Itinerary Help - Nicaragua 10 Days in March (including 2 travel days)

You can do Apoyo from Granada, it isn't that far.
Beaches and clear water for swimming are on the Corn Islands only. Pacific is too cold and currents are too strange for a nice swim. If you're really adventurous, you may think about Pearl lagoon. I just got an e-mail from someone who went from there to Oinoco for four nites and said it was rally nice. Carribean side is mostly unexplored and accomidations reflect this. The only exception to the rule is the Corn Islands.

Paxeos is a good service.
From Granada do a tour to Mombacho Volcano </a> nice trek, beautiful cloud forest on top with great views.
You can also do a 'combo' tour from Granada of Masaya Volcano , the market, the pottery town of San Juan de Oriente and the vista from Catarina of Laguna de Apoyo

Ramon is a licensed bi-lingual tour guide who is a friend of mine, contact him at granadatours@waytogonicaragua.com

There are plenty of swimming beaches on the Pacific water is warm.
I like Playa Gigante and Masachapa both safe swimming, presuming you're a competent swimmer!

Las Penitas is generally fine for swimming, I've swam there a hundred times, but don't swim if the waves are big and surfers are out or if the tide is 'in' going out!!
Ask at the hotels, don't swim alone, don't swim at night!

Esteli is worth an overnight stay, visit the cigar factory, best to buy are Padron, photograph the murals, Hotel Los Arcos is my choice, restaurant there is pretty good or eat at my friends aunties place, Ixcotelli for good 'tipica' food!

These guys can organize your trip into the reserve at Miraflor which I love!!

Thanks! I'm still debating whether or not to cough up the extra $ to go to Little Corn Island first for three nights / two full days, and then do: Granada, Masaya / Moybacho / Laguna de Apoyo, Ometepe, Leon / Cerro Negro, and finally Esteli / Miraflore, or just skip Little Corn, and spend more time at one of the above. What do you think? Is Little Corn worth it? The beaches look amazing, but I'm not so sure about the tiny plane and the boat from Big to Little. Also if it would just be cramming too much into ten days....

ps: do you know what Ramon's rates are? I emailed him, but haven't heard back yet.

Ramon will be out on a tour he usually checks his emails and replies early evening!
You could fit The Corn Islands in,
Beaches are lovely but the boat trip can be 'rough'.

2 days on Ometepe is definitely not too much time there, because you have to take a ferry out there, and depending from which port you leave, it can take a couple hours. And then once you're on the island, the buses are not very frequent and most of the roads are dirt and in poor condition, making travel slow. I would recommend going to Playa Santo Domingo on Ometepe because you can do pretty much everything from there (hike the volcanoes, go to Ojo de Oro - a natural watering hole, walk in the rainforest, etc) and there are lots of places to stay there. You can just arrive and ask to see a room and if nothing is available, just walk next door to the next hostel, very simple.

There are lots of nice places to go on the Pacific side, the water was warm when I was there. San Juan Del Sur is a little more built up, but nice anyway, and you can day trip out to some really nice, pretty beaches. You may have to walk a ways on the beach to get clear of all the people and surfers, but very nice. Have fun!

I'd spend 5 days in San Juan del Sur. You will probably find your time more enjoyable if you don't try to see to much. Maybe another 3 in Ometepe.

If you don't want to do the Panga to Little Corn, stay on Big Corn. Great beach at Picnic center. Defineately more built up then Little Corn but still very nice.

I have been in Nicaragua at differnet times of the year and have been at almost all of the mentioned beaches on the Pacific. Yes, some of them are good for swimming but I would NEVER say the water was warm.

well i lived in Costa Rica and the water on the Pacific here is almost exactly the same temperature. i don't think you'll be shivering with cold anyway!