To enter Nicaragua as a tourist, all you need to do is purchase a $5 tourist card upon arrival. Technically your passport also needs to be valid for the length of your stay in Nicaragua, not the six months that it does with most other countries. You also must have proof of travel onward, either back to your country of origin or to another country, and evidence of sufficient funds to support yourself while you are in Nicaragua. The funds aren’t exactly something you can prove at the airport, so they don’t particularly check for it, but you should make sure you have a ticket of travel onward, even if you plan on renewing Read more
After you’ve spent a sufficient amount of time admiring Mombacho Volcano from the islets, it’s time to get a closer view. Hiking up the volcano.
Technically Mombacho is a dormant volcano, and it is has 4 craters, with a summit of approximately 1200 meters. One of the neatest things about the summit is that due to the height and location of volcano, the resulting environment is a cloud forest.
Cloud forests are generally tropical or subtropical evergreen-moist mountain top forests with a high incidences of low-level cloud cover. Because of the moisture and make-up of the forest, they are often covered with moss, both on the ground and on the vegetation.
For some beautiful adventure and action packed travel in Nicaragua, head to the islets of Granada. If you are more into relaxing, take a boat, but if you want to get your heart pumping then rent a kayak!
Head down to the Marina Cocibolca, where you can find plenty of rental and tour agencies. At NicarAgua Dulce you can choose between kayaks and electric boats. and go with or without a guide.
Make sure you bring a camera, and hire the guide (they only cost $5 an hour!). They make sure you see all the best sites. With NicarAgua Dulce you have the choice of going to a small private island (Zopango Island in Asese Bay) where you can eat fresh Read more
As the US pinches pennies, it is being felt around the world, however in some areas, tourism is actually increasing! Nicaragua is one of those places, probably because the costs associated with a trip to Nicaragua are less than that of other Central America or Caribbean Island prices. What hurt Nicaragua in the past is now making it one of the more attractive vacation spots.
Take Playa Roca Beach Hotel in Las Penitas, Leon in Northern Nicaragua for example. They have seen a 42% increase in visitors over last year! That is incredible when overall the world is in recession. At Playa Roca you can still get a room on the beach with a view of the ocean for a Read more
The food at Las Nogueras in Managua is known for being some of the best in Central America. The main menu items represent a variety of international cuisine with a Spanish style influence. The atmosphere is great, especially on the outdoor patio, which is almost always full (call ahead if you like). Even if you get stuck inside the food is worth it.
The service is good as far as the waiters being attentive and accomodating. The only complaint that has registered is that sometimes there are errors on the bill (additional items, a double tip) and so on. Make sure you keep your guard up when it comes to money and dishes. Waiters often recommend the more expensive items, Read more
Well you all know that I have a great love for the Caribbean side of Nicaragua… what you may not know is that at the current moment there is much political tension on that far away side of the country.
It seems the indigenous separatists and the Sandinista government are heading towards confrontation as reports stream in of mounting tension and even violence.
The Sandinista government is suspicious of the separatists leaders and is claiming that they are working in conjunction with the U.S. CIA to stir up problems with the lobster divers and the fishing companies, with the ultimate goal of toppling the regional government.
Contrary to that, the separatists claim that the Sandinistas are using the strike of Read more
Once you finally get to Bluefields, whether you choose to take the short trip by plane or the extremely long adventurous trip over water, you will find that getting around once on the island is not difficult.
The primary forms of transportation in Bluefields are buses, mini-buses, and taxis. Taxis are inexpensive and the most comfortable way to travel.
Prices may have gone up since the last time I was there, but the cost for the buses and mini-buses is about 2 cordobas, and the taxi is about 5. That is during the day. At night, after 10 pm, the price of the taxis goes up to 10 cordobas. The buses only run until about 8 pm, but the taxis Read more
If you are coming to Bluefields, you better be sure of at least one thing: you like seafood. Even if you don’t like it, I would start chanting, “I like seafood” over and over again to try and convince yourself. And hey, if you love seafood, you will be in paradise in Bluefields, as fish isn’t just the staple, it’s what the locals do best. Add in some coconut milk, the dominant flavor of the region, and you are good to go.
The food along the coastal regions of Nicaragua is quite different from the interior; the culture and make-up of the population is extremely different as well. If you have visited Nicaragua, but have never made it to the Read more
If you plan to stay a relative amount of time in Bluefields, you might consider planning a trip up the coast to visit Pearl Lagoon and Pearl Cayes, which is about an hour north of Bluefields.
The trip from Bluefields to Pearl Lagoon (Laguna de Perlas) is a journey in itself! First you travel across the bay, and then follow the river up to the next lagoon. The trip affords you the opportunity to see local communities of the Miskito people that live right on the waters’ edge. You will also see natives using the waterway as a means of transportation to conduct their daily business. At certain places on the river the width of the it can get pretty narrow, encompassing you in the Read more
Once you have arrived in Managua you have two main options for traveling from the city to Bluefields.
Option 1 – Flying
You can purchase tickets to fly to Bluefields from Managua directly at the Managua airport. La Costeña Airlines is the most popular for domestic flights within Nicaragua, and they also offer flights to nearby countries. You can view schedules and fares by visiting the La Costeña Airlines web-site. Flights cost about USD $130, with three fights leaving in the morning (two early and one mid-morning) and one flight leaving in the early afternoon. Currently the online booking section of the La Costeña Airlines web-site is under construction, so in order to make inquiries regarding reservations Read more
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