Granada was a fun place to chill for a few days. It has a laid back atmosphere, albeit is a bit on the touristy side. A bonus of this is great food and plenty of nice accommodations.

I highly recommend kayaking along the Isletas (little islands), which is a 10 minute drive from the city. You can also get a boat tour, but these boats are rather jam-packed. While kayaking you can take your time and enjoy the surroundings. There are 365 mini-islands, one for each day of the year! Check out the many birds, monkeys, and maybe even bull sharks! I’m told that Lake Nicaragua is the only fresh water lake to have sharks.

In the evening I headed out to Masaya National Park, where you can see flowing lava. It’s quite the sight at nighttime, as the lava is glowing bright red/orange with multiple flows converging! Very cool… or perhaps not! Even though you only get 5-10 minutes at the top due to volcanic fumes, it’s so worth it!

Granada is a very nice place to wander around, as it has beautiful colonial architecture, churches, and plazas. Just kick back, buy an ice cream, and chill under a palm tree!

From Granada I head south along Lake Nicaragua, to a double volcanic island in the middle of the lake – Isla Ometepe!

Cheers, Shawn