Top 10 Things to Do in Nicaragua
After four trips and many, many chicken bus rides, I have a shortlist of the experiences in Nicaragua I would not trade for anything. Some are famous for good reason. Others surprised me completely. Here are the ten that made the biggest impression on me.
1. Hike Up a Volcano
Nicaragua is dotted with volcanoes, and several let you walk right up to the rim. The Mombacho cloud forest gives you an easier, misty stroll above Granada. For something more raw, the active Masaya lets you peer down at glowing lava from a safe lookout. There is nothing like standing over a smoking crater.
2. Explore Colonial Granada
Granada is the face of colonial Nicaragua, a grid of pastel buildings, grand churches, and horse drawn carriages rattling past sunlit plazas. I spent hours just walking its streets, stopping for coffee and people watching. The food scene here is the best in the country, in my opinion.
3. Take a Boat Through the Islets
A short boat ride from Granada, hundreds of tiny islets dot Lake Nicaragua, each holding a story and often a toucan or a howler monkey. The boat trips are cheap, quiet, and impossibly pretty. Sunset here, with the volcano smoking in the distance, is pure magic.
4. Spend a Few Days on Ometepe
Ometepe is an island formed by two volcanoes rising from Lake Nicaragua, and it felt like the heart of the country to me. You can hike both peaks, swim in the lake, and ride horses between small farming villages. Bring a hammock and plan to stay longer than you think.
5. Surf San Juan del Sur
San Juan del Sur is the surf town, with a pretty horseshoe bay and beaches nearby that hold consistent waves. Even for a beginner like me, the lessons are cheap and the vibe is mellow. When you are not in the water, catch the sunset from the hill above town.
6. Tour the Coffee Highlands
The region around Matagalpa and Jinotega grows some of the best coffee in the world. A plantation tour connects you to the people and the land behind every cup. I walked through the shaded fields, learned how the beans are washed and dried, and drank coffee that ruined hotel coffee for me.
7. Visit the Colonial City of Leon
Leon is Granada’s scrappier, more intellectual sibling. Its cathedral is a masterpiece, and you can climb onto its roof for a view over the tiled rooftops all the way to the volcanoes. The street murals and galleries give the city a restless, creative energy I loved.
8. Watch the Sunset at a Quiet Beach
Every beach in Nicaragua has its sunset, but the undeveloped stretches north of San Juan del Sur are special. I spent an evening alone on Playa Maderas, just watching the light turn gold over the Pacific. No crowds, just ocean and sky. It cost nothing and meant everything.
9. Glow With the Bioluminescence
On certain moonless nights, the water near the lagoon close to Apoyo lights up with bioluminescent plankton. A midnight swim becomes a trail of blue sparkle around you. It is one of those things that sounds like an exaggeration until you see it.
10. Float in Laguna de Apoyo
Laguna de Apoyo is a volcanic crater lake that sits perfectly calm and warm year round. I swam in it several times and never wanted to leave. The water is so still it feels like floating in glass, and a day here is the best reset in the entire country.
If you only have a couple of weeks, pick the ones that call to you most, but do try to fit in a volcano and an island. Those two experiences, more than anything, are what make Nicaragua unforgettable.
How to Plan Your Picks
Nicaragua is small enough to see a lot in two weeks, but I would not try to hit all ten in one trip. Pick a base like Granada or Ometepe, then build day trips around it. If you love the water, weight your days toward the beaches and the lake. If you love walking and views, push the volcanoes higher up the list. However you slice it, leave one afternoon completely open, because the best moments here are rarely the ones on a schedule.
A Note on Getting Around
Stringing these ten together is easier than it sounds with the country’s bus routes and shared shuttles. Granada makes a perfect base for the lake trips and the volcano days, while San Juan del Sur anchors the beach side of the list. Give yourself a buffer day between big moves, because the journeys between the highlights can be as memorable as the destinations themselves.
However you order the list, leave room for the unplanned. The stray village, the impromptu swim, the cafe where you lingered twice, those become the memories you retell. Plan enough to feel comfortable, then let the gaps be where Nicaragua works its magic.
