Located in the center of Lake Nicaragua, Ometepe is one of the country’s most famous tourist destinations and offers visitors a quiet island setting for escaping modern living to enjoy the pure surreal beauty of the natural environment.
Formed out of two volcanoes rising from the depths of the lake, Ometepe boasts a myriad of adventures ranging from intrepid hiking trails to majestic waterfalls. Whether seeking to reset your clock with a natural retreat or a daring volcanic adventure to a crater lagoon, these are the top things to do in Ometepe, Nicaragua.
Planning a trip to the island? Check out my complete comprehensive Ometepe, Nicaragua Destination Guide.
1. Hike a Volcano
Ometepe is formed from two volcanoes rising out of Lake Nicaragua. So obviously, one of the top things to do in Ometepe is to climb at least one of these towering heights.
While both peaks offer an adventurous and scenic hike, I personally recommend the Maderas Volcano trek for an easier and more enjoyable experience.
From the volcano’s base, visitors follow an 8-hour hiking trail passed a series of petroglyphs through a rainforest and a dense cloud forest ripe with indigenous flora and fauna species. Hikers are rewarded for their journey upon entering the volcano’s caldera, where they can enjoy views of the crater lagoon and surrounding island vistas.
Visitors seeking a more challenging volcanic summit should instead try their luck with the Volcano Concepcion hike on the other side of the island. Requiring a longer and more arduous 10 hours to traverse, this hike features a steep incline that makes admiring the surrounding landscape even more foreboding.
Check back soon for upcoming posts featuring these fantastic hiking trails in more detail.
2. Rent a Motorbike or Scooter
There are two absolutely essential things to do in Ometepe for international tourists visiting the island. The first is hiking a volcano. The second is renting a motorbike or scooter to spend a day riding the quiet roads around the region’s numerous vistas.
The island features a massive figure-eight road that encircles its way around both volcanoes before meeting at the land bridge connecting the two landmarks.
The upper loop is almost entirely paved and features safe driving conditions for all experience levels. Meanwhile, the lower loop is wholly dirt roads, that visitors should practice a higher degree of caution when riding.
While riders are technically required to have their motorcycle license to rent a motorbike in Nicaragua, most operators on Ometepe are not sticklers for this rule and are more than willing to rent a motorbike to anyone with a basic driver’s license.
However, keep in mind that you will be charged for any damage to the motorbike should you crash for any reason, including inexperience. For this reason, I suggest renting a scooter if you have not ridden a motorbike before, although a motorbike is more convenient for the southern loop’s dirt roads.
Ometepe’s roads are very lightly trafficked and offer safe riding conditions for riders of all experience levels. Motorbikes can typically be rented for 20 USD (28 CAD) for 12 hours, while scooters have the same rate but for a total of 24 hours.
3. Escape the Heat at Ojo de Agua
With most of the island’s top attractions requiring physical activity, visitors to Ometepe can easily become overwhelmed by the region’s Central American heat. Luckily, visitors can escape the humid climate at Ojo de Aqua, a natural spring popular among tourists and locals alike.
Surrounded by the island’s natural environments, Ojo de Agua is an idyllic escape where visitors can enjoy the cooling natural spring water in a large primitive pool. Additionally, the therapeutic waters are rumoured to boast healing properties and are a fantastic way to soothe worn hiking muscles after a volcanic trek.
However, as a popular retreat on the island, Ojo de Aqua can frequently experience heavy crowding, especially during the island’s humid summer months. For this reason, I recommend visiting the spring in the morning and planning your visit with the site’s opening at 9 am.
Ojo de Agua requires C182 (CAD 7/USD 5) to access and feature an onsite restaurant and lockers.
4. Delve to the hidden San Ramon Waterfall
San Ramon Waterfall is one of the most breathtaking natural landmarks on Isla de Ometepe. However, this hidden gem is also one of the least publicized attractions on the island, and many visitors leave the island without making the trek.
Nevertheless, a hike to San Ramon Waterfall is one of the most marvellous things to do in Ometepe, and all visitors to the island should at least attempt to make the journey to the wondrous site.
To access the waterfall, visitors must first journey to San Ramon village on the southern shores of Maderas Volcano. From here, visitors pay a 4 CAD admission to access the 2-hour hiking trail up the dense volcanic forest to the breathtaking water feature.
While most visitors opt to hike the trail independently, the island also offers guided foot tours and horseback riding tours for a heightened engagement with the natural environment.
5. Walk Along a Black Sand Beach
As a volcanic island, Ometepe’s shorelines are lined with miles of black sand beaches, offering a unique beachgoing experience. One of the most popular beaches on the island is Punta Jesus Maria, which juts out from the island’s eastern side near Volcano Concepcion.
From this sand point, visitors can admire both volcanoes that comprise the island, and it provides one of the best vantage points from which to admire the beautiful sunsets over the lake.
Visitors staying on the other side of the island will instead find Playa Santa Cruz as the most convenient black sand beach to visit. This long stretch of shoreline features small, consistent waves flowing along its shores, which can be explored on foot or horseback.
6. Take a Kayaking Tour of the Rio Istian
Another fantastic way to get up close and personal with the island’s native flora and fauna species is by leaving the popular land routes behind to explore the island’s aquatic habitats along the Rio Istian waterways.
Bookable through numerous operators on the island for about 40 CAD, these kayaking tours typically include a two-hour guided exploration with an informative local knowledgeable in the area’s habitats and wildlife hot spots.
Throughout the tour, visitors spot several native species, including the celebrated caiman, turtles, and howler monkeys which visitors can frequently hear from anywhere on the island.
7. Explore Local Wildlife at Charco Verde
Not a fan of aquatic exploration? Don’t worry. Visitors more inclined to stay on dry land can still explore the island’s local flora and fauna at Charco Verde, the island’s protected nature reserve.
Requiring a small admission fee to enter, Charco Verde provides access to the lake, a protected portion of the black sand beach, and a butterfly garden, all teeming with local wildlife.
While the park offers an open exploration of its premises, the facility features a guided trail that brings guests to the park’s highlights. The path requires 35 minutes to traverse and features various lookout points for spotting frogs, turtles, and howler monkeys.
Check out my complete Nicaragua Travel Guide for more information and itineraries for your next adventure through the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes.
