Poneloya is a town on the west coast of

Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...

bordering the Pacific Ocean. It lies within the

León Department León () is a department in Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-mo ...

and borders Las Peñitas, Nicaragua. Poneloya is about from the city of León. The town is a vacation home area for wealthy Nicaraguans, while local residents are mostly fishermen, caretakers, or those who commute to León for work.. Poneloya offers beaches that stretches for several kilometers with clear blue waters. Popular activities include sunbathing, swimming, and water sports such as

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...

and fishing. The town itself is small, with colorful houses, local restaurants, and beachfront accommodations. Pmodationss known for its fresh seafood, and dishes such as

ceviche Ceviche, cebiche, sebiche, or seviche () is a cold dish consisting of fish or shellfish marinated in citrus and seasonings. Different versions of ceviche are part of the culinary cultures of various Latin American countries along the Pacific O ...

and grilled fish. Nearby attractions include the historic city of León, known for its colonial architecture and cultural heritage, as well as the nearby Juan Venado Island Nature Reserve, a protected area rich in

mangroves A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline or brackish water. Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal rivers. They have particular adaptations to take in extra oxygen and remove sal ...

and wildlife.

Etymology

The name Poneloya means “small seeds” in the

indigenous language An indigenous language, or autochthonous language, is a language that is native to a region and spoken by its indigenous peoples. Indigenous languages are not necessarily national languages but they can be; for example, Aymara is both an indigen ...

Climate, geography and ecology

Daily temperatures range from 32°C to over 40°C (89°F to over 104°F). During the night, the temperature is reduced to about 25°C to 30°C (77°F to 86°F). Due to its location near the sea, winds and breezes flow through the town, making the climate cooler. Several volcanoes exist near the town, including

Cerro Negro Cerro Negro is an active volcano in the Cordillera de los Maribios mountain range in Nicaragua, about from the village of Malpaisillo. It is a very new volcano, the youngest in Central America, having first appeared in April 1850. It consist ...

, Telica, San Cristóbal,

Las Pilas Las Pilas (or El Hoyo) is a complex volcano located in the western part of Nicaragua. Part of a 30-km-long volcanic massif, Las Pilas has a series of well-preserved flank vents surrounding a central cone. Las Pilas last erupted in the 1950s and ...

, and El Hoyo. There is a large diversity of fish, crabs, and shrimp in the water, which are harvested by small scale fishing operations.

Transportation

A regular bus service leaves every hour from the Sutiaba market in León.

Tourism

Vacationers from other countries visit the area mostly during the northern hemisphere winter/southern hemisphere summer. Peak travel dates are the Christmas period until the end of January, the school vacation holidays in Nicaragua, and the week of Easter..

References

Populated places in Nicaragua Populated coastal places in Nicaragua León Department {{Nicaragua-geo-stub