Oasis of peace: verdant volcanoes and ancient legends are just part of the lure of Isla de Ometepe, an idyllic refuge in the vast expanse of Lake Nicaragua.

• Author: Mitchell, John

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Like islands everywhere, Isla de Ometepe seems like a world unto itself. Even during the Sandinista Revolution of the 1970s and the contra war of the 1980s, this tropical island in Lake Nicaragua was untouched by violence, inspiring popular Nicaraguan singer-songwriter Luis Enrique Mejia Godoy to call it "an oasis of peace." The nickname has taken hold, and Ometepe's tranquil atmosphere, abundant flora and fauna, and pre-Columbian mystique continue to make it one of the true paradises of the Americas. In October 1995, Nicaragua designated the entire island a Natural Reserve and Cultural Heritage of the Nation, to recognize both its value to the Nicaraguan people and the vulnerability of its diverse ecosystems.

From the top deck of the ferry from San Jorge on the western shores of Lake Nicaragua, there are splendid views of the perfectly shaped cones of the Concepcion and Maderas volcanoes looming at opposite ends of the hourglass-shaped island. Archaeological evidence suggests that humans may have inhabited Ometepe for at least 3,500 years. Little is known about these early cultures, but according to one popular legend, Nahuatl-speaking people fleeing the domineering Aztecs in central Mexico were guided by a vision of two volcanoes in the middle of a large lake. When they glimpsed twin volcanic cones rising out of Lake Nicaragua, they knew that they had reached their new home, which they called Ometepe or "place of the two hills."

Bands of ancient wanderers also settled on nearby Isla Zapatera and along the lake's western shoreline, giving rise to a creation myth reminiscent of the tale of Romeo and Juliet. As the story goes, long ago there was no Lago de Nicaragua or Isla de Ometepe, only a lush valley of the gods named Valle de Coapolca. Several tribes who were hostile to each other lived around the valley and would visit it often to gather fruit and hunt game. One day, a young warrior named Nagrando met and fell in love with Ometepetl, a beautiful maiden from an enemy tribe. They tried to keep their romance a secret, but eventually Ometepetl's father learned of the affair and vowed to kill Nagrando. The young lovers fled and hid in the forest, where they decided that the only way they could be together was by committing suicide. The pair slit their wrists and died in each other's arms. As Ometepetl fell backwards, the sky darkened and rains flooded the valley, forming Lake Nicaragua. Ometepetl's breasts then grew into the twin peaks of Volcan Concepcion and Volcan Maderas, and Nagrando's body became Isla Zapatera.

Lake Nicaragua also goes by its indigenous name, Cocibolca, which means "sweet sea." It is almost the size of Puerto Rico and the largest lake in Central America. Locals enjoy recounting that when the Spanish first arrived on the shores of Lake Nicaragua, they thought they had reached an ocean. Only when they saw their horses drinking the fresh water did the conquistadors realize that they were standing on the shores of a vast lake. The waters surrounding...