Islets of Granada
Islets of Granada
4.5
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
1,944 reviews
Excellent
1,087
Very good
600
Average
208
Poor
26
Terrible
23
Blair B
1 contribution
Dec. 2023 • Solo
Overall the islands are interesting. Largely they are populated by wealthy people and oppulent homes.
One, not very big, island is currently occupied by three brown spider monkeys. A tourist draw, for sure. But, when you dive into it, I'm not sure how trip advisor says it meets animal welfare guidelines. Brown spider monkeys are endangered. They often live in large groups. They travel large distances for food, primarily fruit.
So, essentially and eccentric wealthy person bought the island, said it was too small for his fancy house, bought another and decided to strand three (not the original ones apparently) monkeys on the island without a fruit bearing tree.
Are they fun to see, yeah. Is it a depressing and cruel story and life for these living creatures absolutely.
One, not very big, island is currently occupied by three brown spider monkeys. A tourist draw, for sure. But, when you dive into it, I'm not sure how trip advisor says it meets animal welfare guidelines. Brown spider monkeys are endangered. They often live in large groups. They travel large distances for food, primarily fruit.
So, essentially and eccentric wealthy person bought the island, said it was too small for his fancy house, bought another and decided to strand three (not the original ones apparently) monkeys on the island without a fruit bearing tree.
Are they fun to see, yeah. Is it a depressing and cruel story and life for these living creatures absolutely.
Written December 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patti S
Minneapolis, MN4 contributions
Mar. 2023
We toured the Islets via Kayak. Our tour guide - Lorenzo from Abdalah Tours - was knowledgeable and friendly. He made sure that our expectations were being met.
Written April 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michele L
Langley, Canada19 contributions
Feb. 2023
So much beauty to explore - birds, floral, mango trees, the spider monkeys, the "rich" houses on the islets - a very worthwhile tour!
Written February 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LolaGo1
Washington DC, DC6,407 contributions
Dec. 2022 • Solo
The same driver for the white carriage with 2 horses became my guide to the Isletas. It was kind of special because there were no other passengers with me. The tour was for 1 hour, fee is $30.00.
He represented that there are 365 islands in the area. He explained the story of the lake, the wealthy residents of the big houses around it , the small fortress, etc. He even volunteered to take my photos.
Highly recomended to visit this attraction!
He represented that there are 365 islands in the area. He explained the story of the lake, the wealthy residents of the big houses around it , the small fortress, etc. He even volunteered to take my photos.
Highly recomended to visit this attraction!
Written December 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris D
Carlisle, UK27 contributions
Oct. 2022
Spent two hours cruising round the islands, great views and an interesting insight into island life on Lake Nicaragua.
Written November 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rowan H
Cairns, Australia1,353 contributions
Oct. 2022 • Friends
The Islets (Islands) of Granada were formed by a massive eruption from the adjacent volcano Mombacho around 20000 years ago. Featuring ‘a island for every day of the year’ (365) this place serves as a popular half day trip from Granada and can be experienced either via a boat tour or kayaks. Over time the islands have become well vegetated and now serve as home to around 1500 inhabitants - from fisherman to Nicaragua’s elite.
Most hostels offer a boat tour ($15USD) or kayaking tour ($20USD) including transfers from the hostel. A lot of hawkers also offer this tour from the town centre with variable quotes.
We spent 90 Córdoba and got a cab down to the Cocibolca marina as a group of three. We were able to negotiate a one hour private boat for three for 30 USD. There were so many providers available at the marina its easily to negotiate, particularly in the low season of October. We thought about kayaking but were quoted a higher price of 20USD. I also don’t think you would be able to cover a lot of the islands via kayak. Following our tour we walked back via the waterfront/malecon.
The tour was nice. We were afforded the opportunity to stop at a fortress (Additional 30 Córdoba entry). We turned around at Monkey Island (A island inhabited by three spider monkeys). For a cost of 1USD you are provided the option to feed them with fruit gained from the marina. Just be careful that they dont bite you, as evidenced from the previous tripadvisor reviewer.
