🏖️ 10 Days in Nicaragua: A Unique & Active Itinerary

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📍 Itinerary Map

This itinerary takes you to Nicaragua’s top destinations:

• Granada – city known for colonial architecture and nearby attractions
• Ometepe – island with two hikeable volcanoes, warm beaches, and a waterfall
• San Juan del Sur – town near several beaches known for excellent surfing
• León – city famous for adrenaline-rushing volcano surfing

Planning a trip? Here’s what to know about Nicaragua.

🗓️ Itinerary Overview

Below is a great way to spend ten days in Nicaragua (see below on how to extend or shorten your trip). This itinerary is well-researched, highlights major attractions, and reflects lessons from my travel experience.

My Nicaragua trip planner has this itinerary prefilled with more details and tips.

All prices mentioned here are in USD 💵 .

Granada (Day 1)

Start in Granada; it’s the city closest to the primary international airport in Managua. (An exception to this is if you’re arriving by land from El Salvador. Then, start in León.)

• Granada is one of Nicaragua’s top 3 tourist destinations. It’s known for its colonial architecture and proximity to several day trip options.

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  • Walk around and look at the Spanish colonial architecture (💰 free)
  • Go up the Church of Mercy for a panoramic view of the city (💰 $1 entry fee)
  • Kayak around the Islets of Granada (💰 $30+ rental)
  • Do a chocolate workshop (💰 $50+ tour)
  • Take day trips to Laguna de Apoyo (see day 2), Masaya, or Mombacho Volcano (💰 $25+ tour/transport)

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  • Raices – try their nacatamal and quesillo
  • Kodiac Bagel shop – fresh bagel shop founded by a local who discovered his passion for baking during the pandemic
  • Batidos Pitaya Granada – consistently serves good smoothies (unlike many other places I tried)

My Nicaragua trip planner includes reviews of all the Granada places I ate at over four days.

• Take an hour-long shared shuttle or private taxi from the airport to Granada. If you’re on a budget, take the public bus (nicknamed “chicken bus”), which takes longer and requires at least one transfer.
  • The city is small and pedestrian-friendly, so you can get around on foot once you’re there.
  • Flag down a tuk-tuk or get a taxi for attractions further away (e.g., the islets, day trips).

• Given the city’s small size, the exact neighborhood you stay in doesn’t matter much. Accommodations closest to the central area on Calle La Calzada will be the most lively and expensive.
  • Charming Home and Fabulous Home have great locations. They’re near the lively street but far from the bars and restaurants, so it’s quieter. This is the area where I stayed.
  • Hotel Dario has a prime location where all the action is happening.

Laguna de Apoyo (Day 2)

On the second day, do a day trip to Laguna de Apoyo.

• Laguna de Apoyo is a stunning crater lake that formed when a volcano erupted thousands of years ago. It’s known for its calm, pleasant-temperature water, which is warmed by geothermal activity, and it’s incredibly nice to swim in (one of the best, in my opinion).

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  • Swim in the lake by getting a day pass at one of the hostels/hotels on the lake (💰 $5-$10). Many places have amenities like paddleboarding, kayaking, a floating platform, restaurants, lockers, etc.
  • Visit one of the lake’s many miradors for a breathtaking view. Mirador de Catarina is the most popular but crowded one (💰 free; need to pay for transportation).

• Take a 30-minute shared shuttle or private taxi from Granada to Laguna de Apoyo.

• The restaurant and accommodations near the lake are expensive. I only recommend staying there if you’re not on a tight budget:
  • Paradiso Hostel is where I bought a day pass and had a great time.
  • Casa Marimba is a highly recommended place and a bit more upscale.
  • Laguna Beach Club is more budget-friendly and is located near Paradiso.

For more Laguna de Apoyo tips (including the location of the quieter viewpoint I visited), see my Nicaragua trip planner.

Ometepe (Days 3-6)

Travel to Ometepe on your third day.

