I don’t have many regrets about things I did, or didn’t do, during my 8-month trip around the world but one of my only regrets occurred in this city.

I made my way from Granada to León unsure of what to expect of the latter but looking forward to engaging in what would be my most extreme activity of the trip, volcano boarding! For the uninitiated, it is exactly what it says on the tin – surfing/sliding down a volcano on a surfboard. 

I’d first read about this extreme sport in a CNN article, ‘50 most daring things you can do on holiday’, it was number 2! León was the birthplace of the sport, and Cerro Negro is the only volcano in the world that has perfect conditions for it. I couldn’t wait to give it a go.

I arrived in León on a wet and miserable Wednesday afternoon. As my bicycle taxi driver pedalled me through the streets towards my hotel, my first impression of the city was that it was the poorer sister of Granada. Edgier and grittier, littered with graffiti and murals that proclaimed its past as the origin of the Sandinista revolution (which overthrew the Somoza dictatorship that had ruled Nicaragua for 43 years). León had a liveliness to it that was somewhat missing from Granada. 

There is a long-standing rivalry between the two cities. León is fashioned as the intellectual and liberal centre of Nicaragua while Granada is home to the wealthier, conservative Nicaraguans. Both had been former capitals of the country and vied to be its most important city. A compromise was reached and Managua, halfway between the two, was chosen as the capital in 1852.

The main square in León, Parque Central, was often full of students and youth lounging around (in a non-threatening manner), stalls selling usual tourist knick-knacks, and had the beautiful neoclassical León Basilica overlooking it. The streets in and around the square overflowed with cafes, market stalls and street carts, all selling delicious food. And of course, hostels catering to adventure tourists.

I booked my trip with Bigfoot Hostel (volcano boarding is the brainchild of its original owner Darryl Webb). We set off the next morning, enduring a bumpy ride in a truck. The excitement was palpable as we approached the Cordillera Los Maribios mountain range, where Cerro Negro is located. We drove almost to the base of the volcano, a hulking black mass in a sea of green; it looked exactly like its name, ‘black hill’. Cerro Negro is an active volcano and the youngest in Central America. It was born in 1850, and last erupted in 1999. 

Dark clouds had drawn in as we arrived and we hurriedly began the hour-long hike to the top, hoping we would beat the storm. We carried our boards in our hands, weighty plyboards reinforced with metal, and small yellow knapsacks on our backs. The latter held our safety gear – bright orange jumpsuits, goggles and leather gloves. 

It was a steep climb up the 1600-foot volcano. Doing so while carrying the boards made the task even more arduous, and involved scrambling at points. Once again, I found myself involved in an activity that scared me stiff and I asked myself why I was voluntarily putting myself through it. That fear increased ten-fold as we crested the hill and were fully exposed to the swirling gusts of wind. We practically doubled over, trying to shift our centres of gravity lower in order to accommodate the weight of the boards. I was convinced that I would be going down the volcano a different route than planned –  I’d be literally blown off it!

In between waves of abject terror, I did take time to appreciate the views. We walked along the black volcanic terrain, looking out at the expanse of green vegetation that covered the surrounding volcanoes and mountains, with the storm clouds overhead. There was a dramatic intensity to the experience that made it feel otherworldly. My first regret was not having my phone with me. I wished I could’ve had the opportunity to photograph this stunning setting.(My tour buddies were kind enough to share their pictures with me). We made a brief detour towards the crater of the volcano, for an opportunity to feel the heat radiating off the volcanic rocks. A reminder of the volcanic activity occurring just beneath the surface. 

And finally, we arrived at the jumping off point. We put on our jumpsuits, tied bandanas over our nostrils and mouths and hung our goggles around our necks.  The brief lesson on safety and technique ended just as the heavens opened, and we were overwhelmed with a deluge of rain. As I stood looking over the steep slope we were expected to slide down, I had another ‘What were you thinking?’ moment. My brain quickly flipped through alternative ways to get down that volcano. There were none. (Or at least, that was how it felt at the time…one could obviously hike back down). 

I positioned myself towards the back of the line and took comfort in the fact that others were going before me. I would have the opportunity to gauge how scary and dangerous it was from their experience before I had to summon up the courage to step up to my turn. This was a mistake. The first couple of boarders achieved pretty good speeds but the rain did not let up and as time went on, the wetness of the surface meant there was too much friction between the board and the slope. Progress down the volcano ended up being more ‘stop and start’ than a race to the bottom. 

I have to confess that my initial reaction on seeing this was relief, I wouldn’t fall to my death off the volcano! This eased my fear enough that I was able to step to the mark and set off. I did indeed have to stop and start a couple of times and never really gained enough momentum to race down the volcano, it was more like a scamper. However it was exhilarating and I desperately wanted to have another go.  I wished I had attempted it on a dry and sunny day. This  was my second regret. I don’t remember what speed I clocked on my attempt (likely something paltry) but the record is 95km/hr!

We celebrated arriving at the bottom unscathed with drinks, snacks and music. We made our way back to the hostel, filthy but intoxicated with adrenaline. Everyone agreed the experience had been totally worth it. I would recommend booking with Bigfoot Hostel if you decide to go volcano boarding in León. Although more expensive than a lot of other tours, their boards are much quicker and they make an occasion out of the activity. The partying continued late into the night at the hostel. 

The next morning I went to explore the Basilica de la Asunción (León Catedral), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I particularly enjoyed wandering among the white domes of its roof and enjoying views of the city, volcanoes and Nicaraguan countryside. I met up with a couple of girls from the tour – Melissa and Anne for brunch. We were all still buzzing from the experience. We also bemoaned the fact that the bad weather had affected the experience and that the grit and gravel had gotten everywhere – our hair, shoes and underwear! Don’t ask me how. (I continued to find volcanic stones in my belongings for weeks afterwards). Our day culminated with dinner, after we’d gone on a free walking tour. We hugged our goodbyes, bonded by our volcano boarding experience. 

As my last night in León drew to a close, my heart and mind was still on volcano boarding, wondering when I would get the opportunity to give it another go. 

Visited June 2022.

What’s the most extreme activity you’ve done on holiday? Was it fun, and would you do it again?

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