Overall its a nice way to spend a few hours.
Most hostels offer a boat tour ($15USD) or kayaking tour ($20USD) including transfers from the hostel. A lot of hawkers also offer this tour from the town centre with variable quotes.
We spent 90 Córdoba and got a cab down to the Cocibolca marina as a group of three. We were able to negotiate a one hour private boat for three for 30 USD. There were so many providers available at the marina its easily to negotiate, particularly in the low season of October. We thought about kayaking but were quoted a higher price of 20USD. I also don’t think you would be able to cover a lot of the islands via kayak. Following our tour we walked back via the waterfront/malecon.
The tour was nice. We were afforded the opportunity to stop at a fortress (Additional 30 Córdoba entry). We turned around at Monkey Island (A island inhabited by three spider monkeys). For a cost of 1USD you are provided the option to feed them with fruit gained from the marina. Just be careful that they dont bite you, as evidenced from the previous tripadvisor reviewer.
Overall its a nice way to spend a few hours.
Written October 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Erik García Conchal Beach
Playa Conchal, Costa Rica113 contributions
Sep. 2022 • Couples
We went on an hour tour to see the bunglows on
water and to feed the couple of monkeys on an island . One of the monkeys attack my wife and bite her . We had to go to the hospital and have stayed in Nicaragua for 3 weeks to complete the vaccine shots . Avoid monkey island
water and to feed the couple of monkeys on an island . One of the monkeys attack my wife and bite her . We had to go to the hospital and have stayed in Nicaragua for 3 weeks to complete the vaccine shots . Avoid monkey island
Written September 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bucketlisttravellers
Sydney, Australia3,783 contributions
Jan. 2021
Las Isletas, or The Islets in English, are a unique feature of Nicaragua’s largest lake, Lake Nicaragua. These are a series of 365 small islands which formed 20 thousand years ago as the result of a volcanic eruption from nearby Mombacho Volcano.
Private boat tours of Las Isletas take you around the many small islands that have formed in Lake Nicaragua. Tours generally include:
• The old fort – where you can disembark to explore the fort and enjoy the views
• Passing by the many islands, where you can see mansions owned by billionaires and past presidents
• Monkey Island – if you’re lucky a monkey may hop on the boat. For a more interactive experience, consider bringing some fruit to feed the monkeys
• Restaurant – there are some nice restaurants on the lake that sell food and drinks. We visited Restaurante Correviento, which also has a pool you can swim in. This is a nice place to relax for a couple of hours and enjoy the view
Las Isletas boat tours generally go from between 1-4 hours, depending on how much of the islands you want to see. We did a 3 hour tour, which included a stop at the restaurant. We thought this was a good amount of time to enjoy the lake and relax in this beautiful area. You should expect to pay around $40 US Dollars to hire a boat with a driver and guide for one hour. That price should include transport to the boat as well as back to your hotel after the tour.
Private boat tours of Las Isletas take you around the many small islands that have formed in Lake Nicaragua. Tours generally include:
• The old fort – where you can disembark to explore the fort and enjoy the views
• Passing by the many islands, where you can see mansions owned by billionaires and past presidents
• Monkey Island – if you’re lucky a monkey may hop on the boat. For a more interactive experience, consider bringing some fruit to feed the monkeys
• Restaurant – there are some nice restaurants on the lake that sell food and drinks. We visited Restaurante Correviento, which also has a pool you can swim in. This is a nice place to relax for a couple of hours and enjoy the view
Las Isletas boat tours generally go from between 1-4 hours, depending on how much of the islands you want to see. We did a 3 hour tour, which included a stop at the restaurant. We thought this was a good amount of time to enjoy the lake and relax in this beautiful area. You should expect to pay around $40 US Dollars to hire a boat with a driver and guide for one hour. That price should include transport to the boat as well as back to your hotel after the tour.
Written September 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tiffany
Managua, Nicaragua71 contributions
Mar. 2020 • Family
The Islets of Granada in Granada, Nicaragua is a must see!
