Isla de Ometepe

Our accommodation on Ometepe was located quite centrally between the two volcanoes Madeiras and Concepción. We made a very good choice. The staff was super nice and there was great food for a super cheap price. In addition, there was always a lot going on on the premises. There were almost 10 dogs, 2 cats, 3 parrots, and many ducks and chickens.

Ojo de Agua

On the first day, relaxation was in order after the exhausting journey from Jinotepe. First, the bus didn't come in Jinotepe, and then the weather was so bad that the ships couldn't sail. After some time, we were able to get on the ship, but it was anything but nice. There were strong waves, so the ship was swaying, and more and more things were washed into the ship. The baby behind me also found the whole thing really disgusting. After almost an hour, we finally made it.

We found relaxation at Ojo de Agua. It is a natural pool that, with all the stands and loungers around it, reminds us of a public swimming pool. We traveled there by bike. It was really beautiful there, and we were able to spend a super relaxing day.

Río Istiam

The main reason why we went to Ometepe was the kayak tour recommended to us by other travelers. So the next morning, we took the boat to the entrance of the Rio Istiam. From the kayaks, we were able to observe many animals. Some birds, turtles, and even a whole group of howler monkeys. The tour was really cool, unfortunately, our guide was not very talkative and didn't tell us much. But that wasn't too bad.

Mirador at Madeiras Volcano

Because we liked Ometepe so much, we extended our stay for another day and wanted to go hiking. We didn't want to climb the whole volcano, but we wanted to go to a viewpoint. The way up was quite exhausting but also very beautiful. Since we went without a guide, we took the wrong turn at a crossroads and eventually couldn't go any further. Fortunately, exactly at that point, a local had built himself a viewpoint from which we were allowed to take a look at the large Concepción volcano.

The view was already really beautiful, but we still wanted to find the right viewpoint. So we went down a bit and then in the other direction. Here it was sometimes really strenuous, but we also made it to the second viewpoint. From there, the view was even better.

All in all, we had very nice days on Ometepe before the next complicated journey to San Carlos to the Rio San Juan awaited us. But more about that in the next report.

By the way, for the return trip from Ometepe, we took the ferry, which was the much better choice.