Las Isletas on Cocibolca Lake Nicaragua
I spent a few days chilling and exploring the lovely little tourist town of Granada in Nicaragua and during one of my days there, I did a Cocibolca Lake Nicaragua boat tour. It was very easy to get to the lake from town by walking maybe 20 minutes to the lake and then finding a boat tour company at one of the docking areas.
This pleasant tour will take you through the freshwater canals of the Isletas on Lake Nicaragua, which is a small archipelago of beautiful islands covered in lush vegetation and home to local fishermen communities and many species of birds. You can choose to do only a 1-hour tour or spend an entire day exploring the hundreds of tiny islands.
How much is a boat tour on Lake Nicaragua?
The normal price for a 1 hour guided boat tour is around 1000 cordobas, but since I was with a local friend who knew the people and the area we only ended up paying 500 cordobas (around $15). This price will go up if you have a large group or select any of the additional add-ons, prices will also vary depending on the tour company you take and whether or not you have a local or even someone who speaks Spanish accompanying you.
Is it safe to swim in Cocibolca Lake Nicaragua?
Although there are some beaches on this giant freshwater lake, you’ll seldom see locals swimming in it and it certainly isn’t a swimming destination for tourists. This is due to the long history of the lake is so dirty, it was named “the world’s biggest toilet” due to having untreated wastewater dumped into it for over 80 years from the capital city of Managua.
Although the country is finally starting to clean up its water sources, 80% are still considered contaminated and sadly, it’s still a common sight to see massive trash piles along their rivers.
Las Isletas in Granada Nicaragua
The islets of Granada are located in Lake Nicaragua aka Lago Cocibolca and is just southeast of the popular tourist city of Granada in Nicaragua. The islets are a group of 365 small islands scattered throughout the Asese peninsula are were originally created as a result of a volcanic eruption of Volcan Mombacho thousands of years ago. The islets make up an archipelago covered with rich vegetation and birdlife.
Many of the islets are occupied with privately owned homes or vacation houses. There are also some facilities for the residents and tourists scattered throughout the lake as well as some hotels and shops. Boating to these locations is the only mode of transportation available.
Would you like to live on a remote secluded little island in the middle of a lake in Nicaragua? There was a wide range of luxury and more modest homes, but I think I would be quite bored living out here. Also, if you have a problem with electricity or wifi, not to mention getting your daily necessities like groceries could easily become a hassle I would get tired of rather quickly.
San Pablo Island Fort
The San Pablo Fort is situated in Las Isletas near the beautiful colonial city of Granada and is a common stop during the Lake Nicaragua tour. This Spanish fortress was built in 1789 to defend the city of Granada from pirates attacks. In colonial times, Pirates sailed upriver from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Nicaragua to raid Granada.
Nice Nicaraguan Tour Guide
I want to start off by saying, I typically never us a tour guide, with the exception of the Taj Mahal when you know it’s helping a person in need who would otherwise not have a way to make money. That being said, I became friends with this great guy Fernando from Couchsurfing who messaged me wanting to hang out and show me around while I was in Granada Nicaragua. \
This guy was very kind, honest, intelligent and sweet, he’s also a certified tour guide who speaks 3 or 4 languages including English, Spanish, and French. I would highly recommend contacting him on Couchsurfing or Facebook if you’re ever planning to visit her.
Lago Cocibolca Lake Nicaragua Boat Tour
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