Isla de Ometepe

Ometepe, an island composed of two volcanoes, emerges from the Cocibolca, the great Lake of Nicaragua. Joined by a thin, flat isthmus the two volcanoes shape the island like an hour glass. Over the northern half of Ometepe looms the Concepción, a majestic and perfectly cone-shaped active volcano, while the southern half is dominated by the extinct volcano Maderas which is swathed in a cloud forest and has a mist-shrouded lagoon in its crater.

Isolated from the rest of Nicaragua by the Cocibolca, the indigenous name for the Lake of Nicaragua, Ometepe feels far away from the rest of the world. Touted as the "Oasis of Peace", the island is a mesmerizing place, entrenched in history, and full of stunning sights and activities. The volcanoes, visible from everywhere on the island, are a powerful and ever-present feature. The volcanic ash makes the soil extremely fertile and the land yields abundant crops. In recent years many farms have turned over to sustainable farming practices, and many hotels on Ometepe serve their own, self-grown fruit and vegetables.