Can't comment on the Corn Islands, except I've heard it's great.

You won't find jungle trekking around San Juan del Sur. You can surf if you stay at one of the surf camps outside of the town, or one of the beaches to the north, like Playa Grande or Popoyo. If you stay in SJDS itself, the beach is lousy w/ no surf, but lots of restaurants and people who like to party. The surf beaches are 15 minutes away.

Ometepe is wonderful for it's rural character. I highly recommend it once you get well away from Moyagalpa, the ferry landing town.

If you've got 25 days, you have time to go to the surfing beach everyone loves best in Nicaragua: Jiquilillo, way up in the north, reachable by bus from Chinandega. It's practically a wilderness beach, with no retail stores even. There are a limited # of places to stay and mostly people eat at the same lodge where they sleep. But everyone who goes raves about the place including me. Also an hour to the north of Jiquilillo is the Cosiguina volcano, which makes a great hike, and not hard at all.

Hey zzroz - yes, the beach stretch in ES has more than Las Peñitas/Poneloya outside of León. The coastal road to the west is very scenic, and I enjoyed la Libertad; especially in the morning when fish are being unloaded. You also initially mentioned highlands, but anything specific you're wanting to accomplish?

I revisited Matagalpa couple of summers ago and it just didn't do it for me this time as a town or the things we lazily did from there - the pair of lookout trails from within the town, a day out at Cascada Blanca with a stop at the chocolate factory, trail system of Selva Negra; didn't make it back up to Jinotega. If you've never been in the Central American highlands, you'd probably enjoy it though I wasn't impressed the 2nd time through and would still recommend the extra travel time for Ometepe.

If the public transportation system seems a bit much, there are numerous shuttles in León running to Rivas/San Jorge for the Ometepe ferry and San Juan del Sur. If you can and feel comfortable, renting a scooter is the ideal way to enjoy your time on the island.

Back to El Salvador and Ruta de Flores from the beach, mstep wrote about something he experienced walking outside of Juayua that really spooked me. It's been maybe a year ago and details are fuzzy. Mstep - I hope you see this because it's worth a repeat, especially since there's so little info for ES.

If you opted for up around Santa Ana, the volcano and lake trek is definitely something I'd do again. It's also easy to visit Tazumal ruins from there.

If you've any interest(s) for more than just passing through the capital, I enjoy my time in San Salvador. SAL is about equal distance between San Sal and El Tunco. Depends on your flight schedule, but you'll likely be spending your last night in one or the other.

For either country, I use these bus schedules - more so for ideas of knowing what's available though times are never far off either.

Also depends on where you're coming from, but flights are usually cheaper into SAL than MGA.

Thank you for reply. Yes we would certainly travel independently as we have always done. Now one of us would like a little less hassle with booking ahead and finding transport etc. I am sure there are tours in the places we would like to go e.g Leon, Granada and around, Ometepe, Somoto canyon etc. Any recommendations on particular tours or hotel, basic standard 2* or the odd 3* accommodation would be great.

Yes, the Rio San Juan would be good for rainforest and wildlife. I like Los Guatuzos.

There is dry tropical forest on Ometepe island and lake beaches. You can see wildlife at Charco Verde, the foot of volcano Maderas, sometimes at Ojo de Agua and the San Ramon waterfall...

We did not see wildlife when we were in San Juan del Sur but I have read about hotels and rentals near San Juan del Sur and parks as well where you may be able to see monkeys and other wildlife. Again, that would be dry tropical forest.
http://parqueaventuraslasnubes.com/2016/11/17/walking-trails/

For beaches bordered by rainforest and lots of wildlife you should consider Costa Rica. We liked the Caribbean coast (Cahuita and the beaches south of Puerto Viejo).

Its 9-10 hours and you never know when and if the border will be really nuts. The Tica Bus will get your Passport stamped for a $2 fee or something, and you just wait in the bus. There is also a exit Fee of $8 that can only be paid via Bank ATM. No Cash.

You need to go downtown SJ 40 minutes, $30 Taxi, or a take bus from airport to Coco Cola station, then taxi to Tica Bus depot. Or, you can catch a bus near airport in Alauela, going to Liberia (4 hours) or all the way to Penas Blancas border, see bus schedule from SJ, and add 30 minutes to departure, for when it passes in Alajuela.

In Liberia, buses head to Nica border every 20-30 minutes, takes 2.5 hours. Then walk border formalities yourself.

Once across border, most head to San Jorge via Rivas for boats to Ometepe, or just taxi hire. Same for SJDS. For Granada, you can get a bus in Rivas or taxi hire for $50.

Do you really want to go to Managua? If not get off Tica Bus in Rivas.

Where are you headed in Nicaragua.

Its also easier to fly into Liberia (LIR) CR as its just 3 hours to border from airport.

Note: Keep abreast of the very fluid political situation in Nica, with protest and road blocks around Managua the last 2 weeks...

