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Laguna de Apoyo is a crater lake in Nicaragua, and also the name of the Nature Reserve (Reserva Natural Laguna de Apoyo) that protects the lake and its surroundings.
Laguna de Apoyo is a popular desintation for visitors – both foreign and domestic – who wants to enjoy the special experience of swimming in a lake inside a volcanic crater. Kayaking and non-motorized boating is also popular, and sometimes people scuba dive, although – at the time of writing – there is no active dive shop near the lake.
The surrounding nature is also much worthy of attention. The sandy beaches sports dark volvanic sand, and the slopes of the caldera are today covered in lush tropical vegetation that benefits from the nutrient rich soils. Hiking, birdwatching, and encounters with wildlife are possible pass-times during a stay at Lagua de Apoyo. It is a have for orchid enthusiasts.
Since time immemorial, people have come to the lake to fish, and petroglyphs and other artefacts created by Indigenous peoples are present within the reserve.
About Laguna de Apoyo
The lake is round – the shape of the caldera in which it was formed – and roughly 6.6 kilometres in diameter. It is 175 metres deep at the deepest spot, and the surface area is just short of 19.45 square kilometres. The surface of the lake is around 150 meters lower than the surrounding plateau.
This is an endhorheic lake; no above-ground waterways leads away from it. The influx and outflow of underground water plays a significant role in the water balance of Laguna de Apoyo.
The lake and the beaches feature plenty of pumice rocks. Pumice is a type of extremely vesicular and rough-textured volcanic rock. It is created when super-heated and highly pressurized rock is rapidly ejected from a volcano, and the stone rapidly undergoes both cooling and depressurization.
Exploring Laguna de Apoyo
The drainage area is fairly small and well forested, and there is no heavy agriculture or large settlments here. This contributes to keeping the water in the lake very transparent, especially compared to the nearby Lake Nicaragua (Cocibolca) which has much lower visibility.
Due to the shape of the caldera, the lake gets deeper quickly as you move away from the shoreline and into the lake. You can see the angle of the lush slopes above you a get a feel for how the sloping continues under water. The sloping is almost 45 degrees.
The prevailing wind direction in the reserve is from the east or south east. It is common for the water to be very calm in the south-eastern corner of the lake, as it is protected by the slope. In the north-eastern corner, where most of the hotels are, you can expect a bit more wind action.
If we look below the water´s surface, we find fish. There are for instance six endemic species of cichlids here, belonging to the genus Amphilophus. Amphilophus zaliosus was described in 1976, but it would then take until 2008 before an additional three Amphilophus-species got their scientific names and descriptions, followed by an additional two Amphilophus-species in 2010.
Examples of other chiclids that live in Laguna de Apoyo are Parachromis managuense, Oreochromis auereus, and O. niloticus. They were deliberately inroduced by humans and are not endemic to the lake.
Where is Laguna de Apoyo?
Coordinates: 11°55′19″N 86°01′44″O
Laguna de Apoyo is located in the border region where the department of Masaya meets the department of Granada, and straddles both departments. The side of the lake that falls within the Masaya department is more developed for visitors, with small hotels and eco lodges.
Examples of towns located not very far from the reserve are Masaya, Granada, Catarina, Diriomo, and Diriá. Catarina is located on the surrounding plateau and from here you can enjoy a magnificent view of the lake and the nature reserve from above.
The Nature Reserve
Reserva Natural Laguna de Apoyo protects the crater lake and its drainage basin. The area was declared a nature reserve in 1991 and activities within the reserve must adhere to applicable law and the management plan. Among other things, motorized boats and other motorized vehicles are not permitted on the lake.
The reserve is home to a tropical dry forest, which includes over 500 identified species of plants, including many different trees, e.g. mahogany, pochote, gaucuco, hogplum, and black rosewood. As mentioned above, a profusion of orchids grow here.
Examples of animals that live in the reserve:
- White-faced capuchin monkey
- Howler monkey
- Jaguarundi (a type of wild cat)
- Anteater
- Paca, a large rodent that prefers to live near water and can stay fully submerged for up to 15 minutes
- Green iguana
- Boa constrictor
- Falcon
- Hummingbird
During parts of the year, over 230 different species of migratory birds stay in the reserve. Another notable fact is how over 220 species of butterfly have been documented here.
Visiting Laguna de Apoyo
Most casual visitors travel to the western and north-western side of the lake, using the road that descends into the crate from the northwest. It will take you to a part of the shoreline where there are hotels, eco lodges and very small resorts. There is also a school and some small shops to be found on this side of the lake.
Several of the establishments along the shoreline are available not only to guests that stay over, but also to day-time visitors who pay a day pass fee to hang out and use the facilities. Public beaches, which are free to use, are also found here and there. Regretably, people tend to leave a lot of trash on them.
The southern and eastern side of the lake is considerably less develped than the west, and more difficult to access. In the north-east, private homes are found up on the higher ground, and from here, the lake is only accessable via foot paths. The southern side of the lake is favoured by independent travellers who bring their own necessities for the day and access the water on foot using cow trails.
How to get to Laguna de Apoyo on a public bus from Masaya
Go to the main bus station in Masay and catch the bus from there. There are usually three buses a day going to Laguna de Apoyo Monday – Saturday and the time table is not exactly. Preferably, as locally for current information. At the time of writing, the morning bus leaves Masaya around 6 am, the mid-day bus around 10:30 am and the afternoon bus around 4 pm. On Sundays, there are only two buses.
The bus from Masaya will heaf for El Triangulo near the lake, and then continue for roughl 1 km before it makes its final stop close to the public school La Escuela de Laguna de Apoyo. The whole trip from Masaya is circa 16 km and it is difficult to predict how long it will take since the bus stops on demand to pick up passangers anywhere along the way. Expect at least 1 hour.
Tip! More frequent buses runs from Masaya to a village called Valle de Laguna. This village is up on the crater rim and you will need to walk 2-3 km downhill on a paved but steep road to get to the lake.