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The island Ometepe is lying in Lake Nicaragua, in Nicaragua. The island's main attraction is undoubtedly its two volcanoes, Concepción Volcano and Maderas Volcano. Otherwise there are several beaches, many banana plantations, waterfalls, pastures, in general everything is a bit greener than on the mainland.
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| Ometepe | ||
| department | Rivas Department | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 29.684 () | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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places
- Altagracia - Administrative seat of the district of the same name which claims parts of the Concecpion volcano and the entire Maderas volcano.
- Moyogalpa - Administrative seat of the district of the same name which includes most of the Concepcion volcano. Moyogalpa is the place with the most ship connections to the mainland and the largest concentration of accommodations and restaurants.
getting there
From Rivas, taxis or buses drive about 10 minutes to San Jorge, from there various ferries (in very different states) drive about an hour to Ometepe. People who get seasick easily should reconsider this trip, especially in slightly windy weather.
Ferries to the island leave from 7 a.m., the last at 5.30 p.m. From the island in Richtug Mainland, the first boat leaves Moyogalpa at 5.30 a.m. and the last leaves the island at 5.30 p.m. The busiest port is in Moyogalpa on the west side of the Concepcions volcano. There is also a pier in San Jose del Sur on the same volcano which is served by two boats.
An airport was built about 2 km outside of Moyogalpa and opened in 2014. From here there are two weekly flights to and from Managua and San Carlos (Rio San Juan) and on to San Juan del Norte. All flights are from La Costeña settled.
mobility
Buses and taxis run almost everywhere on the island, but outside the main ring road the roads are not paved and so short distances can result in very long journeys. Bicycles are also a great way to get around the island. Don't be fooled when looking at the map, the island is bigger than it might seem and very few places are within easy walking distance of each other. You should also keep this in mind when taking the bus to a place without considering the return journey. It is possible (as almost everywhere in Nicaragua) to stop a passing bus, but it can often take several hours for one to arrive, especially on remote routes.
Tourist Attractions
activities
As in many parts of Latin America, there is also an "Ojo de Agua" on Ometepe, a spring with bathing facilities which is located between the two volcanoes. Depending on the distance, it is possible to rent bicycles from many hostels to get there.
shop
kitchen
nightlife
accommodation
- Hacienda Merida. The Hacienda Merida is located on the smaller of the two island parts in the southwest and offers cheap accommodation (single room 4 US $ pp, bedroom 3 US $ pp) and a small kitchen, from which you can buy meals in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening at set times must, unless you have otherwise stocked up or want to go to the adjacent corner bistro, which usually only offers one dish. There are many opportunities to actively discover the island, bicycles can be rented for 10 US $ for the entire duration of your stay, horses and canoes can also be used, maps and tips for climbing the volcano are available everywhere, internet is also available for a fee.
- Hospedaje Soma. E-mail: [email protected]. A Bed & Breakfast Guesthouse opposite the Instituto J.R. Smith in Moyogalpa on the west side of Concepcion Volcano. From the port in Moyogalpa walk up the main street to a block in front of the church, turn right there and after about 500 m on the left you will find the guesthouse. Check-in is at 12 noon and check-out at 10.30 a.m. The Hospedaje Soma has dormer beds ($ 8), private rooms with private ($ 35) and shared bathrooms ($ 25), and bungalows with air conditioning and solar-powered hot water systems for $ 50 to $ 60. All private units include a regular breakfast in the price. Dinner can be prepared for guests upon request. Soma Guesthouse is very quiet due to its location on the edge of Moyogalpa, but only a stone's throw from the center. The large garden of the complex offers plenty of space to relax and unwind. In addition to accommodation, Soma also offers tours and volcano climbs. Reservations are only accepted by email.
security
The larger volcano "Volkano Conceptionion" is still active, so residents and tourists are endangered from time to time. It is best to inquire at the Foreign Office beforehand. The "smaller Volkano" Maderas is no longer active. At the top there is a maar with a small crater lake
trips
Tours around the island, volcano climbs, horse or kayak tours and transports can be done via Ometepe expeditions get organized. The guides are bilingual (Spanish / English) and well trained.
