8 Things That Shocked Me About Visiting Nicaragua For The First Time

Last Updated 13 hours in the past

I’m simply over midway by way of a Central American journey, after beginning in Panama and dealing my method as much as Mexico, a visit which I’m finishing in 5 months whereas working full-time on-line as a digital nomad.

While each nation has been wonderful (I’m penning this from the completely gorgeous Antiqua, Guatemala) one nation has stood out as an surprising spotlight.

I’m speaking about The Land of Lakes and Volcanoes itself, Nicaragua.

Sunset in the streets of Ometepe Island with the Concepción volcano in the background, a bus in the front

Being American, most of every thing I had heard about Nicaragua earlier than planning this journey was not constructive, to say the least.

Let me wholeheartedly say that I’m so glad I didn’t hearken to the misguided warnings and that I used to be capable of spend a month traversing my method throughout this gorgeous Central American gem.

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Nicaragua is definitely not the only country in Central America that is still a bit undiscovered, and there are many in this region that you need to add to your journey plans this yr.

Every day and each new place in Nicaragua was a nice shock, however listed below are 8 issues that actually shocked me:

The Safety

Let’s begin with the one factor that involves thoughts if you first hear about touring in Nicaragua. Is it protected?

While some media protection on the nation and its management doesn’t paint the nation in the very best gentle, as a traveler there for a month, I by no means skilled something that made me really feel unsafe.

That being mentioned, I wouldn’t stroll round many locations after darkish, however I wouldn’t do that in most nations at present. Some research have proven that Nicaragua has a decrease crime charge than its way more widespread neighbor of Costa Rica (one other nation I by no means felt unsafe in).

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Fisherment preparing to go fishing in Lake Managua, Nicaragua

Nicaragua is the second poorest nation within the Western Hemisphere, and touring from one location to the following, you will notice this firsthand.

There is lots of poverty right here, though from what I noticed, it was principally within the countryside, and the cities didn’t appear to have too dangerous of a homeless downside.

Currently, Nicaragua has a stage 3 journey advisory from the U.S. State Department, principally resulting from restricted healthcare availability and poor regulation enforcement points.

As a traveler, if you happen to keep in the principle vacationer areas akin to San Juan Del Sur, Granada, Ometepe Island, Leon, and the Corn Islands, you need to be wonderful, though I’d completely carry medical health insurance with you.

Urban skyline of Granada city at sunset with its spanish colonial architecture, colorful cathedral and beautiful rooftops with the Nicaragua Lake in the background, Nicaragua, Central America

The Nature and Wildlife

For a rustic that is called the land of lakes and volcanoes, it positive has… properly, lots of them. One exercise many do right here is volcano boarding down the spectacular Cerro Negro, simply reachable from Leon.

I opted for a extra laid-back expertise and headed to Laguna de Apoyo simply exterior Granada, the place you possibly can chill and swim all day within the volcanic lagoon after which take a simple hike as much as the highest of Masaya Volcano to see the sundown and the effervescent lava (one of many solely locations on the earth you possibly can see this!)

Masaya Volcano with visible lava pool and glowing exhaust fumes and gases in twilight, Masaya, Nicaragua, Central America.

Nicaragua has about 7% of the world’s biodiversity, and you will notice lovely nature all over the place you flip. The birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, and every thing in between will shock you.

I skilled most of this on the wonderful Ometepe Island, the place I used to be awoken by howler monkeys, noticed spiders larger than my hand (in my bathe, no much less) and big iguanas simply chillin’ across the garden.

Aside from these creatures, the sheer quantity of colourful and interesting birds I noticed in Nicaragua actually gave Costa Rica a run for its cash.

The Colors

On a stroll within the little city of Moyogalpa one night, I commented on all of the paint shops that this small city had. To which my husband replied, “Have you seen the houses?!”

I needed to snort as a result of, sure, in fact there’s a paint retailer on each nook, as a result of each home on this nation is painted some neon brilliant shade, one after the following.

The complete metropolis of Granada, for instance, seems to be prefer it might need been painted to be an Instagram backdrop, however nope. They are simply colourful right here.

The colours of locations like this in Central America are one factor I’ll positively miss when this journey is completed.

