The Isletas de Granada are a cluster of roughly 365 small islands scattered in Lago de Nicaragua just offshore from the city, formed by debris from an ancient Mombacho volcanic eruption. Boat tours from the Granada waterfront are easy to arrange and take about two hours, winding through channels between islands where local families live in stilted houses, monkeys occasionally appear in the trees, and egrets stand motionless on rocks.
A few of the larger islands have private homes and small restaurants. One of the most visited is Isla Zapatera, a slightly larger volcanic island with pre-Columbian archaeological remains. The tours typically pass close to the shores of inhabited islands, giving a quiet look at life on the lake — fishing boats, laundry on lines, dogs watching from jetties.