Isla de Ometepe

Isla de Ometepe was formed by two conical volcanoes rising from Lake Nicaragua.  There is a small isthmus that connects the two sleeping giants (one is considered active).  In short, it's an awesome place to check out if you find yourself in Nicaragua.

We explored the island by motorbike and by horse.  Both activities left us sore for days.  Totally worth it, but I'm still really really sore.

The motorbikes were a great way to check out the whole island.  There are very few cars and good roads for half the island, so it's a great option.

Horseback riding was awesome.  We headed up Maderas, the smaller of the two volcanoes, and finished with a romantic beach ride with... well... a bunch of dudes.

Another couple of places of interest are the petroglyphs at the base of Maderas.  There are tons of petroglyphs all over the island, some dating back to 1000 B.C.    We also checked out the Ojo de Agua, which is small park built around a pool of mineral water.  Supposedly the water shaves five years of your age.  The jury's still out on that one, but it's still a great stop to relax.

Where We Stayed:  Hotel El Castillo.  Nice staff.  Clean.  Cheap.  Not much to do in Altagracia, but a good choice.  Little Morgan´s.  Great place to hang out and meet other travelers.  Really the only nightlife on the island.

Where We Ate:  Little Morgan´s has a bar and restaurant that are good, but maybe not for the budget traveler. Consider stocking up on food in Moyogalpa or Altagracia and planning around eating at a soda in one of the two towns on the island. The restaurant at Ojo de Agua has great chicken tacos.

What We Did:  Ojo de Agua, horseback riding, motor bikes