The ferry to Ometepe leaves from a small town just outside Rivas called San Jorge. They run from 7am until 5:45pm. You can double check the sailing times: Ometepe Boat and Ferry Schedules**. The 12pm sailing is only on weekends.
** We have received reports that the ferry schedule online isn’t as accurate as it used to be! We will try to find a more accurate one for you.
Rivas to Ometepe
You need to get yourself to San Jorge for the ferry. There is a bus that costs 7C$ and passes on the north side of the Rivas terminal. Or, you can get a taxi which should cost 20C$.
Managua to Ometepe
If you are coming from Managua you need to head to the Mercado Roberto Huembes terminal. Your best option is to catch one of the expreso buses heading all the way to San Jorge from Managua. The expreso buses leave every half hour and cost 75C$. Check the Ometepe Ferry Schedule** to be sure you don’t miss the last one.
Have a read through traveller comments below to get more first hand details.
Schedules and information for buses running on Ometepe can be found here: Ometepe Bus Schedules . **We are told however that the bus schedule online for Ometepe is no longer correct. One of our awesome contributors, Bob, snapped this photo of this one posted at a hostel on the Island (March 2018)
Ferry from Granada to Ometepe?
This service has been suspended due to low water levels. Have a look at the notice here on this page: Ometepe Boat and Ferry Schedules**
Help your fellow traveller
If you have taken any of the buses on this page, please drop us a comment below about how the trip went, what time you left, how long it took and what it cost. And, definitely let us know if we have anything wrong.
Lets help each other in our travels!
Hi! It also happened to us today to be charged 4USD from Rivas to the dock (San Jorge). We took the taxi from the bus terminal at the market, we were coming from Granada with the chicken bus. Everyone was pitching the same price and it seemed a standard fee. Also in Granada we were told that was the price.
Hello, I have updated our article on how from Ometepe we reached San Jose in Costa Rica. Here is the link. http://www.ollanto.com/border-crossing-pena-blancas/
There was a direct (expreso) bus today (Saturday April 7) which was waiting directly at the ferry dock in San Jorge. This was the 9am ferry from Ometepe. We were told by a local that a bus also meets the 7:30am ferry arrival as well. The ride lasted approx 2hr 20min to Managua – Mercado Roberto and cost 75 cordobas. There were a few quick stops along the way in Rivas and Granada, Masaya etc. We took the buses a few times during our week and weren’t charged extra for luggage.
FYI: Nicaragua has found a new source of income: Since this week, every foreigner who wants to enter the port area of San Jorge, must pay 1 U$. Only then you can buy the ferry ticket in the office. 😉
Interesting new foreigner tax! Well, hopefully the money is going to service/port improvements!
The locals told me that they have to pay too, but for them is C15, whilst foreigners pay C31…
It now costs $C34 for a foreigner and this will change as the FX rate changes, whatever a $ is on a given day is what you will be charged.
We just syayed at Ometepe for a few days and found out that the bus schedules as listed on the Ometepe website are not accurate. Both from myogalpa to santo domingo and back it is not correct, it seems to be outdated. Luckily our hotel had a more accurate timetable. As I cannot add a photo here I will email it to update the website. Ferry schedule did seem accurate at least for weekdays. Also there are at some times lanchas instead of ferries (the schedule notes it). We went in the afternoon and these boats are way smaller than a ferry, so if you get sea sick fast, maybe wait to take the next Ferry- there can be some big waves when it is windy. We didn’t mind, but just a FYI!
Thanks so much, Melanie! Please send that updated schedule to use if you can. Email is centrocoasting at gmail dot com.
Just a heads up, the Ferry schedule posted online is not accurate. We were planning on taking the Ferry 1 sailing at noon today (Sunday) and it doesn’t sail. I would triple check sailing times especially if you have arranged transport in Ometepe.
Thanks for the info, Cairo! All 2018 posted schedule say that there is a 12pm so I will make a note on this page about the missing 12pm sailing!
Hi,
The noon sailing only runs on weekdays, just not on weekends.
Well that clears that up, thanks Cairo!!
A taxi from Rivas to San Jorge does not cost “90$” — the standard rate is C$20 per person (about US$0.66 as of 2017). The drive takes about 5-7 minutes. This rate is very fixed and all taxi drivers are aware. If they name a higher price then either negotiate firmly to C$20 per person or take a different taxi instead (there are many).
The ferry schedule listed is currently correct, however the bus schedule is slightly off. For the current version, and more info about ticket costs, feel free to visit:
http://selvistaguesthouses.com/directions/bus_schedule
Thanks for catching that. I am not sure how or why I had 90$ listed there. Must have been a lame typing error on my part. I have updated that and also added that you can take the expreso bus from Managua to San Jorge for 75$.
I cannot comment much on prices of the ferry (as I can’t remember), but I took the 11:30 chicken bus from Granada and arrived at the bus terminal in Rivas at 1:00pm. There were 3 of us traveling at the time and we paid $4 each for the taxi to the ferry terminal (probably could have found a better deal).
Once in Ometepe, most people stay in the town Moyogalpa where there is more accomodation, restaraunts, etc. But if you are looking to get away from the crowds, staying in Santo Domingo or Santa Cruz is perfect, as both are close to the beach and situated between the two volcanos meaning amazing views all around. If you want to stay in Santa Cruz or Santo Domingo, there is a chicken bus that leaves for Merida as soon as the ferry arrives. It makes a stop in Altagracia from Moyogalpa first. Just tell the guy that collects the money where you are going and they are good about letting you know when to get off.
I stayed in Santa Cruz for the duration of my stay. It was close to the beach and quiet, but to see the rest of the island, renting mopeds was double the price of what others paid in Moyogalpa. I paid $30 US to rent one for the day in Santa Cruz and I heard in Moyogalpa they only cost $15 US.
Might be better to stay in Moyogalpa and rent mopeds for a couple days to see the rest of the island.