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A stunning volcanic crater lake surrounded by forest, Laguna de Apoyo is one of the best places in Nicaragua to relax and enjoy nature.
Just half an hour from Granada, it’s a popular day trip from the city, but we highly recommend spending a few nights here!
We had an incredibly relaxing few days, staying lakeside and swimming in the calm, clean waters, kayaking, watching magical sunrises and reading a book in a hammock.
Laguna de Apoyo is the perfect place to slow down for a few days and enjoy the stunning lake, volcano views and vibrant blue waters, and I’m about to tell you everything you need to know to plan a visit.
About Laguna de Apoyo
Formed by a volcanic explosion over 20,000 years ago, Laguna de Apoyo is a large freshwater lake inside an extinct volcanic caldera.
They say Nicaragua is the land of lakes and volcanoes, and true to form, Laguna de Apoyo is surrounded by volcanoes, including Volcan Mombacho which looms over the eastern edge of the lake.
The lake is the largest crater lake in Nicaragua, with a diameter of over 6.6 km (4.1 mi). It is 175 metres (574 ft) at its deepest point, not quite as deep as Lake Atitlan in Guatemala but impressive nevertheless.
The lake is part of the Reserva Natural Laguna de Apoyo, a protected natural area preserving the tropical dry forest that surrounds the water and its steep crater walls. This peaceful, natural area is home to all kinds of creatures, including howler and spider monkeys, over 200 species of birds and butterflies, lizards and insects.
Motorized boats are prohibited on the lake, so you can enjoy the clean, calm waters that are rich in volcanic minerals. Underwater fumaroles heat the water to a blissfully warm 27 – 28°C (80 – 82°F), perfect for a swim.
The water is very clean and swimming in the lake is a dream, which we didn’t find in other crater lakes in the region, like Lago de Coatepeque in El Salvador.
There are a handful of lakeside accommodations and restaurants, mostly along the western shores, providing access for visitors to enjoy a day or more of swimming, kayaking and relaxing in a pristine natural environment.
Nicaragua map
Day trip or stay?
The most popular way to visit Laguna de Apoyo is a day trip from Granada. It’s just half an hour from the city, so a day trip makes sense, but we think the lake is worth at least a night or two.
If you’re short on time, you can experience the vibe of the lake in a day. To be fair, there’s very little to do here.
But after a few weeks exploring Nicaragua’s two main cities, Leon and Granada, and traipsing up and down volcanoes, we were ready for a rest and Laguna de Apoyo is the perfect place for it.
Sometimes you just need to go somewhere where there is nothing to do, to force yourself to slow down and relax. If you’re travelling long-term through the region, you definitely need a break every now and then and if the timing works, I’d recommend a couple of nights here.
Especially if you don’t have to visit Ometepe too, Nicaragua’s ultimate blissed-out nature destination.
The other reason to stay overnight at Apoyo is to experience the lake without the crowds. It can get busy during the day with day trippers, but come around 5:00 – 6:00 pm, they all head back to Granada and the lake is peaceful again.
Even better is the mornings, when you can enjoy a beautiful sunrise over the lake and go kayaking while the water is at its calmest, with very few people around.
If you’ve got a couple of nights, my advice is to stay, but if a day is all you have, it’s still very worth visiting Laguna de Apoyo.
How to visit Laguna de Apoyo for a day
If you’ve only got a day to spare, you can still enjoy a very lovely day hanging out by the lake. There are a few ways to do this, depending on your budget and desire for independence.
- ⛱️ Day pass + shuttle: the easiest and most straightforward way to visit Laguna de Apoyo for the day is to get a day pass for Hostel Paradiso (one of the best beach clubs/accommodations). Their day passes are $7 USD on weekdays and $9 USD on weekends, but they offer a day pass + shuttle combo for $14 USD. It departs from Granada at 10:00 am and returns at 4:00 pm. It’s super straightforward, with no thinking or planning required. You can spend the day hanging on their beach, swimming, and using the free kayaks, SUPs and tubes. If you want to eat or drink, it’s an extra cost, but there’s no minimum spend or pressure.
- ⛱️ Day pass + independent transport: some alternative beach clubs/accommodations that also offer day passes are Laguna Beach Club ($6 USD) and Casa Marimba ($9 USD). They don’t have a shuttle service like Paradiso, so you’d need to work out how to get yourself to the lake (via taxi, bus, car etc., see details below).
