You Can Stay on Your Own Private Island in Nicaragua: Isla Mirabel

You know what’s better than taking a boat tour through the tiny islands scattered around Lake Nicaragua?

Actually sleeping on one. By yourself!

While traveling around Granada, we spent one night on Isla Mirabel, a tiny private island tucked among Las Isletas de Granada.

And when I say private island, I mean we had the whole little thing to ourselves.

Just us, a glass-walled house, hammocks, kayaks, volcano views, two resident cats, and a whole lot of lake.

It ended up being one of the coolest stays of our Nicaragua trip.

What Is Isla Mirabel?

Isla Mirabel is one of the little islands making up Las Isletas just outside Granada.

Instead of only cruising around the islands for a few hours, you can actually stay overnight on one.

The accommodation itself is simple but ridiculously cool.

The main house is basically one big glass-walled room with a bed, bunk beds, a table, and curtains you can close when you want some privacy.

The bathroom is separate, so you do have to walk a few steps outside to reach the toilet and shower. There’s also a small outdoor kitchen area with a grill, dishes, utensils, drinking water, and a table.

Little pathways lead around the island to hammocks and seating areas tucked between the mangroves.

And most importantly, there were two resident cats roaming around when we stayed.

Obviously, this immediately increased the island’s rating by at least three stars.

How Do You Get to Isla Mirabel?

This part was surprisingly easy.

We drove to the marina, where there was somewhere to leave our car. Oscar met us there, grabbed our bags, loaded everything into a little motorboat, and took us directly to the island.

A few minutes later, we were standing on our own tiny island wondering why we don’t own islands yet.

Oscar showed us around and then left us to it.

If you want to go back to the mainland during your stay, you can also arrange additional boat transfers with the property OR just take the kayak out yourself. The mainland is only about a 10 to 15-minute paddle away.

READ MORE: 8 BEST Things to Do in Granada, Nicaragua

What Do You Actually Do on a Private Island?

Honestly?

Not much.

And that’s kind of the point.

There were two kayaks and two stand-up paddleboards available during our stay, so we immediately started exploring the surrounding islands.

At one point, Garrett paddled the SUP while I sat on the front like the passenger princess I am, and we went over to a nearby restaurant for seafood and beers.

We made it back before sunset, chilled around the island, watched the sky change colors, and eventually realized just how insanely quiet it gets out there.

I’ll admit, there was a brief moment where having an entire island to ourselves went from THIS IS SO COOL to wait… there is literally nobody else here, it’s a little creepy.

But we felt completely safe.

That night we saw tons of stars, and the next morning was somehow even better.

We made coffee, sat by the water with the cats, watched fishermen pass between the islands, and eventually took the kayaks back out.

We spotted monkeys in the trees, loads of birds, lily pads, mangroves, and little glimpses of everyday life on some of the neighboring islands.

Then we ate breakfast, grabbed mangoes that had fallen from the tree, lounged in the hammocks, and continued doing absolutely nothing productive.

Perfect.

A Few Things to Know Before Staying on Isla Mirabel

• Bring some food and snacks. There’s a basic kitchen, but this isn’t a resort with an onsite restaurant. We brought simple breakfast supplies with us.
• The bathroom is not attached. It’s only a few steps from the main room, but it’s worth knowing beforehand.
• You’ll really be on your own. If complete silence and isolation at night creep you out, this might not be your dream accommodation.
• Be careful kayaking when it’s windy. The wind picked up quite a bit during our stay. We felt much more comfortable paddling around the protected little islands and mangroves instead of heading far out into open water.

READ MORE: 5 Best Day Trips From Granada, Nicaragua

Is Isla Mirabel Worth Staying On?

YES.

But I actually think one night is perfect.

You get the whole experience. Arrive by boat, explore your island, kayak around Las Isletas, watch the sunset, sleep surrounded by the lake, wake up for an absurdly peaceful morning, and then head back to Granada.

I wouldn’t necessarily sacrifice several days in the area to stay here, but adding one night to a Granada itinerary?

Absolutely.

It’s weird, peaceful, memorable, and probably one of the easiest ways I’ve ever found to casually say, “Yeah, we rented our own private island for the night.”

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