Masaya Volcano

About

The Masaya Volcano is the centerpiece of Nicaragua’s oldest and largest National Park. The still-active volcano is the result of an even larger prehistoric volcano that collapsed on itself during an eruption thousands of years ago. This also formed a second volcano and five major craters within the park. After entering the park, you can first stop at the visitors center, where you can learn about the park’s history, natural ecology, and of course, the area’s volcanoes. From here you can head up to the main attraction - the volcano crater (for safety reasons, only one is open to the public). For the viewing platform on the rocky rim, you can gaze across an other-worldly landscape, and down into the famed ‘lava lake’. If you happen to visit around sunset (between 5:00-8:00 PM), you’re treated to a completely different experience, with the red glow of lava below, and the stars twinkling above.