Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua

Floating like an apparition in the middle of  Lago de Nicaragua, the largest lake in Central America, Isla de Ometepe has been called "an oasis of peace." Even during Nicaragua's brutal Sandinista Revolution of the 1970's, this tranquil island remained untouched by violence. Isla de Ometepe's lush tropical landscape, dramatic twin volcanoes, rich pre-Columbian past, and welcoming inhabitants make it a truly unique place. In fact, the Nicaraguan government has designated the entire island  a nature reserve and national cultural heritage site.

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Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua - Images by John Mitchell

Granada, Nicaragua

Dubbed Nicaragua's "tourism capital," the handsome Spanish colonial city of Granada on the shores of vast Lake Nicaragua has become increasingly popular among travelers during recent years. Great pains have been taken to protect Granada's historical buildings and to preserve its colonial charm by ensuring that all new buildings blend in with existing colonial architecture. With its dignified churches, elegant plazas, colorful facades, and ubiquitous horse-drawn carriages, Granada promises to remain one of the most photogenic cities in Latin America.

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Granada, Nicaragua - Images by John Mitchell

Big Corn Island, Nicaragua

Big Corn Island is the kind of place you hesitate to tell people about. There are no unsightly high-rise hotels, no crowded beaches, and very few cars. In short, this idyllic patch of white sand and greenery languishing in crystalline waters some 80 kilometers (50 miles) off the east coast of Nicaragua is everything a Caribbean hideaway should be: uncomplicated, laid-back, and affordable. But perhaps the best thing about Big Corn Island is that the locals seem intent on keeping commercialism and mass tourism at bay, so the chances of this authentic tropical getaway becoming the next Cancun are remote.

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Big Corn Island, Nicaragua - Images by John Mitchell