©Philip Lee Harvey/Lonely Planet

The Río San Juan & Islas Solentiname

Perhaps Nicaragua's best kept secret and certainly one of its most unfairly overlooked regions, the steamy Río San Juan runs from Lago de Nicaragua into the Caribbean, forming the border with Costa Rica for much of its journey through the wilderness. The thick jungle here is a haven for migratory birds and dozens of animal species including jaguars, howler monkeys, alligators, sloths and fluorescent fingernail-sized tree frogs.

It’s also a place thousands of travelers simply pass through on their way to Costa Rica, ignoring the sweet Archipiélago de Solentiname, a remote group of islands with an artistically minded population, as well as the towns and villages along Río San Juan and the spectacular Reserva Biológica Indio-Maíz. This is a mistake, but as long as it continues, you'll find you have much of Nicaragua's far south to yourself: do not miss it.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout The Río San Juan & Islas Solentiname.

Wildlife Reserve
Reserva Biológica Indio-Maíz
The second-largest tract of intact primary forest in the country, the Reserva Biológica Indio-Maíz is a vast wilderness and a hugely important rainforest ecosystem with incredible biodiversity. While much of the reserve is restricted, it is possible to visit certain parts of it. In 2018 horrific fires caused by outsiders, who were clearing forest illegally to use as farmland, destroyed huge areas of ancient forest and it will take decades for the reserve to recover.
Church
Nuestra Señora de Solentiname
Mancarrón's greatest human-made gift is Nuestra Señora de Solentiname, where populist priest Ernesto Cardenal ran a rather enlightened parish. Constructed by the community in 1979, it features a beautiful whitewashed nave from within which you can still hear the lake and feel the trees. The altar spares the usual golden idolatry and instead is graced with a colorful yet humble mural depicting life in the archipelago. If there's no one around, ask up the hill at the museum.
Gallery
Unión de Pintores y Artesanos de Solentiname ‘Elvis Chavarría’
Set in an old mahogany house uphill from the sheltered dock, this cooperative features the work of about 50 of the islands’ top artists and artisans. Affordable balsa sculptures are in one room, and higher-end paintings (US$40 to US$1200) are in the other. The view from here is incredible. If it's closed, ask for the key at the tourist office.
Fort
La Fortaleza
Properly known as La Fortaleza de la Limpia Pura e Inmaculada Concepción, this photogenic fortress was constructed between 1673 and 1675, commissioned after Granada was sacked three times in five years. The Raudal El Diablo rapids were key – they slowed the pirates down just long enough to aim enormous cannons their way. Still, the fortress was attacked, rebuilt and fortified every other decade for 200 years.
Nature Reserve
Reserva Privada El Quebracho
Administered by the Fundación del Río in San Carlos, this 90-hectare property borders Reserva Biológica Indio-Maíz, and offers a peek at the region’s very big trees, very small frogs, beautiful rivers and wealth of wildlife. Take a bus or taxi to Buena Vista and walk the last hour to the reserve, where you can hike and horseback ride along two trails through primary forest dangling with orchids. If you stick around, accommodations are available in simple rooms with shared bathrooms.
Nature Reserve
Sistema de Humedales de San Miguelito
The San Miguelito wetlands contain a handful of rivers, including the gorgeous Río Piedra, a glassy slice of black water framed by a dense tangle of jungle. Trees, hip-deep in water and sprouting with orchids and bromeliads in the canopy, stretch back as far as you can see, while birds and butterflies proliferate in the grasslands. The best time for birdwatching is at daybreak or dusk in September and October, when the migration peaks.
Village
El Refugio
The highest concentration of craft workshops on the islands are just inland from the dock in Comunidad El Mancarrón (also called El Refugio). Feel free to wander and watch as families carve balsa-wood figures in their homes and front yards. Children sand the pieces smooth, and the most talented adult paints. Wooden animals cost US$1.20 to US$50; prices rise with size and quality.
Fort
Fortaleza de San Carlos
There's not much left of the town's fortress, which dates from 1724, but it enjoys some impressive Lake Nicaragua and Río San Juan views from several lookout points linked by garden trails. The cultural center inside has some interesting displays on local culture, biology and history. It even has a map (c 1791) of the Nicaraguan canal that never was.
Ruins
Greytown
San Juan de Nicaragua’s traditional tourist attraction is the swampy remains of Greytown, a short boat ride (up to four people US$80 to US$100, three to four hours) across the bay. Here you’ll find a few solid building foundations and four very interesting cemeteries: one for the British (including those members of Horatio Nelson’s doomed campaign who were not fed to the sharks), another for Catholics, a third for North Americans and the last for Freemasons from St John’s Lodge.