Granada, Nicaragua: The Place Everyone Tells You to Go
Granada had a little bit of everything — colorful streets, backpacker chaos, volcano hikes, and some of the best lake views in Nicaragua.
Getting to Granada & First Impressions
Granada was one of the places I had been looking forward to the most.
If you spend any time looking into Nicaragua, it’s the city that keeps coming up. The one people recommend. The one that actually feels like a destination, not just a stop along the way.
So after a short stay in Managua, I packed up my bag and made my way back to the bus station.
The bus ride itself was easy. About an hour and a half, direct, no chaos, no confusion. One of those travel days where everything just works the way it’s supposed to.
I grabbed a seat by the window, put my earbuds in, and watched Nicaragua pass by.
And for once, I felt calm.
No stress. No overthinking. Just getting from one place to the next.
But that feeling didn’t last long.
The moment I stepped off the bus in Granada, everything shifted.
The streets were busy. Vendors lined the sidewalks selling food, drinks, souvenirs — anything they could. People calling out, cars moving through narrow roads, music playing somewhere in the background.
It wasn’t overwhelming in a bad way.
It just felt like a lot.
And after what had happened to me in Honduras, my brain hadn’t quite caught up yet.
Nothing was actually wrong.
But I still felt on edge.
So instead of slowing down and taking it all in, I focused on one thing.
Getting to my hostel.
Arriving in Granada with all my bags — excited, but still a little on edge.
Settling In & Exploring Granada
I stayed at Oasis Hostel.
I picked it for one simple reason — the pool.
And somehow, once again, I didn’t use it.
I checked in, found my room, and saw I had a bottom bunk. It’s a small thing, but after traveling for a while, you start to appreciate the little wins.
I only had two nights in Granada, so I didn’t waste time settling in.
I dropped my bag, got my bearings, and went straight to the tour desk.
I already knew I wanted to do something while I was there, and the options were pretty straightforward. When they mentioned a full-day tour to Laguna de Apoyo and Masaya Volcano, I didn’t need to think about it.
The second I heard you could see real lava, I was in.
It was one of those things I had always wanted to see, and this felt like the easiest way to make it happen.
Once that was booked, I finally had a bit of time to slow down.
I stepped back out into the streets, this time without a backpack, and let myself actually look around.
Granada felt exactly how people describe it.
Bright, colorful buildings. Horse-drawn carriages moving through the streets. Small shops and cafes tucked into every corner. There was a constant energy to it, but it didn’t feel chaotic — just alive.
I made my way to the Chocolate Museum and stopped in for a quick break.
A brownie and a hot chocolate.
Nothing complicated, just somewhere to sit for a bit.
I wanted to slow down, but I still felt a little overwhelmed by everything outside.
Granada had a lot of energy — people moving, vendors calling out, music playing — and even though nothing was wrong, it was taking me a second to adjust to it.
So, I stayed there longer than I probably needed to.
Just sitting, watching, trying to let things settle.
I didn’t stay out too long, though.
Because I had somewhere to be.
The streets of Granada — busy, loud, and full of energy.
The Night Out
Back at the hostel, they had a free happy hour.
So naturally, I showed up.
I grabbed a drink and sat down, not really expecting much from the night. It felt more like something to pass the time than anything else.
That’s when I ended up talking to two guys.
One from London, Canada.
One from London, England.
At some point, the conversation shifted to beer pong.
Both of them said they were playing in the tournament.
And I just looked at them and said,
“Your team name should be London squared.” And somehow, it stuck.
At some point, one of the hostel staff asked if I wanted to play beer pong.
I immediately said no.
I had already had my beer pong phase in New Zealand. I was over it.
But I added that if someone needed a partner, I’d be willing to play to help someone out.
That might have been a mistake.
Because suddenly, when the tournament started, I was in it.
The prize was a bottle of rum, which made things slightly more competitive than I expected.
What started as one game turned into a few more, and before I knew it, I was in the final.
I ended up coming second.
Not bad for someone who didn’t even want to play.
Afterwards, London squared asked if I wanted to go out for drinks.
I hesitated.
I told them what had happened in Honduras, and that I wasn’t really comfortable being out at night.
They didn’t brush it off.
They didn’t pressure me.
They just said not to worry — they wouldn’t leave me.
And for some reason, that was enough.
So, I went.
We followed one of the hostel staff to a local bar. I had no idea where we were going, just walking through streets I didn’t recognize and trusting the group.
The place itself was simple. Music, drinks, people packed into a small space. Nothing fancy, just one of those local spots you end up in without planning.
Matt, from London, Canada, was ordering shots non-stop.
I lost count after five.
On top of that, a couple rum and cokes.
It was one of those nights that just keeps going without you really noticing.
At some point, we decided to head back.
Which turned into its own small adventure.
None of us really knew the way.
We just started walking, trying to recognize streets, making guesses, doubling back when something didn’t look right.
