The narrow channels
Water between green islands.
BluesyPete — CC BY-SA 3.0 · BluesyPete — CC BY-SA 3.0 · BluesyPete — CC BY-SA 3.0 · BluesyPete — CC BY-SA 3.0 · BluesyPete — CC BY-SA 3.0
Las Isletas are a group of about 365 small islands in Lake Nicaragua, scattered around the Asese peninsula south-east of Granada. They are green and rich in birds, some hold private homes or hotels, and the easiest way to see them is a short boat trip from the city. The islands come from Mombacho volcano, and studies link them to a huge avalanche of rock and mud that slid from its slope into the lake long ago. On one stands the fort of San Pablo, built in the eighteenth century to protect Granada from pirates and witness to battles of the colonial period. Ownership of the islands has changed many times, and many are now private. You travel narrow channels between small islands covered in big trees and palms, some with houses, gardens and jetties. Cormorants stand on black rocks above the water, and many birds fly among the trees. Mombacho's cone fills the horizon, and colours are finest near sunset, when the water calms and the heat eases. The islands are 8.6 km in a straight line south-east of Granada, with boats leaving from a dock near the peninsula. Agree the price and length before setting off, and wear a life jacket. Many islands are private, so do not land without permission. Bring a hat and sunscreen, as the water reflects the heat.
Water between green islands.
An eighteenth-century defence.
On the black rocks.
Asese peninsula, Lake Nicaragua, south-east of Granada
It varies, so agree the length with the boat owner first.
Only at open places, as many are private.