Our 7 year old son absolutely loved the tour around the Islets. We saw monkeys and so many birds during the tour. The tour guide was a local Spanish speaker and he would narrate throughout the entire tour. He was extremely friendly and personable.
There's so much to see: the locals who live on the Islets, private islands, wildlife, restaurants, and so much more. Make sure to bring some fruits with you if you can, so you can hand it to the monkeys! Tips are voluntary for most tours, but they are much appreciated. A recommendation, talk to people for the best price for a tour. We paid $35 for 3 people; the $35 included private car service to and from our hotel as well as the tour. That pans out to a little over $10 a person which isn't all that bad. We were recommended from a English speaking guide in the "Central Parque". Some guides will charge you extremely expensive prices, so shop around.
Our 7 year old son absolutely loved the tour around the Islets. We saw monkeys and so many birds during the tour. The tour guide was a local Spanish speaker and he would narrate throughout the entire tour. He was extremely friendly and personable.
There's so much to see: the locals who live on the Islets, private islands, wildlife, restaurants, and so much more. Make sure to bring some fruits with you if you can, so you can hand it to the monkeys! Tips are voluntary for most tours, but they are much appreciated. A recommendation, talk to people for the best price for a tour. We paid $35 for 3 people; the $35 included private car service to and from our hotel as well as the tour. That pans out to a little over $10 a person which isn't all that bad. We were recommended from a English speaking guide in the "Central Parque". Some guides will charge you extremely expensive prices, so shop around.
Written September 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Starnurse2
Crowthorne, UK671 contributions
Feb. 2020
A slow boat between the islets made it possible to spot so many birds - Osprey, kingfishers, egrets, cattle and greater, snail hawk, water fowl, herons and a few rescued spider monkeys. They are now well looked after and live on their own islet. The homes on some of these isle are truly impressive - moorings, jet skis, motor cruisers etc. A very worthwhile trip
Written March 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Caleb C
Tijuana, Mexico4 contributions
how far away is it from Managua City?
Vladimir Kayak and Boat
Granada Department, Nicaragua1 contribution
About 45 km away
Deborah1598
Denver, CO16 contributions
I would like to take a longer tour of the islands and peninsula. What is available, and what is the cost? I'll be coming from where I live in Costa Rica. Have been to Granada once for 3 days, would like to see more.
Rick M
Thousand Oaks, CA67 contributions
You should be able to negotiate a tour of any length. The guides seem more than happy to make a little more money.
Cómo cuánto cuesta por personas el tour en las isletas
beabf2016
Mainz, Germany40 contributions
depende del tour operador y de la talla del grupo. Pero hay mucha offertas- baratear posible.
NelaMora
San Jose, Costa Rica13 contributions
Should we bring local currency or would they take USD? What about prices for tours, markets, food and lodging?
We want to do Granada and San Juan del sur and will only have 3 days, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We need to be back to Managua Monday for an morning flight... I appreciate any recommendations
Ferro R
Beloeil, Canada159 contributions
You bring US. You can change your money at the bank or exchange from street corner vendors, they're pretty much at the same rate as banks. ATM's will give out one or the other, local or US.
Por cuanto anda el valor de un paseo por las isletas asegurada con salvavidas.. y donde buscarlo??
Tukes T
Derby, UK87 contributions
Could anyone let me know how steep the steps are to getting into the boats to travel around the isletas as I have bad knees and from pictures it looks as if the steps are quite deep. Any advise would be appreciated
Tracey P
Denver, CO79 contributions
The guides will help you in and out of the boat but they are pretty steep. There aren't many of them though, maybe ten steps or so on each isleta. It wasn't a physical excursion at all.