- ⛱️ Public access + independent transport: it’s not super easy to access the lake for free, as large sections of it are privately owned. There are a few public beaches if you don’t want to pay for a beach club or need any amenities, but it will involve a longer journey, especially if you don’t have a vehicle. We can’t provide any personal recommendations as we took the easier beach club route, but I think the Diriá area on the southwestern shores of the lake is less developed, with more public access.
Where to stay in Laguna de Apoyo
If you’re opting for an overnight or multi-day stay, you’ll most likely end up at one of the beach clubs I mentioned, as they are also accommodations.
There are some beautiful places to stay around Laguna de Apoyo, including some top-rated properties sitting at a higher vantage point overlooking the lake. However, I really think you should stay somewhere at the water level, so you can swim in the lake every day!
It’s the biggest attraction to the area, so don’t choose somewhere that you have to drive or hike to the water’s edge. Plus, there aren’t many free public access areas to the lake so you want to be staying somewhere on the shores.
All these options are directly on the lake:
- 💰 Hostel Paradiso: the best place for day trips or overnight stays, Paradiso is partnered with the popular Oasis Hostel in Granada. It is a ‘hostel’, but not really. Backpackers do stay here and there are a few dorm rooms, but I’d describe it more as a laidback guesthouse. The vibe is relaxed and there are probably more private rooms than there are dorms. We stayed here and despite not usually liking hostels, we really enjoyed it. The facilities are fantastic, the restaurant is pretty affordable considering the location and it was very peaceful at night.
- 💰💰 Laguna Beach Club: just next door to Paradiso, Laguna Beach Club is another solid option for an overnight stay. They do have a few dorm rooms, but this is more of a mid-range choice, with mostly private rooms. The benefit of this place is that they have a communal kitchen which is great if you’re on a budget (Paradiso does not offer this).
- 💰💰💰 Casa Marimba: the nicest option on the shores of the lake, Casa Marimba is a traveller-favourite, and if budget wasn’t an issue, we would have stayed here. A peaceful, eco-friendly with lovely gardens, simple, airy rooms and a great restaurant.
Hostel Paradiso
Getting to Laguna de Apoyo
The most popular jump-off point to Laguna de Apoyo is Granada, so I’m assuming you’re coming from there.
It’s not too far from Managua or Masaya if you are coming from elsewhere, but I’d recommend asking your accommodation for specific transport instructions. They’re experts and will have the latest info on bus timetables, or can organise a preferred taxi driver for you.
From Granada…
- 🚐 Shuttle: if you’re staying at Hostel Paradiso, you can take up their shuttle service. It’s $3 USD one-way or $5 USD return for overnight guests, departing from Oasis Hostel in Granada at 10:00 am and 3:30 pm daily. It returns from the lake at 4:00 pm.
- 🚕 Taxi: if the shuttle to Pardiso doesn’t suit you, or you’re staying at one of the other accommodation options that don’t offer a shared shuttle service, you can take a taxi from Granada. Expect to pay at least $15 USD for the trip, but agree on a price beforehand.
- 🚌 Bus: there are no direct buses from Granada to Laguna de Apoyo which makes the trip a bit tricky. It will either involve a bus + 90-minute walk, bus + taxi (in which case, the shuttle is probably cheaper) or a bus + another bus if you can time it.
If you want to go down this route, you need to get a bus from Granada to Managua or Masaya (departing from this terminal), and ask to be dropped off at ‘la entrada de la laguna’. From there, the ideal scenario is that you can connect with the ‘La Laguna’ bus that departs from Masaya at 10:30 am or 3:30 pm (2:30 pm on Sundays) and arrives at the lake about an hour later.
Please check in with your accommodation for the latest timetables and advice if you want to use the bus.
Getting around Laguna de Apoyo
I’ll be honest, once we arrived at Hostel Paradiso, we didn’t leave. It’s unlike us to not get out and explore but the purpose of our visit to the lake was for some much-needed R&R, and R&R we did!
In saying that, it’s not necessarily that easy to get around the lake even if you wanted to and there’s not that much to do either.
If you don’t have a car, you’d need to organise a taxi or tuk-tuk with your accommodation, wait for a sporadically passing bus that probably isn’t going where you want it to, or walk. Which is possible, but will require a very steep uphill jaunt to get anywhere.
