Visitor Information

There is an Intur (no phone) office in the plaza of Altagracia. It is open weekdays from 9am to 1pm and 3 to 5pm. Most of the hotels listed below are good sources of local information, too. A very good tourist website with lots of information on the history of the island, as well as where to sleep and eat, is www.visitaometepe.com.

Tour Operators

Ometepe Tours, in front of the ferry dock in San Jorge (tel. 505/2563-4779 in San Jorge or 505/2569-4242 in Moyogalpa), runs an excellent 1-day tour of the island, which leaves San Jorge at 9:30am and arrives back on the mainland by 4:30pm. They also arrange multiday package stays with hotels and transport included. A 1-day tour with a car and driver from San Jorge costs C1,540 for one to four people.

If you decide to trek to the volcanoes, make sure you get a reputable guide (known as a baqueano) outfitted with a radio and first-aid kit. Guide quality and prices can vary, so ask around before you decide. Union Guias de Ometepe (tel. 505/8827-7714; www.ugometepe.com) is a syndicate of 30 local guides that offer full-day and half-day tours of the Island.

Getting Around

On Foot

The island is a hiker's paradise, with numerous trails, but beware that some of the paths can be rough going, and it is very easy to get lost. You will certainly need a guide for any treks up to the volcanoes.

By Car/Taxi

If you want to travel around the island independently, you'll have to get a 4WD. Hotel Ometepetl rents old Toyotas and Suzukis for approximately C880 for 12 hours. Taxis are plentiful, and drivers will swarm you as soon as you step off the boat, as will touts selling rooms and tours.

A pickup taxi from the port to Santo Domingo beach should cost approximately C360.

By Bus

Old-school buses lumber around the island at hourly intervals between Moyogalpa and Altagracia, and they usually travel in a counterclockwise direction. The fare for these buses is C6. All buses leave directly from the Moyogalpa dock. The journey between the two towns takes 1 hour, and from Altagracia to Balgue, it takes another hour. There are less frequent services to outlying towns like San Ramón and Merida. The bus service on Sunday is much reduced and even sometimes nonexistent. Be warned, these bus journeys can be slow and uncomfortable, and if you are traveling across the isthmus, they can seem to take forever.

Getting There

By Boat

San Jorge port, 6km (3 3/4 miles) east of Rivas, is the main departure point to reach the island. The car/passenger Ferry Ometepe (tel. 505/2278-8190; www.ferryometepenicaragua.com) departs at 7:45 and 10:30am, and at 2:30 and 5:30pm. The fare is C120 per person and C730 per vehicle round-trip, and the crossing takes approximately an hour. Vehicle owners should always call well in advance to book (at least 3 days) and again the day before. Try to get to the dockside office an hour before departure to get your tickets and ensure a spot. The ferry often leaves as soon as it fills up and before the appointed hour. The ferry returns to the mainland from Moyogalpa at 6 and 9am, and at 12:30 and 4pm.

A handful of other boats cross to Moyogalpa, leaving at 9, 9:30, and 11:30am, and at 1:30, 3:30, and 4:30pm. The fare is C30 and, as on the ferry, the passengers are a colorful mix of locals toting cattle, fruit, and whatever else they can get on board. The water can be choppy; it's best to go early in the morning or late in the evening for the smoothest sailing. The smaller boats return to San Jorge from Moyogalpa at 5:30, 6:30, 7, and 11:30am, and at 1:30pm.

You can also get to Ometepe from Granada on a 4-hour voyage that leaves twice a week. The Mozorola leaves every Wednesday and Saturday at 11am and docks at Altagracia on the island. It returns every Tuesday and Friday at 11am. The fare is C80. A ferry called the EPN leaves Granada every Monday and Thursday at 3pm, stopping in Altagracia before continuing south to San Miguelito and San Carlos. It returns through Altagracia every Tuesday and Friday at 11pm. Be aware, however, that if the sea is rough, the ferry may skip its stop at Altagracia altogether.

Fast Facts

Banks and ATMs -- There are no banks on the island. There is a small credit union in Moyogalpa with an ATM, but it is temperamental and does not accept credit cards or debit cards that are linked to the Maestro program. Across from the credit union there is a "tienda" that allows you to take money out on a credit card (MasterCard and Visa), but they charge an extremely large fee. It is better to stuff your wallet in Rivas before boarding the boat.

Hospital -- Hospital Moyogalpa (tel. 505/2569-4247) is 3 blocks east of the plaza. Altagracia also has a small Centro de Salud (tel. 505/2552-6089) on the southeast corner of the town plaza.

Internet -- For Internet access in Moyogalpa, go to Arcia Cyber Café on the main street (no phone). It is open daily from 8am to 9pm. In Altagracia, the Casa Rural, on the south side of the plaza (no phone), has Internet service, as does the craft store Tienda Fashion, 1 block south of the park (no phone).

Post Office -- There is a post office in Altagracia, on the corner of the plaza beside the Museo Ometepe (no phone).

Telephone -- For phone service, head to ENITEL in Moyogalpa, which is 1 1/2 blocks east of the principal street (tel. 505/2569-4100), or the Altagracia office, which is in front of the plaza beside Museo Ometepe (no phone).

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