Apoyo Lagoon

When I hear the word lagoon, I don´t envision it being a place I´m going to want to swim. Laguna de Apoyo, located between the cities of Masaya and Granada, completely changed my mind. This warm, fresh water lagoon (actually the size of a lake) with a stunning view of the Mombacho Volcano, is the perfect place to spend a hot day in Nicaragua. You can access the water either from the public beach or through a hotel like Posada Ecologica la Abuela. If you access it through a hotel you’ll either have to pay $6 or spend about $8 at the restaurant. It’s an easy trip from either Managua or Granada, and you can hang by the Apoyo during the day and make an afternoon trip to the Artisan Market in Masaya.

Located just outside the colonial city of Granada are two spectacular natural wonders. The first is the volcano Mombacho, which is usually hiding behind cloud coverage. An old Russian troop carrier will take you up the mountain where you can still see the steam coming up from the earth. The view is breathtaking. The second is the Laguna de Apoyo a volcanic lake. The water is like silk and filled with minerals. Its about three miles wide and extremely deep. Lava rocks and thermal heat can be found on the shores. Thankfully the Nicaraguan government has prohibited motorized watercraft in it.