• Ometepe is an island in Lake Nicaragua known for its two imposing volcanoes: the active Volcano Concepción and the dormant Volcano Maderas. It’s a laid-back island that’s fun to scooter around.

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  • Hike to the summit of Volcano Concepción or Volcano Maderas (💰 $25+ required guide)
  • Hike to the 164-meter San Ramón Waterfall and enjoy its swimming hole (💰 $3 entry fee)
  • Visit many warm beaches, particularly Playa Mango, which has impressive sunsets (💰 free)
  • Swim in the popular natural spring, Ojo de Aguas (💰 $10 entry fee)
  • Kayak the Istian River for a chance to see small caimans (💰 $15+ rental)
  • Visit the small open-air market near Playa Santa Cruz on the weekends (💰 free)
  • Catch a vivid sunset in places like Punta Jesús María (💰 free)

Ometepe has a main, well-maintained road that runs around most of the island and provides access to key attractions. Driving a scooter around the island is an enjoyable experience in itself, and you don’t need much experience to do so.

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  • Cocina de Mami – one of my favorite typical Nicaragua restaurants
  • Bustavo – serves an incredibly delicious falafel pita (generous portions too!)

• From Granada, take an hour-long taxi or shared shuttle to San Jorge to catch the Ometepe ferry. The hour-long ferry ride is tranquil and very cheap (💰 <$2 fee). Once in Ometepe, you can get around by scooter, ATV, tuk-tuk, or bus.

If you’d rather save money and ride the chicken bus, it will take you to Rivas, where you will take a short taxi to San Jorge. This will save you ~$5-$10 compared to taking a shared shuttle.

• Visitors typically stay at either Moyogalpa (near the ferry’s port) or Balgue (closer to many other attractions).
  • Ometepe House, where I stayed in Moyogalpa, offers great value for its price.

My Nicaragua trip planner has more tips on Ometepe, including insights on taking the ferry and things to avoid.

San Juan del Sur (Days 7-10)

Finish your trip in San Juan del Sur.

• San Juan del Sur is a tourist-friendly and lively town with several nearby beaches known for their excellent surf.

• Although San Juan del Sur is the central hub, it’s not where people people go to surf or enjoy the beach. Instead, the beaches are about 20-30 minutes away, and you’ll need transportation between them. The most popular beaches are:
  • Playa Maderas – known for its consistent surf breaks that are suitable for all levels
  • Playa Remanso – known to be a beginner surf beach
  • Playa Hermosa – known to be the more beautiful beach that has beginner waves

Private surf lessons start at about $35 for every 90 minutes. Several San Juan del Sur surf schools will also include transportation as part of the lesson.

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  • Juanita’s Kitchen – hands down the best restaurant by the beach in Playa Maderas. You can cross the beach to get there (walking by the road takes a while)
  • Machete – serves delicious pizza on Friday nights
  • Comedor Clementina – cheap local eat with solid food
  • Hush – expensive, solid food with a pretty view

• From Ometepe, take an hour-long taxi or shared shuttle to wherever you’re staying in San Juan del Sur. Most beaches are secluded and difficult to get to, so you’ll need transportation to get between them.

• You can stay in the town or one of the nearby beaches (whichever best suits your interests).
  • El Caite is very centrally located in San Juan del Sur if you want to be close to the nightlife.
  • If you want to stay at a beach like I did, it’s best to look for options on Airbnb or hostel websites.

Itinerary Modifications

Here are some ways you can adjust the itinerary:

• Another popular place is León, which is famous for its adrenaline-rushing volcano surfing in Cerro Negro. If you have 10 days or less, you can skip one of the above places and go to León instead. It’s a cool place, but further away.
• If you’re staying closer to 2 weeks, you have enough time to visit four places (e.g., Granada > Ometepe > San Juan del Sur > León)
• If you’re staying closer to a week, I would focus on visiting two places (e.g., Ometepe > San Juan del Sur) so you don’t feel rushed.