Unless you’ve got somewhere particular to go, it’s not really a place conducive to unplanned wanderings, due to the steepness of the area, the private property all around the lakefront and the remote and spread-out nature of any tourism business/attraction.
Things to do at Laguna de Apoyo
Nothing! Really, the best thing to do at Laguna de Apoyo is to relax and soak up the beautiful scenery. Don’t come here with a busy agenda. Bring a book and use it as a chance to slow down and chill out.
There are a couple of things you can mix into your book reading and lakeside hammock swinging though…
Swim
Laguna de Apoyo is clean and safe for swimming (the same cannot be said for all crater lakes in the region).
The small amount of volcanic activity in the area means the water is mineral-rich and slightly warm! It’s not hot spring warm, but it definitely doesn’t feel freezing. It’s perfect.
All the accommodations I mentioned above have a permanent wooden pontoon docked a short distance off-shore, so you can swim out and climb on for a rest or to canon ball or dive back into the lake. Most also offer inflatable inner tubes, perfect for lengthy floating sessions.
Kayak or paddleboard
Most accommodations have free kayaks and possibly stand-up paddleboards that guests and day trippers can use.
The best time to get out for a paddle is first thing in the morning before the wind picks up. The lake can get surprisingly choppy.
No matter what time of day you go, you won’t make it to the other side. The lake is huge (6.6km across to be exact).
We preferred to paddle closer to the shoreline and look for birds and monkeys in the trees.
Watch the sunrise and sunset
The most developed section of the lake with all the accommodations is on the western side, so you don’t exactly see a sunset, but it’s still lovely to watch the sky change colour. We were lucky to see an amazing moonrise on both nights we stayed.
The really special thing to see at Laguna de Apoyo is the sunrise. It rises directly in front of the popular accommodations, and it’s worth the early wake-up!
It was so beautiful and peaceful in the morning with no wind and just the sound of the birds (and a few sleepy doggos who had found a comfy bed on the hostel’s lounges!).
Scuba diving or freediving
The freshwater Laguna de Apoyo doesn’t hold too many underwater critters to see, and a scuba or free dive here is more for the experience of diving in a volcanic crater lake.
Volcano Divers offers scuba dives in the lake, and Freediving Nicaragua, the first freediving school in the country, offers fun dives and freediving courses.
Hiking
Something we would have liked to do more of at the lake was hiking.
There are sporadic trails around but most don’t meaningfully connect or create a nice loop. It’s also a bit confusing to work out where you are allowed to walk and where is private property, but your accommodation should be able to give you some information on any trails.
Visit a mirador
The land slopes down towards the lake, so as soon as you get up the hill away from the shore, you can get some epic views over the entire lake and out to Volcan Mombacho too.
Our shuttle with Paradiso stopped at a small lookout called Mirador Niquinohomito. If your transport doesn’t stop, you could walk here in about 1.5 hours from the lake along the road (I’d get a taxi up and walk back down).
The most popular lookout is Mirador de Catarina in the small town of Catarina, a 25-minute drive away. We didn’t visit, but the town looks quite cute and bustling, and there are plenty of cheap local restaurants so you could make this an outing, but you’d need a taxi or a bus to get there.
Night tour to Volcan Masaya
If you’ve already been in Granada chances are you’ve done this already (we had), but the lake is an alternative and closer base to take this tour from.
Volcan Masaya is one of the only volcanoes in the country where you can see glowing lava at night. Most accommodations can arrange a tour for you.
Where to eat at Laguna de Apoyo
You will most likely eat all of your meals at your accommodation, given the difficulty with transport. This does generally mean increased costs in your Nicaragua budget, but you’re not really paying for much else while you’re relaxing at the lake, so it all evens out.
At Paradiso Hostel, we had a delicious breakfast included and we found their lunch and dinner options pretty reasonably priced, considering the remote location. It was about $8 – $12 USD for main meals, and we tried to share as much as possible. Plus we packed a few non-perishable snacks from Granada to munch on between meals.
If you’re on a tight budget, I know Laguna Beach Club has a communal kitchen so you could bring some groceries from Granada to cook with.
If you feel so inclined, you can wander to neighbouring accommodations to eat at their restaurants, BUT, don’t forget many of them charge a day pass fee to access the property.
There is one expectation to this, Comeder Angelito. This local option is within easy walking distance of all our recommended accommodations. It’s got great Nica food at a much cheaper price than the lakeside beach clubs.
