Isla de Ometepe: Getting there & around

The fastest, most popular way to reach Isla de Ometepe is via San Jorge near Rivas, where boats leave to make the 15km (9.3mi) crossing to Moyogalpa. There are two types of boat: car/passenger ferries and fairly basic lanchas (small boats). The crossing, which takes just over an hour, can be fairly rough, particularly in the afternoon. The ferries are more comfortable than the grungy lancha crossing - first class has a bar and a lounge with air-con. Your bags may well get wet, so wrap important stuff up in plastic, or stick your whole pack in a potato sack.

You can purchase tickets on board, or (for ferry departures only) at the ticket office. There are 11 daily departures each way.

The boat from Granada to San Carlos, near the Costa Rican border, departs on Mondays and Thursdays in the early afternoon. It arrives in Altagracia about four hours later before continuing on to San Carlos. The returning boat departs San Carlos on Tuesdays and Fridays. Travelers are urged to buy tickets ahead of departure at a dockside ticket office.

The cheapest way to get around the island is on the rickety buses, which follow schedules in an erratic but dogged manner. There's an hourly service from Moyogalpa to Altagracia via the paved road (45min). This route passes the turnoff to the Maderas side of the island.

From Moyogalpa, there are two daily buses to Balgüe (2hr). To Mérida (2-3hr), services leave three times a day. From Altagracia, frequent buses head to Balgüe and Mérida. For Santo Domingo, you can catch either a Mérida or a Balgüe bus. It's also easy to hike or hitch from the turnoff on the paved road.

There are around 30 taxis on the island, either comfortable minibuses or hardier pickup trucks. They are most easily picked up by the dock in Moyogalpa, and will take you just about anywhere on the island. If you're going somewhere for the day, it's sensible to pre-arrange your return ride with the driver.

To explore on your own, it's possible to rent a no-frills Suzuki jeep in Moyogalpa at Hotel Ometepetl. Comercial Arcía, two blocks south of the church, has reasonable bike rentals, charged by the hour. Motorcycle rental is sporadically offered, but the poor condition of the roads means it ain't cheap. Ask at Exploring Ometepe.