Nicaragua's Meseta Central (Central Valley) offers a picturesque patchwork of lagoons, volcanic peaks and sleepy colonial villages. Few visitors head here for more than a short day-trip from nearby Granada, leaving plenty of room for exploration and singular encounters with the region's remarkable natural, cultural and artistic imprint.
Head out to the Pueblos Blancos, where each village has its own specialty, from exquisite pottery to handcrafted wooden furniture. The villages also hold exuberant religious festivals.
Towering over all of this is cantankerous Volcán Masaya whose recent activity briefly pelted the surrounding countryside with rocks, and whose crater bubbles restlessly with molten magma.
Sloping down from the meseta are the Carazo towns – home to some of Nicaragua's oldest coffee farms and pleasant stopovers on the way to a stretch of coast with several low-key fishing villages.
At the time of writing, political unrest in the country has turned Masaya, a popular destination known for its artisan market and aficionados of traditional craftsmanship, into the center of political strife and violence.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Masaya & Los Pueblos Blancos.
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Birdwatching and coffee tours are conveniently rolled into one at Gaia Estate, a lush, 90-acre organic coffee farm. Over 150 species of birds live here, and forested trails lead past 60 species of trees. From Diriamba's Puma gas station turn right towards Diriamba Stadium, then right again in front of the stadium and drive 4.5km to the village of San Carlos. The road curves left and the entrance to Bosques de Gaia (known locally as 'Miramar') is past the curve.
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Take a dip in the pools beneath spectacular waterfalls at this lovely nature reserve, then explore the short hiking trails that traverse the 154-hectare property – mainly primary dry tropical forest with a few bonus waterfalls and big trees, including huge strangler figs.
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Nicaragua’s first natural history museum (sort of) offers informative, if low-budget, displays that focus primarily on the ecosystem of the Río Grande de Corazo and turtles of the Refugio de Vida Silvestre Río Escalante Chacocente. It's sometimes inexplicably closed.
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This simple corner building was the childhood home of revolutionary leader Augusto C Sandino. Now it's a library and small museum devoted to Sandino memorabilia, but opening hours are erratic.
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This waterfront complex offers amenities for beachgoers, from bars and restaurants to public restrooms. Just follow the only road west to the end.