Around the Masaya Lagoon
| The Masaya Lagoon is the result of a collapsed volcano
that later partly
filled with lava from the still active volcano next to it. This gives the
unusual half-moon shape and a greater variety in the surrounding
landscape than you see in other volcanic lagoons. (Read
more) The distance from Flor de Pochote to the lagoon is about 1 kilometer.
With a good car and a good driver the ride may be done by car, but for
exploring the area you necessarily have to use your feet.
Our guide can organize a trip to the lagoon area according to your
wishes and physical capacity. These standard trips are just for
inspiration:
|
 |
| Route name and data |
Main attractions |
Map |
| The Venecia bay, short
Distance 3 km
Altitude difference: 150 m
Time about 1 hour |
Moncada's road carved in the rocky
slope:
Nice view to volcano and waterfall.
Lagoon cost
Shady costal grows |
 |
| The Venecia bay, complete
Distance 5 km
Altitude difference: 150 m
Time 2-3 hours |
Venecia ruin (Moncada's house)
The island
An alligators' resting place (can be seen during late afternoon)
Venecia canyon
Old ox-barrel road to Masaya |
| Nandasmo beach Distance 6
km
Altitude difference: 150 m
Time 4-5 hours |
Moncada's road
Lagoon cost with wells
Rocks with many shapes and plants
Stone carvings
The lonesome and clean
Nandasmo beach
Visit local fisher men and taste their fish soup (optional).
Venecia canyon
Old ox-barrel road to Masaya
|
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| Nandasmo beach extra 2-3
hours in addition to above |
The fishermen can take you in their rafts to
caves in the rocks with more rock carvings. |
What to se in the lagoon area
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| Depending on the water level you
will see a number of
small islands. At present only one is a real island. The island area
is the home of an alligator family that escaped from the former
Venecia-zoo. |
Local people use the lagoon for bathing, fishing and
to wash their cloth. We do not recomend bathing, as the lagoon is
affected by the wastewater from Masaya. |
Fishing is rather common among local people. Most of their cachings are
small 'mojarras', which are used for a delicious fish soup. |
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Most of the costline is consist of rocky slopes. Parts can be
tresspased
by foot, others only by boat.
The mysterios giants face shown in the picture has the particularity that it cannot
be seen in the field, only on fotos. |
A quite uncommon slim green grass snake observed
in a mango tree. |
Around the lagoon slopes there are places with stone
carvings from a time before the Spanish arrived in America. Most of them
are found in dark caves, only accessible by boat. |
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The ruins of Venecia, the residence of General Moncada
who ruled Nicaragua 1928-32. After a flood the house was abandonned,
and a later intend to reconstruct it was terminated. |
Temporal streams have carved small valleys that
permit you to climb the slopes. |
On our way back we use the old track for ox-barrels
from Masaya to La Concepciķn. Some parts are caved by wheels and water
-
and later also by tractors - making it a spectacular narrow passage. |
Prices:
Venecia beach: 2 US$ per guided hour for groups of any size
Nandasmo beach: 4 US$ basic cost + 3 US$ per person (f.ex. 1
person 7 US$, 3 people 13 US$) |
