Once thought to have been the promised land by Aztec explorers, Isla de Ometepe is made up of two imposing volcanic cones rising out of western Lake Nicaragua. Ometepe has been inhabited for thousands of years due to its fertile volcanic soils, and evidence of its past can be found in archeologic sites dotted all around the island. Most travelers come here for the sandy beaches, clean waters, diverse wildlife and stunning scenery, with numerous forests, waterfalls and springs in the island's center. Ometepe is beautiful, unique and one of Nicaragua's lesser-known highlights.