Nicaragua Trip

Hi everyone!

Since airfares have gotten so low lately, I've decided to take advantage of a good deal and head down to Nicaragua from April 17 - 27. I've been to Central America several times before, but this will be my first trip to Nicaragua.

I will be there for nine full days (and two half days). I am really excited about Granada and Ometepe, and so I'm kind of tempted to just spend all nine days in those two places. But is that too much time? Should I try to work a third spot in? Will I regret missing Leon? Should I try to see Rio San Juan?

I know that there are a ton of things to see in Nicaragua, but whenever I take a first trip to a new country I just tell myself that I will go back someday (and so far I always do)! So I hope I will get a second chance to see more things in Nicaragua. But for now, during my first trip, is it alright for me to spend 9 days in Granada and Ometepe, or should I try to fit a nearby third spot in? If so, what do you recommend?

Thanks in advance everyone! :)

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).

DON'T Stay a Norome unless you have absolutely no other option. We stayed there a night because everything else was full and would have much preferred to stay in Masaya.
Book ahead at Monkey or Craters (I recommend Craters). We were treated badly by everyone we encountered at Norome even though we were spending $60 on a room and not too mention our food and drink tab (which was rather hight due to excessive drinking and outrageous prices).
They closed to waterfront area at 7pm so we couldn't enjoy a couple of drinks down by the Laguna, hell we couldn't enjoy anything by the water because we couldn't go to the water. And night time on the Apoyo is incredible unless of course you are stuck in a room watching Godzilla dubbed in Spanish. Sure there was a pretty tropical flower on my kingsized bed but I much preferred sleeping in the dorm at Craters and enjoying new friends as I watched the moon rise over Mombocho.
Monkey Hut is a cool place and I enjoyed a couple nights there (I really liked Apoyo if you couldn't tell) meeting great people and generally getting wasted playing Jenga as a drinking game (if you get there and play Jenga you will understand).
I seem to have taken this a little off track eh......
On Ometepe I stayed in Altagracia at Central and at Finca Venicia. I found the staff at Venicia wonderful when I arrived but a little standoffish at times.Charco Verde is right next door but I didn't see too many people staying there. I had some friends that stayed at Magdelena and hated it.
There is a hotel on the Madera side that I stopped at for lunch in between hiking Madera and Ojo de Aquas but the name is escaping me right now (useful I know). It seemed preety cool with a fun beach and interesting set-up. When the name comes to me I'll post it.
Good luck. All the information that comes from these boards can be like sensory overload.

GRANADA and OMETEPE are good choices.
Lots of tours available from Granada.
I wouldn't spend the whole 9 days in those places though.
I'd spend 24 hours in LEON you've seen most of what you'll want in that time then spend a couple of days on the beach in nearby LAS PENITAS

Edited by: thenicaraguablog