by Dave Naluga
It all started with an enormous bang. Nicaragua calls itself the Land of Volcanoes and Lakes. In the case of Laguna de Apoyo, what began as a volcano became a lake - after a gigantic explosion some 21,000 years ago.
Apoyo is a caldera, a volcanic crater. It is the largest and deepest of a series of these in Nicaragua. Here, the Earth’s molten core lies unusually close to the surface along a volcanic rim running north to south paralleling the Pacific Coast. In places, “bubbles” of gas-expanded magna push the Earth’s crust slowly upward. Eventually, the top pops off, air mixes with the superheated, high-pressure gas and kaboom! Ash shoots high in the sky, blanketing the surrounding region for hundreds of miles.
This emission leaves a huge void in the Earth’s surface. The thin crust, pushed up in a huge V shape, then does the opposite. It implodes; the walls collapsing inward, forming a V shaped crater with an elevated rim around it.
The result is that what would have been a grim place to be long ago is now a beautiful place. Laguna de Apoyo today is a clean, clear aqua-blue lake encircled by steep, verdant slopes. Those piles of volcanic ash now make for fertile soil. A Nicaraguan natural reserve and proposed World Heritage site, Laguna de Apoyo is a wonder of nature, with a diameter of 6 kilometers and an estimated depth of more than 280 meters (900 feet).
The lagoon’s bottom is the deepest geological point in Central America, and its pristine water has therapeutic qualities due to abundant quantities of sulfur and minerals.
Its rim affords a sweeping view of the surrounding area, including neighboring Masaya Volcano, the city of Granada, Lake Nicaragua, and on a clear day, the twin peaks of Ometepe.
There is a steady breeze swirling around the caldera, usually ten degrees cooler than the surrounding plain. For those seeking relief from the tropical heat of Granada or Managua, it is a great place to visit, a quick and scenic drive on paved roads.
For those who would like to visit, the first stop is the overlook at Santa Catarina, which affords perhaps the most stunning view in Nicaragua. Besides the viewing walkway and restaurant complex, the area is famous for its pottery craftsmen and other artisans. There are also a number of plant nurseries, adding to the luxuriant forest feel along every roadway.
For lodging at the lakefront, there is Norome Village, which offers 133 bedrooms located in 56 Caribbean-style villas fully equipped with air conditioning, Direct TV, king size or single beds, balcony or terrace, and lake or garden views. The villas are for sale or rent.
The private nature reserve boasts the remnants of a precious dry tropical forest; the most endangered ecosystem in western Central America. In this ecological reserve you will find trees more than one hundred years old that serve as home to howler and white-faced monkeys, porcupines, armadillos, squirrels, sloth, blue jays, toucans, cuckoos, guardabarrancos or motmot birds, trogons, iguanas, and many others. This reserve has a significant representation of tree diversity with up to 130 species, 161 varieties of butterflies and 140 types of exotic birds.
The Monkey Hut at water’s edge is another option, with lower priced dorms, individual rooms and a cabin for lease. It is a laidback gathering place for travelers from around the globe, and a great place to relax and float around the thermally heated water.
Aquatic activites include swimming - this is a clean body of water - kayaking and especially sailing. The waters of the Laguna are home to a unique group of cichlid species, but as of yet no sport fishery has developed. Multi-hued parasails are a common sight orbiting downward on the swirling winds of the caldera.
Apoyo is also a great place to live. Said two-year resident Terry Rogan, “I’ve lived at the beach, I lived in Granada. I enjoyed them both, but I’ll never leave Apoyo. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.”
For those wishing to live or invest here, there is a wide variety of options, and advantages. The drive to Granada is less than 15 minutes. To Masaya, where all the necessities such as banking, internet and groceries are available, the trip takes less than five minutes. Managua is just some twenty minutes farther.
There is a wide variety of options available for investing in real estate at Laguna de Apoyo. There are finished homes for sale, both at the lakeside and on the rim. Large parcels, some rim, some lakeside, and some stretching from rim to lakeside are available. For those who prefer to buy in a development, there is Rancho Monterrey, with 24 lots available. This rim, lake view development will have a clubhouse and spa; the surrounding forest will be left intact.
MARENA, the Nicaraguan environmental protection agency, has strict limits on the number of homes, and especially subdivisions, that can be built. The aim is to preserve the unique ecosystem and natural attributes of the area. Development proceeds, but the Apoyo basin will never be a cluster of tract houses and vacation condos.
Most land investment opportunities are through private owners; consult with real estate agencies for contacts.
