Blatts in Nicaragua: Welcome to Ometepe Island

This butterfly was loving the windy spray of the falls.

At 7 in the morning we got an early start and headed out of San Jose. It was a quick and easy five hour drive to the border of Nicaragua. We had gotten all of our documents in order so that we could take our car, and we had no problem crossing the border. To help us through the border crossing, we hired some local dudes for about 10 bucks, and that seemed to smooth out the process. Overall, we were there about 90 minutes.   It took a bit longer on the return as the lines were longer, but we didn't need an intermediary.

Volcan Concepcion on Isla Ometepe

Immediately, a few minutes into our Nicaragua drive, we could see Lake Nicaragua out the car window. We bought our spot on the car ferry to Ometepe Island. Unfortunately the boat was the size of a rubber ducky and the spot for us left our we're the wheels hanging off the end of the boat. "Estas bien., It's fine!" the ferry captain assured us but we knew better and backed up the gangplank moments before departure.

The next ferry was more commodious and we arrived at home at Ometepe before nightfall. Two volcanoes are perched at either end of the mystical island. Concepcion, the conical volcano throws fire, and Madeira with a lake at the top, border the other end of the figure eight shaped island. A road circles the 10 Mile Island. 

 Day 1:  After staying the night at the lakefront hotel Finca de Venezia, quite a nice hotel, we spent the day at the island for only $30 a night. We spent all of our fist day at Ometepe's beautiful fresh water pools of Ojo del Agua.  The mineral springs were cool, long pools, and we relaxed the whole day luxuriating and talking and drinking some highly alcoholic beverage mixed with fresh coconut and grain alcohol. Now we were on vacation!

Day 2: After a drive around the island in our four by four , we headed up a very bumpy road.  Arriving at San Ramon, we were told to expect a moderate, 30 minute climb.  We hiked for more than an hour up the steep, muggy trail to the icy refreshing waterfall.  The waterfall there at San Ramon was like a cool, clean shower. It was well worth the tiring climb. 

On the way back to the hotel, we checked out these amazing petroglyphs representing animals and g-ds, left by the indigenous people more than 500 years ago.

Day 3: Ometepe's Choco Verde is a beautiful nature walk. There you will see lakeside trails,  lagoons with water birds and butterflies, and secluded beaches on the grey-green Lake Nicaragua. 

When you leave the island, reserve your spot on the ferry ahead of time but expect that they will give that spot away.  That's just the way it goes here. But heck, you're on vacation so chill out and have some lunch for a few hours.