http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-hart/climbing-volcano-maderas_b_1641644.html

Ometepe Island’s two main attractions, Volcano Maderas and Concepción, stand high and mighty above the vast freshwater of Lake Nicaragua like scenic monuments. Concepción, intimidatingly steep at 5,282 ft. and still prone to eruptions, is the riskier hike between the two, whereas Maderas, though smaller in elevation (4,573 ft.), lies dormant with the appeal of a crater lagoon swim.

For my fellow travelers and I, the thought of washing off our hard earned sweat in a pool of Maderas’s crater water trumped the victorious feeling of climbing the steeper, more dangerous Concepción. To achieve this, it is absolutely necessary to have a guide or two, because without them you bare the risk of getting lost. Many horror stories had been shared of travelers coming to the island to conquer the volcano on their own terms, only to get terribly lost, injured or face death.

On most occasions guides can be seen lingering around local lodging areas, as ours did inside Hacienda Merida Hostel the afternoon prior to our departure. Our guides, as are most, were kind and experienced, having each climbed Maderas over 100 times without noticeable strain or fatigue. We left in the early morning with our two guides in tow and backpacks chock full of water, food and cameras.

Before undergoing the strain of climbing uphill, we were charmed by the sight of a bustling coffee plantation under the dim lighting of dawn. Some of Nicaragua’s best coffee and tobacco is produced on the lands surrounding the volcanoes due to its rich and lush soil. We walked steadily along a dirt road, bordered by plantations and farms, and watched as several farmers lazily rode their horses by, leaving the scent of manure in their tracks. It was a cordial walk to the beginning of our climb, but upon entry of a scenic, tropical landscape, the hike got much more strenuous.

Maderas was more wet and damp than expected, especially toward the end of our trek. The moist ground made for a slippery hike at times, but the accessibility of tree roots or rocks made it easy to find support while climbing. The large green trees and beautiful forest landscapes that covered the sides of the volcano were the cause of limited sunlight, and the humid atmosphere produced dense perspiration and made all of our clothes sticky with sweat. The views were restricted due to the clouds that hovered over the volcano as well, and it seemed that the higher we got, the greyer it became.

When we reached the top of the volcano, and before we began our climb down to the lagoon, we took the time to acknowledge our beautiful surroundings. Thick, green trees bordered the crater on all sides and the water, dark and muddy, seemed mysterious underneath a murky fog that hovered over the lagoon like a looming storm.

The hike to the lagoon seemed to go quickly, mostly because we were so excited to take a swim. When we reached the bottom, there were people scattered about, eating lunch, talking and taking dips in the water, eager to meet the lagoon newcomers and relax before having to climb back out. Without hesitation we walked straight into the refreshing, but cold water and swam about the crater, feeling the muddy, goopy volcanic floor underneath our feet.

I loved poking my head out from the water, looking at the angelic sights around me, and feeling a sense of calm and isolation. We were thousands of feet above the ground, secluded in the middle of a dormant volcano, and swimming in water that many privileged travelers have shared the joy of bathing in. But eventually, it had to end, and the hike out of the crater and back down to our hostel seemed to go swiftly.

In total, our venture on Volcano Maderas took eight hours to complete. I would highly recommend it to anyone who visits the lovely Isle de Ometepe in Nicaragua, and, if you’re brave enough, try to conquer Volcano Concepción as well.

Just make sure the top’s not ready to blow.

How will this affect our wild life? Once they figure out which route they want to use on the Atlantic side, they’ve pretty much set the Pacific side to be Brito, right in the middle of our 2 major surf zones. So how will this affect the natural current on the Pacific side?

This is just such a vast project, it’s hard to wrap my head around it and its possible impact on my little country economy, its people and it’s wildlife.

By: Jonathan Warren

After sorting through the many areas with potential for these ingredients — and considering that we’re entering the middle of the winter storm season in the Southern Hemisphere — Nicaragua stands out as our choice for July 2012″….

continued… “Although Nicaragua has been rapidly growing in popularity among the surfing community recently, many spots are still relatively uncrowded — and many are still to be discovered. Some people would say that Nica is like Costa Rica 10 years ago, but quickly catching up. (Keep in mind Playa Iguana (Colorados) is hosting this year’s ISA World Masters Championship this from July 14-22, which will increase crowds to that area.)

Overall, fun size surf is already due for Nicaragua during the first part of July, and this trend is expected to continue throughout the entire month. Toss in cheaper prices for practically everything, predominant offshore wind, less people in the lineup, and 80-degree water, how can you go wrong? – Jonathan Warren”

For Complete article click here: http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/nicaragua-offers-up-fun-surf-and-great-conditions-this-month-1_72313

Reblogged from Just Travel, Try and Taste:

Quick info: Terms and Conditions

Last day to purchase trip: June 25, 2012
First day of travel: July 1st, 2012
Last day to complete trip: July 31, 2012
Minimum stay: 2 days

CLICK HERE for more information

http://demo.noboxdev.com/copa/irresistibles/new/jun20/Nicaragua/en/

Friday 15 June 2012 | 10:11 CET | News by http://www.telecompaper.com

14 June 2012

Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has secured an order for 22 of its V100 1.8MW turbines for a project in Nicaragua, further developing the company’s presence in Latin America.

