This wonderful volcanic Crater Lake is located between the regions of Masaya and Granada. The name “Apoyo” comes from the Nahuatl language “Atl-poyec”, which stands for “salty water” due to the amount of minerals still found in the lake. Its impressive massive explosion occurred some 21 thousand years ago, provoking a large caldera of 6 kms in diameter. Due to its huge size, some estimated 10 million cubic meters were hurled by the eruption. Lake Apoyo has a circular shape with low steep walls on the eastern side and higher walls on the west side. At the same time it is Nicaragua’s largest Crater Lake and its depth is around 200 meters.

Lake Apoyo is also one of Nicaragua’s 76 protected areas, enclosing several species of colorful birds such as white-throated magpie jay, tropical kingbird, Montezuna Oropendula, great kiskadee, aracaris and Nicaragua’s national bird, ‘Guardabarranco’ or turquoise browed motmot. Its tropical humid forest also shelters a wide variety of trees and animals including howler monkeys, white faced monkeys, and several species of butterflies, insects and lizards.