Daniel B
Sheboygan, WI4 contributions
my question is how hot is it in Granada ?? march april +MAy . I might travel there next week , but it says 93 degrees every day and humid?? thanks for any replies ! Daniel
LaviniaHolloway
United Kingdom16 contributions
Hi Daniel, It's pretty hot and humid, I was there in April and I spent a lot of time sweating! Around the lake there is a nice breeze and if you're in the shade it is bearable but in direct sunlight walking around with your heavy backpack on it is pretty intense! Just be prepared to sweat a lot as it is definitely humid! Hope that helps?
silvana682
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua1 contribution
How much is it in cordoba for a 2 hours tour?
Mauro B
Granada, Nicaragua7 contributions
Este comentario podria ser util solo y cuando sabemos quien es esa persona, donde esta el barco y datos de contactos...
Olgaentropia
Zaragoza, Spain137 contributions
Siento no poder dar más información, ya que no se trataba de ninguna tour operadora.
Lo que quiero que se entienda con mi comentario es que recomiendo ir andando en dirección al lago e ir comparando las diferentes ofertas que seguro te encuentras por el camino. Mi sensación, y no se me hace raro, es que cuanto más cerca del lago contrates la barca, más barato será.
elizabethHalifax
halifax16 contributions
Is it possible to do a tour of Granada and the Islets of Granada in one day? I only have two days. Was thinking about one day in Leon and then on to Granada. Would it be better to spend 2 days in Granada? Plan is to leave Managua Sunday am and go to Leon. Spend night in Leon. Go to Granada Monday am and back to Managua Mon. Night to catch early am flight on Tues. Am. Should I skip Leon and just do Granada and the Islets?
yanksgirlinfl
Orange City, FL289 contributions
You can do the islets boat tour and a horse and carriage ride to see the entire city in one day (you still would have time to walk around). The boat tour takes about 1 1/2 hours. The carriage ride we had was about 2 hours. We had a tour guide from Favio Express- Carlos. He was detailed and very punctual.
We arrived in Granada on a Monday afternoon from Managua. Carlos dropped is to the hotel to change. We grabbed a quick bite to eat. Then we did a coffee tour on Mombacho. After that we headed down to take the tour of the islets. It was about 4:45/5pm'ish.
Tuesday we did a 2 hour horse and carriage ride around the city with stopping at several locations for tours of museums with our tour guide. We had lunch on our own and walked around the Cathedral & Park. in the afternoon we did a tour of Mombacho Cigars which was about an hour. We left the cigar factory and headed to the choco museum to take a chocolate making class! We had the best 2 hours there laughing, learning and making chocolate! In the evening we just hung out near our hotel (Hotel Dario) at all the great cafes and restaurants on the street.
We originally only planned on 2 days Granada but we had a few plan changes and stayed a 3rd day. We had Carlos take us to Omtempe Island. Which was amazing! It was worth it to see the volcanos and all the birds!!! This was a full 8-9 hour day.
We headed up north to Esteli for the rest of our trip.
Next year it is Costa Rica, San Juan Del Sur and Leon for us! So you will have to let us know how Leon does for you!
Hope this helps!
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Claim your listingISLETS OF GRANADA - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Islets of Granada
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Islets of Granada:
- Private -Full day tour: Granada City + Boat ride+Handicraft Market+Lava Tour (From C$129.10)
- PRIVATE Boat tour + Granada City +Masaya Volcano Night Tour (From C$115.51)
- PRIVATE TOUR at Granada +Lake boar ride + Lava tour at Masaya volcano (From C$95.13)
- PRIVATE Boat ride + Colonial city tour at Granada+Catarina lookout (From C$108.72)
- PRIVATE Boat tour+Granada City and Catarina lookout from Managua (From C$119.59)
- Hotels near Islets of Granada:
- (3.00 km) Isleta El Espino Ecolodge
- (3.00 km) Tribal Hotel
- (2.98 km) Hotel Patio del Malinche
- (3.17 km) Los Patios Hotel
- (3.42 km) Casa Silas Nicaragua
- Restaurants near Islets of Granada:
- (0.11 km) Parqueo isla piratas
- (3.23 km) Tostometro Granada Nicaragua
- (3.21 km) Restaurante El Garaje
- (2.99 km) Pan De Vida - Granada
- (3.66 km) La Frontera