El Zopilote Hostel, Ometepe Island

Translaled by Google, hopefully is readable :)

If it is said that time is relative, so here, on an island in Lake Nicaragua it is double true. Ometepe Island is the most popular destination in this Central American country. After Mexico is the largest Central American country, but much of it is ardly available for tourists and compared to Costa Rica, it does not have so much to offer at first sight. For this reason we have spent only 10 days. This island formed by two volcanoes (Madera and Concepcion), however, it was one of my top experiences.

The starting point for visiting the island is from town of Rivas which is about 30 minutes from the border with Costa Rica. From Rivas grab a taxi for $ 2 at the port of San Jorge. Ferries on the island goas around every two to three hours. It is an old ship and is very funny to watch how the big trucks boarding on. The journey takes about an hour and only if the weather is good you can see both volcanoes. The boat will take you either to the port of San Jose Del Sur or Moyogalpa. From there take a bus or taxi to one of the hostels or hotels. Small recommendation for those who do not think that much about cash. ATMs on the island is not many. I saw only one and two from my three cards didnt work. I spent there like 30 minutes to get some cash. Try to get enough cash in Rivas, American dollars are acceptable as well.

After lunch with cash we took a taxi to the hostel El Zopilote. Well, this hostel is something. The taxi driver threw us in the way of such a small crumbling gate, we bypassed a few pigs, chickens, roosters and dogs and get to the old school bus that served as a souvenir shop. Crazy German girl invited us in. A friend advised me that there have the best chocolate in the world, so I have tried it once. We spend some dollar and thus continued to hostel. It is about 400 meters up the hill until you come to the front desk. Girl at the front desk also definitely take something, or just as a volunteer she didnt care too much. We stayed in hammock, because beds were no longer available. Three dollars for accommodation? After Costa Rica sounded suspiciously cheap. I just lay down after hard Christmas party I immediately fell asleep. The rest of us tried to stay active and therefore went to ride horses.

Now a little bit about the hostel. It is an organic farm called. "Finca", which offers accommodation, organic, healthy diet, yoga plus other activities such as horseback riding, Spanish courses, courses of baking bread, or work on the farm. Definitely will not be bored here. Food, what we had was the best I've ever eaten where. Home nutella, homemade bread, vegetables, fruit, homemade yogurt, cheese and everything was so delicious, healthy and cheap. With every bite iI shooked my head how it is possible that it costs several times less than this rubbish tasteless junkfood that we buy every day in supermarkets. Tomatoes I've had there I remember from childhood, when tomato tasted like tomato. Now it's just immature vegetables dipped in ethylene. After the bath it looks nice but tasteless. Home yoghurt, that tasted like tradiotinal slovakian milk drink. I drank it there every day twice. For a dollar? why not :)

Here on the island we got up with the sun, and very soon we even fall asleep. Every evening we showered in the open shower with cold water and a view of the stars. After dinner, all the guests were sitting in a restaurant associated with reception, just because there was internet and light. Some of us drink beers, domestic alcohol like chocolate and thousands of herbs we also tried. All around was very pleasant and calm atmosphere. All people including staff were very nice. One Mexican traveling from Mexico to Argentina, with whom I have talked and who told me that she has a budget of $ 7 per day. I asked her, "are u not hungry sometimes? ..Sometimes Yes. The other day, I paid her breakfast to make sure this girl is not hungry this morning. Interesting 30 year old woman who quit a job architects and released the two-year journey to the southest point in South Amerca.

In hammock I spent three nights and first night was just disaster. My back was broken and I woke up every hour. The other day I found a new system and I slept across the net so my legs were out. There were like 8 hammocks in the row in the shelter. There were no walls, just a roof over your head. In the morning I was already up of the sixth, just in time for breakfast, toilet and yoga.

In the hostel we spent three nights, my bill for food, beer, lodging, hike on volcano Madera was only 69 USD. I could not believe that this paradise on earth in the beautiful nature and great food costs so little. If you choose hostel on the island would go to El Zopilote and spend a couple of nights here.

#ometepeisland