Nicaragua Trip

Four or five days in Granada, a few on Ometepe and them a few more in Leon is definitly a great mix Check out vianica.com if you haven't and take a look at B & B accommodations like Casa Silas B & B for great value, personal attention and local hosts. buen viaje.

I would recommend starting with those two places and leave a little flexibility if you find something special going on. if you spend a few days in Granada and take a day or two for a trip to Masaya and kayaking in Isletas and then head for Ometepe for a few days, you will find plenty of things to do and still have time to relax.

Nica is really awesome because its small and compact with good transportation between the major centres. I think that you should definately add in Leon, achievable in the 9 days. Perhaps SJDS as well? You sound like you want to take it slow, but a lot can be seen in Nicaragua in a very short time, see http://www.explore-central-america.com/our_tours.html for examples. Nicaragua is a fun, affordable country, you will have a good time.

I agree with #2. Start out there and if you find you still have time left, adjust your trip accordingly. If it's just a couple of days.go somewhere close. If you have more time head to Leon or the pacific beaches. There's no need to make you schedule ahead of time. Go shere you want to first and then play it by ear. It's all part of the adventure!!

Ometepe is at least 3 days and the same for Granada. Granada is a great place to do day trips to Masaya (the town and the volcano) , Apoyo (I would definitely suggest you stay here at least 2 nights), Mombacho. I couple days in Leon is plenty.
The river is amazing but I don't believe it will work with the time you have available unless you just plan on seeing San Carlos which doesn't do the river much justice.
I agree about vianica.com . Of all the places I've been to I have never seen a better tourism website. It is simple and super easy to use. I pretty much relied on it to plan my 2 months there.
Enjoy your trip! Nica is a fabulous place!

Thanks a bunch everyone!

I think this is the plan: I will definitely plan to see Granada and Ometepe, and once I get to Nicaragua I'll just see how I feel. If I feel like a trip to the beach, I may head over to San Juan del Sur, or If I feel like seeing another city, then I'll visit Leon. Maybe once I get there I will learn about some other place I've never even heard of and go there instead! Or maybe I will fall in love with Granda and Ometepe and never want to leave.

I am soooooooo excited :) Thanks again!

i am in nicaragua now and i added leon to granada and ometepe. i highly recommend leon and do the sandboarding on cerro negro. i also stayed at totoco ecologe in ometepe and loved it. its more expensive than the other hotels but the location cannot be beat on the slope of the maderas volcanoes, food was good, views are spectacular and great service.

Granada and Ometepe are definilty must do's. In around Granada you should definitly visit Laguna de apoyo and the isletas of Granada. In Ometepe, I personally prefered Maderas Volcano which has more vegetation since it is a cloud forest. Stayed at totoco eco-lodge in the dormitory which is inspiring. It's not front lake but instead on the edge of the cloud forest with must see views. Maybe it is a little remote but not more than finca magdelena. I also stayed one night at Zopilote which is more rustic but also very eco.
Hope you enjoy Nicaragua with it's beatifull landscapes, culture, helpfull and kind people. I loved it! :-)

I agree with # 8's side trips to Laguna de apoyo and isletas. It's going to be sooo hot in Granada that you will enjoy the cooler temps of both spots. You may even want to consider staying at Laguna de Apoyo if it gets too hot in Granada. Places on the water (pretty much listed low to high price) are: Monkey Hut, Craters Edge, San Simian and Norome. There is a restaurant on one of the Isleta's that is fun to stop at. I'm not big on staying on the Maderas side of Ometepe because it is too remote for me and the roads are aweful. I prefer Charco Verde or El Pirate - more convenient to get to Altagracia and Moyogalpa (the main towns of Ometepe).