Ometepe & Rio San Juan Hotels

The magical island of Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua is one of the coolest places on the planet. Fact. What else could it be, when it comprises of two volcanoes welded together to look like a dumbbell plonked into the biggest lake in Central America (one that supports fresh water sharks, no less)? The lake is enormous, and once on the island, you’ll see that it is, too. The volcanoes we’ve mentioned, but the jungles, beaches, cloud forests, fresh water springs and perhaps the friendliest people in Nicaragua all deserve a mention. Ometepe is DEFINITELY worth checking out, and one of our favorite Ometepe hotels is Totoco Eco Lodge, nestled on the slopes of one of those volcanoes we mentioned above, Volcan Maderas.

Once you’re on Ometepe, you’ll be surprised at how large it is. We recommend renting bicycles or quad bikes to get around. The name of the game here is natural pursuits such as hiking, kayaking, swimming and fishing.

Lake Nicaragua is drained by the Rio San Juan, the second longest river in Central America. Parts of this river flow through true jungle and one can experience old Spanish forts from the days when pirates used to stream up here to sack colonial Granada on the lake. History and nature abound. Nowadays fishermen stream here, as the river is home to some of the greatest tarpon fishing in the region. There are a number of lodges along the Rio San Juan, only accessible by boat, and after the adventure of getting there, it’ll be all about the tarpon fishing!

Both Ometepe and the Rio San Juan are a long way off the beaten track, and luxury is definitely not the name of the game here. Think rustic and think adventure. With those two thoughts in an open mind, you’ll love this part of Nicaragua!