The Beaches

Let me get this out of the best way proper now; I’m under no circumstances a surfer. I’m way more of a let’s seize a drink and watch the sundown type of traveler.

That being mentioned, I do respect a very good seaside city with a browsing vibe. The southern city of San Juan Del Sur is strictly that and makes a simple begin for any journey by way of Nicaragua, because it’s simply over the border from Costa Rica.

_back view of a young girl sitting on a swing overlooking the volcano concenpcion on ometepe island, Nicaragua

With a Jesus statue that may remind you of a mini Rio De Janeiro and extra locations to eat and drink than you may probably get by way of, this seaside city is one to remain some time and chill.

On the coast alongside the Pacific you will discover different smaller cities, akin to Playa Mardras and Playa El Coco, each good choices for a really quiet vibe. In the northern a part of Nicaragua’s Pacific coast, yow will discover one other widespread seaside city of Las Penitas.

Across the nation, situated about 50 miles into the Caribbean, you will discover the idyllic Corn Islands, and whereas I couldn’t embrace them on this journey resulting from time, they’re positively on my radar for one more go to.

The Ease Of Travel

Before this journey, I had lots of reservations about touring round Central America. I used to be not sure if it could be straightforward to navigate the transportation and find out how to attain all of the (ever-growing) variety of locations I needed to incorporate.

However, the very best factor about Central America is that getting from level A to level B could be as straightforward or as low-cost as you make it.

Chicken busses join the complete sub-continent roughly and oftentimes value lower than a cup of espresso.

Next up is shared shuttles, which I used 99% of the time, principally resulting from time restraints and being previous and cranky and never wanting to hold my (additionally ever-growing) backpack round.

Where any customer will possible wish to go in Nicaragua is properly linked by transportation, and shuttle busses typically value lower than $30 an individual, with door-to-door drop-off.

It’s value noting that personal drivers will also be fairly low-cost right here as properly, and I used them just a few occasions once I couldn’t make shuttle occasions resulting from work. The finest tip is to get a card from one you want and preserve utilizing them.

Undiscovered Gem

One factor that actually shocked me in Nicaragua (and in El Salvador as properly) is the variety of vacationers it appears to obtain. Now, there have been vacationers all over the place we went; sure, this nation is just not a secret anymore, and folks do come right here.

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However, what did shock me was the place these vacationers had been coming from. In my month of assembly individuals, I should have solely come throughout 4 different American vacationers. Many I met got here from Australia, some from Germany and France, and some Canadians.

It appears to me that Americans may nonetheless take into account Nicaragua not fascinating sufficient or too harmful to go to.

Both of which couldn’t be farther from the reality.

Also, with increasingly flight options from the States, it couldn’t be simpler to succeed in this fascinating vacation spot.

Additionally, Nicaraguans may desperately use some extra vacationer {dollars} of their economic system, and so they deserve it.

Tourist tour for jesus christ statue in Nicaragua. Above view on San juan del sur

The History

One declare to fame of Nicaragua is that it gave the world one of many best names in Spanish literature, Ruben Dario. After spending his life as a diplomat, poet, and journalist, Daio is now a nationwide hero.

If you wish to see some lovely preserved historic cities, Leon, Granada, and Ciudad Antigua had been the primary established by Spaniards after they reached the shores of Nicaragua.

Wander their historic facilities and take within the structure and tradition; simply bear in mind to look each methods for the quite a few horse and buggies that zip round these streets all hours of the day.

The Price-tag

Going into this journey, I knew some counties in Central America can be cheaper than others. For instance, I used to be ready for Costa Rica and Panama to be extra expensive than Nicaragua and El Salvador.

And but, simply how cheaply you may get by in Nicaragua nonetheless shocked me.

Now, some areas positively value greater than others. For instance, San Juan Del Sur didn’t appear all that low-cost to me, particularly when it got here to lodging.

However, it’s doable to search out lodging on the otherworldly island of Ometepe for subsequent to nothing, and Granada additionally has many low-cost choices out there.

Aside from lodging, every day bills akin to transportation, sim playing cards, meals and drinks all additionally value lower than I anticipated.