Laguna de Apoyo travel tips
🇳🇮 Get more Nicaragua travel tips in our Nicaragua travel guide
- 🌤️ Best time to visit: the best time to visit Laguna de Apoyo is during the dry season from November – April. Being on the lake was nice and breezy and felt quite a bit cooler than in the cities. In terms of days of the week, if you can plan your visit for a weekday, the lake will be much quieter. It’s a very popular spot for Nicaraguans, so the beach clubs can fill up on weekends and holidays.
- 🗓️ How long to stay: if you’ve got more than a day, I’d say 2 nights is a good amount of time to spend at Laguna de Apoyo to fully relax. If you’re using the shuttle from Paradiso, 2 nights essentially gives you 3 full days (arriving at 10:30 am on day 1 and leaving at 4:00 pm on day 3).
- 🫶🏼 Safety: the lagoon is a natural and largely undeveloped area, we felt super safe. You’ll probably spend most of your time lazing at your accommodation, so no safety concerns here.
- 🗣️ Language: Spanish is the official language in Nicaragua and is, of course, widely spoken around the laguna. If you’re staying at one of the more popular accommodation options, there’s probably someone who will speak English, but local transport, restaurants etc. are Spanish only in this area.
- 💰 Currency: the official currency of Nicaragua is the Nicaraguan Córdoba. You may see some tourist activities quoted in US Dollars, and we found this to be particularly true at Laguna de Apoyo. Most prices for day passes, restaurants etc. were in USD which was frustrating. You can pay in either currency, just check the exchange rate they give you. We were able to settle our bill at Paradiso with card and I’d say most big accommodations would offer the same option.
- 🏧 ATMs: there are no ATMs at Laguna de Apoyo, the closest would be in Catarina, about half an hour’s drive from most accommodations. Stock up on cash in Granada. While you can probably pay by card at your beach club/accommodation, you should never assume it will actually work! Always stay stocked with cash.
- 📱 Phone & SIM Cards: Laguna de Apoyo is unlikely to be your first stop in Nica, so hopefully by now, you’ve got a local SIM card (get one in Granada). The phone reception at the lake was okay but not great. All accommodations have wifi but don’t expect it to be super fast.
- 🥑 Groceries: you’d have to walk/drive quite a while to find a tienda around Laguna de Apoyo. If you want to bring any food or snacks to the lake, it’s best to come stocked from Granada.
- 💧 Can you drink the water: it’s safest not to drink the water in Nicaragua. We were a bit annoyed that there was no free purified drinking water at Paradiso. They charged for each bottle refill, but it was only about 10 Cordoba (<$0.5 USD) so it wasn’t too bad. Other accommodations will hopefully offer purified water so you don’t have to buy single-use bottles.
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Final thoughts: Laguna de Apoyo, Nicaragua
We had a very, very lovely and relaxing few days at Laguna de Apoyo.
It was exactly what we needed after a few weeks in Leon and Granada. While they aren’t the biggest or busiest cities in the world, we were ready for some peace and quiet in nature and the lake delivered.
I’d really recommend staying at least one night, if not more, if you can manage to squeeze it into your itinerary. There is a very peaceful vibe around the lake, and I guarantee the days will go much quicker than expected. Most travellers end up staying longer than they planned to.
You’ll no doubt be spending some time in Granada too, so don’t forget to check out my Granada travel guide and the other top things to do in Granada for more lakes and volcanoes!
If you’re following our Nicaragua itinerary, your next stop after Laguna de Apoyo will most likely be Popoyo if you’re travelling south, or Granada if you’re heading north.
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The Comments
Christian Bolanos
Hi, I’ve Ben in Nicaragua for 4 month now, as most people tend to think about safety or not I found that the water it’s much more safe to drink than in USA where you can’t even think to drink the water due to many chemicals they add, here in Nicaragua there not a problem drinking straight from the faucet as well as cooking your food.
Sally Rodrick
Christian BolanosHi Christian, thanks for your thoughts. We generally don’t take the risk of drinking the water, even if it’s probably ‘safe’ just because it’s got different things and bacterias in it that can upset our stomachs. Nobody wants to be sick on their holiday! We found most places we stayed in Nicaragua provided a garrafon anyway so we stuck to the safe side – but you’re probably right, the water isn’t that bad! All the best, Sally