The Traveling Teacher

All the world is a classroom

Ometepe | San Juan del Sur | Granada

We did this tour in one long day from Costa Rica. We left around 6:30 AM and headed for the border. We had to pass through Costa Rican customs at Peñas Blancas, walk a little ways across the border to Nicaragua, submit our paperwork, get our passports stamped, and pay the fee. The guide I hired, Miguel, made this process smooth. Once across, our first stop was breakfast on the beach of Lake Nicaragua, by the volcanoes of Ometepe Island. Then, we headed for the coastal town of San Juan del Sur and looked out from Catarina’s Viewpoint over a crater lake. We visited the artisan markets and bought a few souvenirs. We also made a stop at Volcán Masaya. It had just reopened after increased activity. We could only stay five minutes, due to the toxicity of the fumes. Finally, we did a city tour of Granada, including the fabulous La Merced church, via a carriage tour. Finally, we took a boat tour of the Granada Islands. Totally worth it!

Ometepe and Lake Nicaragua

This was our first stop, where we had breakfast at Playa la Virgen on the shores of Lake Nicaragua with views of Ometepe Island.We had typical gallo pinto (mix of rice and beans), scrambled eggs with salsa, tasty plantains, a regional cheese, organic fruit, and fresh avocado… all while enjoying views of the volcanoes.
Breakfast in Nicaragua
Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua has two volcanoes: Concepción (active) and Maderas (dormant).
Playa la Virgen had some amazing views and was in a quiet community.
Agriculture in Nicaragua still uses farm animals and carts rather than modern tractors and machinery.

San Juan del Sur

The beauty of this place was completely unreal. The colors were so vivid!
Jeff and me at Catarina’s Viewpoint overlooking Crater Lake
We drove through these scenic gates to visit the artisan markets and visit the viewpoint.
The artisan market went down both sides of the shopping center in front of the lake.

Volcán Masaya

We stood on the edge of the caldera of the very active Volcán Masaya, which just re-opened prior to our visit. The smell was tough!

The rock formations were impressive!

This sign marks the entrance to the national park.

Granada City Tour

I had waited most of my career to see the cathedral in Granada! This is the oldest city in Central America, dating back to 1524.

Catedral Merced

Guadalupe Church

Typical lunch: grilled bass with chimichurri, plantain chips, rice, salad, and dragonfruit juice

Granada Islands

On our boat tour of the lake, we saw private islands, some of which were available to rent. These were colorful and lively.

If you find yourself in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, contact the guides at https://www.costaricain.com/ and go see Nicaragua!

Our guide Miguel helped us maximize our time and see as much as possible in one day!

We made it back to Costa Rica before the border closed at 6:00 PM. It was a whirlwind adventure, and I would do it all again.