Smoke, Ash, Fire and Brimstone Await the Masaya Sojourner
Written: Sep 29 '08
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Pros: An awe-inspiring view of Mother Nature's geological power.
Cons: Nothing in particular.
The Bottom Line: Any eco-traveler to Nicaragua will want to see Masaya. It's a great volcano, a nice park, and has some very cool local ambience in the nearby towns.
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| mrkstvns's Full Review: Parque Nacional Volcan Masaya |
Volcanoes are humbling wonders of the earth. So immensely powerful that you can't help but stand in wonder of Mother Nature's spectacular might. I love tromping around through Central America, and the entire region is a veritable Grand Central Station of volcanoes with active lava spewers stretching all the way from Panama right on up into Mexico.
Nicaragua, naturally, has its share of these mighty behemoths --- pushed upwards as the Pacific tectonic plate slides inexoribly beneath the Caribbean tectonic plates.
One of the most rewarding and easy volcano excursions in Nicaragua is a trip to Masaya Volcano National Park --- home to a very active volcano that can be spotted miles away by the telltale flume of sulphuric smoke billowing up into the clouds. At the base of the volcano is a pretty lake, and a couple of delightful small towns, complete with great local cuisine and an excellent marketplace full of artesania shops.
Lemme Tell Y'all About the Masaya Volcano...
Masaya is a simply spectacular volcano --- extremely active and volatile it has erupted many times since the Spanish first explored the region in 1524. It's a massive mountain with vast fields of black lava from previous eruptions and a constant plume of sulfuric smoke spewing from its primary crater. Red hot lava filled the base of the main caldera up until 1979, though today, it's crusted over by hardened rock and it's the constant spew of volcanic smoke that testifies to the geological activity just barely below the surface. Some of the more extensive lava flows date from eruptions in the 18th century. The most recent big eruption of Masaya was in 1993. Hope I'm not there the next time it blows its top! I heard that they had a small eruption about 5 years ago that blew a new vent hole through the wall of the main crater, spewing rocks up to 2 feet across throughout the visitor center area, destroying some parked cars and injuring one tourist.
I was told that thousands of bright green parrots actually live in holes along the walls of the primary crater. I cannot understand how they survive the smoke, fumes, and heat --- but nature never ceases to astound and confound me, since they evidently do, and in big numbers. Exhibits in the park's visitor center claim that the parrots are active in late afternoon, and that at times, it can seem like a cloud of green feathers rising up along the walls of the volcano. I'm sorry I'd timed my visit for early morning.
Late afternoon is probably the best time to visit the park for another reason too: there's also a bat cave tour that the park rangers guide between 5pm and 8pm (reservations required and an extra cost is charged --- but its only an extra 5 cordobas, which is about a quarter in US money).
Nicaragua has a young, small, but growing National Park System. Although the government has established dozens of protected natural preserves, Masaya was the first natural resource to be designated a "National Park" and while most of the reserves have little if any tourism support infrastructure, Masaya has a nicely marked set of hiking trails, a pleasant and informative visitors center, and good roads and marked observation points to encourage tourism. As with everyplace in Nicaragua, a knowledge of Spanish is essential to get the most value out of a visit, since english speaking staff or locals are rare.
I do recommend spending at least a half hour prowling through the Visitors Center. There's some cool stories told here (and don't overlook the murals --- they tell you how the indigenous Nahuatl people worshiped the volcano, which the Spanish first called "Lo Boca del Infierno" (mouth of hell), though over time, they evidently figured that Masaya was a bit less off-putting. Indigenous locals sometimes still call the place "Popogatepe" --- the Nahuatl name for it.
La Laguna Masaya y la Puebla Nindiri...
The national parklands embrace a large, clean lagoon that lies at the foot of the mountain. There's a viewpoint in the town of Masaya with good vantage points for photographers, but its also a nice place to enjoy a quiet walk on the trails inside the park. Access is via the parking lot of a very popular restaurant that lies on the Masaya side of the highway right at the roundabout in front of the entrance to the town of Nindiri (impossible to miss because of the traffic and the large arched entranceway into the town).
The town of Nindiri might be worth a visit too. It's got a very long and colorful history, having been an indigenous population center long before the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. The town's got a pleasant atmosphere, a cool old church, and a small museum, called Museo Tenderi, and it's the private collection of Jose Maria Gutierrez --- a collector of antiquities who knew a thing or too about archaeology and a whole awful lot about local legend and lore. Sadly, Señor Gutierrez is no longer walking this earth, but the museum continues to be opened to the public daily by his widow.
Visiting the Town of Masaya...
Lying next to the National Park, the town of Masaya is picture-book Central American beauty. It's a place with rough-edged streets, a delightfully casual plaza alongside its main church, and a spectacular mercado known for its high quality artesania objects. If you're looking for some souvenirs to take back home, prowl through the shops for a while --- the ceramics from this region are especially good, but use some critical judgment and don't think that the trinkets painted with "mi recuerdo de Nicaragua" in any way, shape, or form express the artistic skill of the region. The good stuff is usually not what's out front to entice the few gringo tourists who pass by. The Old Market is wonderfully scenic with a beautifully lush courtyard garden. It's safe, comfortable, and has an immense selection. I've heard people recommend the New Market, but in my opinion, it's not worth bothering with.
Good things to buy in Masaya:
* ceramic art
* colorful paintings
* handmade hammocks
* Nicaraguan and Cuban cigars
* cheap Nicaraguan rum
While you're in the town, catch a local taxi and aske to be taken to El Coyotepe --- it's an old 19th century fortress that was also used during the Somoza regime as a dungeon for political prisoners. Cool stuff!
Logistics...
Masaya is an easy trip because it's only about 12 miles or so from downtown Managua (the park entrance is right at the km 23 miarker). Taxis are the best way to get there, in my opinion. There's buses that run along the highway (Carratera de Masaya), and you might be able to use these, or the combis that run between Managua's UCA campus to Granada, though once you get off the bus, I'm not sure how you'd get from the highway up to the visitor center and then the volcano craters themselves. The park road runs several kilometers (all uphill) from the highway. I did see a small mini-bus near the gate, so maybe there's a shuttle service, but I'm not at all sure about that.
Photos
Oh yeahhhhh, I got some photos online for you. Freshly uploaded too! Check out: http://community.webshots.com/user/mrkstvns
Bottom Line...
Visit Masaya. It's a fascinating chance to see an active volcano up close and personal. It's a beautiful, safe, lightly but well-developed national park that's less than an hour away from downtown Managua. Combine the volcano visit with an afternoon in the delightful town of Masaya, and you have the makings of a thoroughly delightful day!
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Friends
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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