Shuttles
To / from Granada
Paradiso has a daily shuttle that leaves Hostel Oasis at 10am and 3:30pm, arriving in the Laguna de Apoyo at 10:30 and returning to Granada around 4pm. You can catch this shuttle for $3 ($5 round trip). It is preferable to book your place in advance.
Public Bus
From Granada
Please note that there is no direct bus from Granada to Laguna de Apoyo. Ho-wever, you can take any Masaya (and most Managua) bound bus from Granada and ask to be dropped off at Laguna de Apoyo, or “la entrada de la laguna” / Puentecito. Usually it stops there anyway and there are buses doing this route every 5-10min. The entrance to the Laguna de Apoyo is on the Caraterra Masaya (highway) – from here you can easily catch a taxi (around 100 cordobas per taxi), flag a ride or, if you time it right, catch the bus coming from Masaya. The walk up-and-down takes an hour and a half or so to the water front.
From Masaya
There are three daily buses that leave Masaya and go down to the water front of Laguna de Apoyo, passing in front of Paradiso Hostel. They generally leave Masaya market at 05:30, 10:30 and 3:30 and arrive in Laguna De Apoyo an hour later, at 6:30, 11:30 and 4:30. The last bus on Sundays leave the market around 2:30pm. Look for the buses with ‘La Laguna’ on the name plate in front or walk through the bus lot until you hear someone yelling ‘La Laguna’. The-re is another bus called ‘El Valle’ that goes to the Laguna but stops at the rim; from the rim it is about a 45 minute walk down to the water – the views are awesome and you can sometimes catch a ride.
Taxi
From Granada
Will cost you around $12-15 USD. From Masaya will be around $10-12 USD.
From Managua
Will be around $30-$40 USD, depending on where you are and the time of day.
Driving
From Masaya
Get to the Masaya-Granada highway (carretera) heading towards Granada. At the 37 1/2 kilometer mark, turn right into the entrance of Laguna de Apoyo – it is an uphill paved road. Follow the directions below from the entrance to get to the water.
From Granada
Get on the Masaya-Granada highway (carretera) heading towards Masaya and Managua. At the 37 1/2 kilometer mark, turn left into the entrance of Laguna de Apoyo – it is an uphill paved road. Follow the directions below from the entrance to get to the water.
From Managua
If you are in Managua then you need to get to the Masaya–Granada highway (so-metimes called Carretera Masaya) and head southeast towards Masaya. Stay on the highway past Masaya and follow directions from Masaya above.
From the airport in Managua
Make a right as you exit onto the Carretera Norte (Northern Highway). Continue along until you get to the Tipitapa Junction (about 8-10 minutes from the airport). Make a right towards Masaya and continue on until the road turns into Carretera Masaya (around 20 minutes). Make a left here and in 5-10 minutes you will see the entrance on your right. Turn right and follow the directions below from the entrance that lead to the water.
From the entrance to Laguna de Apoyo on Carretera Masaya
The entrance is at the 37 1/2 kilometer mark on the Carretera Masaya. Follow the road uphill for about 10 minutes and then you will get to a junction where you have to go left or right. Turn right here and then the next left which will come up fast, in about 50-100 meters or so. You should see what looks like a general entrance sign and start going downhill to the water. At the last intersection, when you get to small pulperia, take the left and drive 300m until you see Paradiso on your right. We have secure off-street parking spaces.