Somehow, we figured it out.
At one point, I saw a church that stood out and told myself I’d come back during the day to see it properly.
So, I took a picture of it, just to remember where it was.
Looking back, that was probably the smartest decision I made all night.
Eventually, we made it back to the hostel.
No issues. No problems.
Just tired, slightly drunk, and ready for bed.
Shots with London squared — this is where the night took a turn.
Laguna de Apoyo
The next morning was rough.
There’s no better way to put it.
I woke up completely hungover, knowing I had a full-day tour ahead of me.
Not ideal.
The drive to Laguna de Apoyo was probably the worst part. I spent most of it just trying to keep it together, focusing on not being sick while the bus moved through winding roads.
We stopped at a lookout point along the way.
Everyone got out, took photos, walked around, enjoyed the view.
I still got off the bus.
Took a few pictures.
Looked around for a minute.
But I wasn’t really in it.
It felt more like I was going through the motions than actually enjoying it.
So, I didn’t stay long before getting back on and waiting for everyone else.
When we finally arrived at the lake, I could tell it was beautiful.
Clear water, surrounded by greenery, the kind of place you imagine spending the whole day swimming, kayaking, doing absolutely nothing.
That had been the plan.
But the reality was a bit different.
I found a lounge chair almost immediately and stayed there.
The entire time.
Sleeping on and off, barely moving, just trying to let my body catch up.
I kept telling myself I’d get up and go in the water.
Maybe rent a kayak.
At least walk around a bit.
But it never happened.
Instead, I watched everyone else do exactly what I thought I would be doing.
Swimming, laughing, enjoying it.
And I just… didn’t have the energy for it.
At some point, I forced myself to eat.
A burger and fries, plus as much water as I could manage.
It wasn’t anything special, but it made a difference.
Slowly, I started to feel better.
Not great.
But better.
Enough to get through the rest of the day.
Hungover, questioning my life choices… but the view was worth it.
Masaya Volcano & The Unexpected Ending
By the afternoon, I was starting to feel more like myself again.
Not fully recovered, but at least functional.
Which was good, because the second half of the day was the part I had actually been looking forward to.
We made our way to Masaya Volcano.
On the drive there, the guide suggested that we hike another volcano first, and then head to Masaya after sunset.
Apparently, the lava looks better at night.
At that point, I wasn’t exactly excited about the hike.
But I went along with it.
Compared to the morning, it felt manageable. Slower pace, cooler air, and just enough energy back to actually enjoy where I was.
Once that was done, I walked towards the crowded area near Masaya.
And the moment we got there…
Everything else faded.
The heat, the smell, the glow — it didn’t feel real at first.
Just standing there, looking down into the crater, watching actual lava move, mesmerized by its movements.
It’s not something you can really compare to anything else.
It just is.
I had always wanted to see lava.
And now I was.
Another thing checked off my list.
I stayed there for a while, just watching it, before heading back to the bus.
It felt quiet on the way out.
Like everyone was still thinking about what they had just seen.
But the day wasn’t quite done yet.
Just as we were leaving the parking lot, the bus suddenly stopped.
At first, no one really knew why.
Then the guide said there was a python crossing the road.
Anyone who wanted to see it could get off.
Obviously, I did.
It was massive.
Long, thick, and moving slowly across the road like it had nowhere else to be.
Apparently, it’s not something you see very often.
Just one of those completely random moments that happens when you’re not expecting it.
Eventually, we got back on the bus and continued the drive.
This time, I didn’t talk much.
I put my earbuds in, stared out the window, and let the day settle.
Somehow, I had started the day feeling terrible…
and still ended up seeing lava and a python.
Not bad, considering.
I came for this view — and it did not disappoint.
Final Thoughts
Granada was everything people said it would be.
Busy, colorful, social, and full of energy.
It had a completely different feel from anywhere else I had been in Nicaragua up to that point. More people, more movement, more going on all the time.
And even though it felt overwhelming at first, it ended up being exactly what I needed.
Because without really noticing it at the time, it was the first place I started to feel like myself again after Honduras.
Not completely.
But enough.
Enough to go out.
Enough to trust people again.
Enough to enjoy the experience instead of just getting through it.
Looking back, two nights wasn’t enough time here.
Granada is the kind of place you need a few extra days to settle into. To actually enjoy the streets, the atmosphere, and everything happening around you without feeling rushed.
I think if I had given myself that time, I would have experienced it differently.
Slower.
More intentional.
But at the same time, this is how the trip happened.
A bit rushed.
A bit chaotic.
But still full of moments I didn’t expect.
The next morning, I packed up my bag once again and made my way out of the city.
I was heading somewhere completely different.
Ometepe.
A volcanic island sitting in the middle of a lake.
And honestly…
I had no idea what I was about to walk into next.
Granada started off colorful and chaotic — and somehow ended with volcano sunsets, lake swims, and snakes in the middle of the road.
