Lake Nicaragua
Home to 370-something islands and the worlds only freshwater sharks, this lake has proved to be a vital and interesting part of Nicaraguan history, culture and economy. The city of Granada, with its 300 nearby islands, is the principle port on the lake and many voyages embark from there and San Jorge, near the city of Rivas. The San Juan River connects the lake to the Carribean and some still consider it as a possible alternative to the Panama Canal since there is just an 18 kilometer wide strip separating it from the Pacific Ocean. It is believed that it was originally part of a large Pacific bay but massive volcanic eruptions cut it off. The sea animals which were trapped there adapted as the lake changed from salt to fresh and that is how there got to be so many strange aquatic animals in the lake like freshwater swordfish, guapote, and tarpon. The lake is so huge (it is about 160 km long, has a maximum width of about 72 km, and covers about 8030 sq km) that it took Spanish explorers 12 years to find a channel to the ocean.

Go see Lake Nicaragua.

In the center of the lake lies the Ometepe island (it’s name comes from the Natahuatl word "ome-tepetl" which means "two peaks") which contains two volcanoes, Concepcion (active) and Madera. The two volcanoes were originally separate islands, but lava flow merged them into one island. The islands can be reached either by a tedious and culturally exciting three-hour ride in a leaky banana boat or by a one hour ride in hydrofoils. When you reach the islands, be prepared to rent a taxi to take you around to see the stone statues and petroglyphs of the Chorotega Indians which still remain in front of the church of Altagracia and on the Madera Volcano slopes and were discovered in the 1850s by the American diplomat, George Squier. Once can also hike up the side of Concepcion Volcano or through the lush forests which are full of wildlife to the crater lake in the Madera Volcano. According to native legends, the Chorotega and Nagua tribes were moving south from Mexico looking for a place that their prophets said was an island with two mountains rising from a freshwater sea. We suppose that Ometepe fit this description and the Indian artifacts and tombs support the idea that they did settle there. The local people live by fishing and harvesting bananas, citrus, sesame, wheat, tobacco, and coffee. The two main towns, Moyogalpa and Altagracia, can provide basic food and accommodations but the best plan would be to catch a ferry back to Granada. It can take almost two hours to reach the popular Santo Domingo Beach, so one should take care to hire a licensed guide to make sure that you catch your ride home on time and that you don’t spend hours traveling in circles looking for something on the brochure.

To the south of Ometepe lies the Solentiname archipelago. Here, the remaining native painters from the Solentiname school of painters formed by Father Ernesto Cardenal in 1967 create brightly colored, primitive works which are very distinctive and culturally valued. When the leftover poets and artists are not going about their usual craft, you will find them carving equally distinctive wooden figurines or fishing. The archipelago is actually formed by 36 islands, the largest of which is Mancarron where the boats dock and where the minimal tourist infrastructure is. It is from there that one must arrange to travel to the smaller islands where the artisans are or to the archaeological zones and reserves. The most popular activity, by far, is to trek through the unspoiled surrounding nature and witness the abundant wildlife.

Go see a Solentiname painting.

Lake Managua
Located in the country's lowlands in western Nicaragua, Lake Managua is the nation's second largest lake. It covers and area of 1049 sq km and has a maximum width of 58 km. Managua is the chief settlement on the shore. The lake supports economically significant fisheries but the sewage from Managua is drained, unfiltered, into it. It is drained south into the larger Lake Nicaragua by the Tipitapa River. Due to the weather conditions, the lake has been drying for the last few years.

Apoyo Lagoon
The gigantic volcanic crater is about 4 miles wide and 650 feet deep. The water is clear enough for diving and fishing is good. The water has a salty taste because of the minerals in it, hence the name "apoyo." Up on the rim of the lagoon is a line of restaurants with bamboo terraces overlooking the shining water. The nearby city of Catarina is home to coffee plantations, ornamental plant growers, and bamboo products.

Rio San Juan
You won’t find very many people who would love to take you along this river, but diehard explorers could find this jungle trek the experience of a lifetime. During the days of Cornelius Vanderbilt and the California Gold Rush, Samual Clemens described this river with the words, "And so we started down the broad and beautiful river in the gray down of the balmy summer morning..." The 180 km river, which connects the Caribbean with Lake Nicaragua, has among its attractions to history buffs the El Castillo fortress which was built in 1765 to stop the attacks on Leon and Granada from pirates who would sail up the river, plunder the cities, and then retreat the same way. It was this fortress that British Admiral Horatio Nelson fought and eventually surrendered to.

Go see the fortress.