Ometepe Island

With its area of 270 square kilometers Isla de Ometepe is the largest freshwater island in the entire world. The island is formed by two active volcanoes, La Madeira with a peak of 1349 meters and El Concepcion, 1610 meters high. The volcanoes are popular for climbing but bear in mind that it is not an easy trek, since the slopes are rocky and steep. Volcan Concepcion had its last eruption in 1954 and was still throwing ash in year 1999.

The island hosts about 35 000 inhabitants that mainly live from agriculture and specifically banana plantation.

On various sites of the island but principally on the north and northeast side of Madeira, carved statues, made by the indigenous people, can still be found. Some of the statues were probably used as calendars while others show human beings in action. The statues are estimated to have been made about 300 A.D.

The Island of Ometepe can be reached from Granada and the city of Rivas, on the western side of the lake.