Also- You can not fly into Costa Rica, on a oneway, without a return Ticket, or a ticket leaving Costa Rica, on a flight from the USA. The airline will enforce the "Onward Travel" requirement, which means you need proof of leaving the country you are flying into, if CR/Panama. Having return a flight from Nicaraugua or another country does NOT count. You will be asked for this at Check In at airport for flight to CR.

You don't really need a car but if you are going to rent one anyway I would take it to Ometepe. Ometepe is a great place. The volcano hikes are obviously out but the volcanoes are great to just look at as well. I would suggest staying at Charco Verde for a night: the beach is nice, you can go kayaking, there is a nature trail (best at dawn or dusk)where you can see wildlife (monkeys, birds). There is a butterfly place. You would also enjoy the Ojo de Agua natural spring pool and we have seen monkeys there as well and iguanas. You could stay on Playa Santo Domingo. In Balgue there are easy hikes at the foot of volcano Maderas where you can see petroglyphs or get a tour of Finca Magdalena or take a coffee tour. You could consider a homestay as well.

If you are going to be in Nicaragua December 7 you are in for a treat. At least if your kids are not scared of loud noises. People line up to see the altars with the Virgin Mary, shouting and singing to the virgin, and the home owners hand out candy and gifts. And a massive amount of firecrackers going off at 6 pm and midnight. We were in Leon and it was amazing.

If I only had 10 days I would not go to Morgan's Rock but that is because I wouldn't want to just be at a lodge when there is so much to do and see. But maybe you want to relax as well.

Do you have 10 full days? I think you should not plan much more than Granada and day trips, Ometepe and Morgan's Rock. Granada is a nice colonial city and it is fun to just wander around and do a boat or kayak trip of the isletas. The kids might enjoy the ChocoMuseo. I would not miss active volcano Masaya (you can drive right up to the crater). There is volcano Mombacho: cloud forest, hopefully monkeys and other wildlife. Again, there is transport to the top and then there are several trails but one of the trails is easy. There is Laguna de Apoyo, great for swimming and kayaking.

The Rio San Juan is great but not that easy to get to and you need time if you go. We like Los Guatuzos but you need at least 4 days. You could also go to Sabalos or El Castillo. The Rio San Juan is all about the river of course, wetlands, rainforest and wildlife. You should have seen lots of wildlife in Costa Rica so maybe you want to focus on something different?

Leon is a great colonial city with churches, murals, museums, cathedral (great view from the roof), a fun market... I like the volcanoes near Leon but I assume that is not possible with the kids. Las Penitas, near Leon, is a fishing village with a nice beach but large waves so not good for swimming. I have seen kids play in the estuary. There is a nature reserve where you can go kayaking and go on a sea turtle tour.

If you skip Morgan's Rock you could go to Leon and Las Penitas (3 days), Granada with day trips (3 days) and Ometepe (3 days).

There is a big difference between 1 week and 2 weeks as far what you can see and do in a country, especially without a rental car. The caribe side offers the easiest transit/transport options if you don't have a rental car.

If you want zip lines, you need to consider going to Arenal Volcano area, as thats more touristy and that is a very tourist excursion. if you want to see wildlife, nature, bio diversity, than head to Tortuguero Canals and Rainforest, and Cahuita NP areas, then head to beaches south of Pt Viejo as suggested.

Nothing is really remote on the caribe side, unless you going 10 minutes on a bicycle to buy eggs and bread remote.

The caribe side is all rainforest and jungle, therefor, rains everyday, keeps things lush and green...lots of life and tons of fauna too...

July is the rainiest month is CR as a whole, and you should expect rain regardless of where you go. Tamarindo and Nosora as mentioned above are drier on average than the caribe side, but its also ranch country and dry forest, not jungle and rainforest...

The best river to raft is Rio Pacuare on the caribe side, you can do as a day trip from caribe side and get dropped in SJ area afterwords...

For calmer waters, and tubing, consider Sarapiqui, which has rafting, tubing, and canoeing on the rivers in areas. Sarapiqui- La Selva is one of the most bio diverse and intense natural atmosphere in country, its a research park for Tropical studies, and sits on the flanks of the rainiest area in the country, Braulio Carrillo...deep thick rainforest and jungle.

I suggest you get your hands on at the library National Geographic Explorer Costa Rica so you can see and read about all these areas. Maybe get the Moon, LP or Roughguide guidebook too, which has overviews of all the areas mentioned above.

You don't mention which airport you will fly into, but if your headed to caribe side and Arenal area, fly into SJO, if you are headed to Pacific beaches and Monteverde/Tenerio and Rincon area, head to Liberia (LIR). But a rental is best for visiting parks in the central NW area.

You could also book your flights to LIR, and plan on trip to Nicaragua, as Liberia has buses every 30 minutes to Nicaragua border, and go from there to Ometepe and Granada areas or more depending on time. If the situation in Nicaragua is too shaky, then Plan B could be get a car in LIR and hit Arenal/Tenerio and drop it in Tamarindo and chill there at end, shuttle to LIR for flights home...