Team Australia Bringing a Proven Roster of Surfers to Nicaragua

Published:

06/13/2012

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Book your flight to Nicaragua before June 22 and save 10% on travel between July 8-30

American Airlines is an official sponsor of next month’s World Masters Surfing Championship (photo/ Tim Rogers)

June 13, 2012
American Airlines, an official sponsor of the World Masters Surfing Championship in Nicaragua next month, is offering a special 10% discount to Nicaragua Dispatch readers traveling to Nicaragua in the month of July.

Nicaragua is gearing up for the big surfing event on Colorado Beach July 14-22, and American Airlines wants you to come be a part of it and watch the world’s best surfers compete on the waves of Tola.

Book your flight before June 22 and save 10% on travel to Nicaragua between the dates of July 8-30, 2012.

To take advantage of this special offer, click here.

Original Page: http://www.nicaraguadispatch.com/news/2012/06/american-airlines-offers-10-discount-to-nd-readers/4254

Welcome to the 1% Travel Guide, your bible of the most tricked-out, exclusive destinations that money can buy.

Ever wonder what a vacation paradise feels like? The sand beneath your feet, the rays of the hot sun that can only be relieved by yet another ice-cold beverage (alcoholic of course) that arrives precisely as the prior one meets its demise. The sound of the gently lapping waves as a salty mist drifts towards you courtesy of a refreshing breeze. You almost feel you’re there – until boom! Splash! Your multiple kids launch into a succession of cannonballs into the hotel pool, leaving you soaked and forcibly driven back to reality. Paradise? No. Unnamed cheesy Florida kids’ resort? You betcha.

The annual amusement park vacation has a long-standing reputation for being a contrived attempt at family bonding, navigating endless buffet lines and draining your wallet on stuffed toys that require you to buy another first-class ticket home. While you thought employment as a stockbroker would give you a life of leisure, truthfully, it means having a more intimate relationship with your computer than your wife. Seeing your frustration from across the pool, your brother and his vixen of a wife come over and offer up the deal of a lifetime: the rest of the week kid-free…in exchange for your prized classic Mustang for the next year. Before you can negotiate, your seemingly asleep wife screams out “Done!” and you’re on your way to the airport within the hour.

Scared that you’ll book into some urban hotspot, your sun-seeking wife announces she’s made reservations via her iPad en route to ORL, where your vague better half begins driving you toward the international departures terminal. After passing various gates, you’re pushed toward one reading “Boarding now for Managua.” Confused as hell, you ask your wife, “Where in blazes are we going?” Pulling out your passports, she replies with a smirk, “Just a remote spot in Nicaragua.”

Several hours later you’re driving through the rainforest, no cell phone connection, terrified at the thought you and your stocks will never be reunited. Your wife, clearly enjoying the silence of your mobile, is studying a map of the area when she proclaims you’ve arrived. Apart from the tropical surroundings, you see nothing in front of you. Your wife and the driver laugh and motion to the treetops high above. It’s in that moment you realize you’ve landed in a Robinson Crusoe novel, as there amongst the canopy lies a series of handcrafted villas, with the rolling waves of the Pacific Ocean sitting just beyond. Beginning your journey up into the branches, you glimpse some howler monkeys jumping through the trees and on the roofs of the buildings. The hotel’s guide comes to greet you: “Welcome to the Aqua Resort.”

While your first choice of resorts is not usually a rainforest wellness retreat, you’re pleasantly surprised by your wife’s choice of locales, though you find out later that she wasted time taking a car to the resort rather than the chopper so that she could book even more massage sessions at the spa on your credit card. As you’re shown your villa, you’re amazed by what they’ve transported up to that height. From the ground you had suspicions of hammocks and water buckets, but you’re greeted by a king-sized bed, a slate shower and air conditioning, among other amenities. Getting a better look at the resort, you find hidden paths through the canopy, plunge pools, along with platforms to relax in the sun. It’s in that moment that you realize the beauty of being disconnected – something that leads to even more adventure in the treetops as your wife takes on some characteristics of the howler monkeys nearby.

As your week goes on, you split your time between the grandeur of the white beach below, where you get the chance to see turtles hatching mere feet away; hiking the nearby Masaya Volcano; and zip-lining through the brush, along with checking out the resort’s health-inspired Bomelia Restaurant, which features seafood specialties such as ceviche. As you wind down your visit on the last evening at the playfully named Retox Bar, you indulge in some Nicaraguan classics such as the Nica Libre cigar or Flor de Caña rum. You remark out loud, “I’m literally living the high life now; I wish this could last forever.” Your wife wanders over and whispers quietly in your ear, “You can; just name the car you’re giving up next.”

http://www.playboy.com/playground/nightlife/destinations/1-travel-guide-nicaragua