre-Columbian past. Early Indigenous groups considered the island as their promised land. They saw Maderas as the sacred place of the Sun and Concepción the brother of the moon. Ancient petroglyphs (rock carvings) have been found all over Ometepe with the oldest one dating back to 1000 BC.
Very little is currently being done to maintain the archaeological sites of Ometepe but they are nevertheless culturally significant. This section covers specific sites where you can find petroglyphs and pre-Columbian artifacts that were found on Ometepe. There are numerous other farms and churches that have petroglyphs on site. This post covers the sites that are the best known and easiest to access.
Museo El Ceibo
This privately-owned, archaeological museum is close to Charco Verde. It houses a large collection of pre-Columbian artifacts. Entrance fee is $5 USD.
Finca Magdalena
The farm is one of the best places on the island to find petroglyphs at their original location. To access the petroglyphs, you will need to pay the $3 USD entrance fee for the Volcán Maderas trail at Finca Magdalena. Ask the staff for guidance on where to find the petroglyphs. They are hard to spot and there are no signs on the trail. Once at the petroglyphs site, you will find a clearing in the jungle with boulders etched with ancient drawings.
Finca Porvenir
Like Finca Magdalena, Finca Porvenir is a working farm that offers accommodations. Here, the petroglyphs are easier to find as they have been moved and curated into a garden.
Altagracia
If you’re interested in seeing petroglyphs and pre-Columbian artifacts, then a visit to the Altagracia area may be worth a spot on your itinerary.
Tagüizapa and San Silvestre are archaeological sites near Altagracia. Four large stone idols have been excavated at these sites. Note: there are rocky beaches at these sites if you want to bring your bathing suit and make an afternoon of this activity.
Museo de Ometepe is located in Altagracia. This museum exhibits petroglyphs as well as pre-Columbian pottery.
Travel tip: if you want a hassle free cultural tour of Isla de Ometepe, check out this tour that would take you to the many sites mentioned in this post, including a visit to Museo El Ceibo.
What were your favourite things to do in Isla de Ometepe? Did you have any questions? I would love to hear from you in the comments below!