The Pacific lowland are located around 80 km inland from the coast. It is a flatland except for a couple of new volcanoes of whom some are still active.
In this area we find the largest freshwater lakes in Central America. The lake of Managua (Lago de Managua) and the lake of Nicaragua (Lago de Nicaragua).
The valley of the Río San Juan forms a natural passage across the Nicaraguan isthmus from the Caribbean until the lake of Nicaragua.
The area called central highlands is located up to 1800 m above sea level. You will not find any bigger rivers flowing west to the Pacific. In the north of Managua, the mountains sweep up from sea level in a combination of hillsides, coffee-plantations and pasture, until the border to Honduras and east to the jungles of the interior of Nicaragua.
The eastern Caribbean lowlands of Nicaragua form the extensive and still sparsely settled lowland area with the inviting name “Costa de Mosquitos”. The Caribbean lowlands are occupying nearly 50% of Nicaragua's territory but only very few people live there. .
It is a hot, humid area that includes coastal plains, the eastern spurs of the central highlands, and the estuary of the Río San Juan.
The island is subdivided into two parts, each with a volcano. The ferry connections to the island are: From San Jorge (nearby Rivas) and two times the week a slowly cargo ferry from Granada.
Granada today is one of the most important touristic centers of Nicaragua. One of the most important reasons for the attraction is the historic quarter. But there are als many other exciting destinations located in and around the City. One of the example is the volcano “Mombacho” and the nearby “Lago de Nicaragua” as well as “las Isletas”- a group of around 365 islands created by an eruption of the volcano Mombacho. It has an unique biodiversity.
Located at the southwestern end of Lake Managua, it is home to over one million people. Located in the City is not only the Government, but the administrative center, the seat of the Archbishop, the University of Centroamerica and the Central American Court of Justice.