Swim, Surf and Scuba at the Laguna de Xiloá

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Swim, Surf and Scuba at the Laguna de Xiloá

December 12th, 2008 | Nicaragua - Family Friendly, Nicaragua - Must See or Do, The Best of Nicaragua | No Comments »

For a fun day trip from Managua head to Laguna de Xiloá, also called the Jiloa Lagoon, a crater lake located about 20 km Northeast of Managua. The water is clean and clear, and perfect for swimming.

If you want to make a day out of it, you can either pack a picnic lunch, or buy food from the vendors walking around selling things to eat. When the wind is good, in addition to swimming you can enjoy windsurfing and kiteboarding. There are also arrangements for scuba diving excursions in the Laguna de Xiloá.

To get to Laguna de Xiloá in a car, take the highway to León, pass the Ciudad Sandino and look for the Read more

Eat at El Tercer Ojo in Granada

November 28th, 2008 | Nicaragua - Business, Nicaragua - Places to Eat | No Comments »

If you happen to be looking for a bite to eat in Granada try El Tercer Ojo on Calle Arsenal next to the San Francisco Convent. The service is good, the staff is friendly, and the overall feel is very inviting. One of the best things about eating at El Tercer Ojo restaurant is the varied menu, with a wide range of choices from the freshest seafood to amazing vegetarian dishes.

This Gringo recommends the Pescado Samurai: deliciously fresh fish cooked Asian-style with soy sauce. Every Tuesday night they serve Sushi, and they also have Thai, Hindi, French crepes, Italian pastas and Spanish Tapas.

You can relax at the Lounge Bar, where there are comfortable couches to Read more

The Human Rights Project – You Can Make a Difference

November 21st, 2008 | Nicaragua - Gringo Favorite | No Comments »

The Gringo Report team was recently contacted by the Human Rights Project regarding their new mission: “To exceed the act of inspiring and successfully move people from apathy to activism.”

The Gringo Report has teamed up with the Human Rights Project in calling others to action.

To get the ball rolling, the Human Rights Project has developed a beautifully illustrated full color book entitled, The Trouble with the Alphabet, written and illustrated by Caryn West. The book takes you around the world to 26 countries A-Z where children are suffering. Each country featured is also connected to a charitable organization that receives part of the proceeds from each book purchased, as well as all purchases from TheTroubleWiththeAlphabet.com.

Check it Read more

Quiet Hotel Centrally Located in Granada

November 14th, 2008 | Nicaragua - Gringo Favorite, Nicaragua - Places to Stay | No Comments »

Hotel Kekoldi de Granada is a nice hotel in Granada with comfortable rooms. It is on the smaller side, with only 12 hotel rooms located around a central courtyard, but they all have AC and cable TV. Wireless internet is available throughout the hotel.

As far as places to stay in Granada go, it is a solid choice. A double room with a queen size bed will run you around US $40 for the night, and includes breakfast (and all the fresh fruit you can pick off the trees in the courtyard). The location of the Hotel Kekoldi helps; it is just three blocks away from Granada’s beautiful Central Park.

The staff at Hotel Kekoldi is warm, Read more

Controversy Surrounds Nicaragua's Election

November 12th, 2008 | Nicaragua - News | No Comments »

It isn’t just election time in the States, and last weekend’s elections in Nicaragua have proved to be, dare I say it, even more tumultuous than the United States’.

According to the official results, so far the Sandinista National Liberation Front, FSLN, has won more than 90 of the 146 municipalities, with the Liberal Constitutional Party, PLC, managing to retain only 46.

The government refused to allow election observers from certain groups, which one opposition spokesman claims is clear evidence of “premeditated intention” for fraud.

Leonel Teller, a spokesman for the PLC is calling for a recount, to be observed by international parties. He states, “We agreed not to accept the electoral results due to so Read more

3 Reasons to Consider Relocating to Nicaragua

October 31st, 2008 | Nicaragua - News, Nicaragua - Relocation | No Comments »

I’ll be the first to admit that Nicaragua doesn’t have the greatest reputation, but take this Gringo’s word for it, Nicaragua is an excellent place to plant your Latin American roots. Here’s why:

Real Estate is extremely undervalued. Because of Nicaragua’s reputation, real estate prices here are often much cheaper than they are in other Latin American countries.
Infrastructure has improved greatly. The start of the millennium saw a boom in Nicaragua that led to increased foreign investment and infrastructure. Better infrastructure makes for better business opportunities and a higher quality of life.
Tourism has increased. The San Juan del Sur coast line is constantly dotted with cruise ships. In June Nicaragua announced plans to join forces with Guatemala,

Ortega Prefers Obama – Does the Rest of Nicaragua Feel the Same?

October 27th, 2008 | Nicaragua - News | No Comments »

From May to September 2008 Gallup Polls conducted surveys in 70 countries to see who the world preferred to see elected into the Presidential office in the United States. Obama received overwhelming support, being the preferred candidate by a ratio of nearly 4-1.

Nicaragua showed an overwhelming disinterest in who is elected to be the next President of the United States, with 70% of those polled either having no opinion, or refusing to answer. Of the rest, 23% would like to see Obama take the position, while only a measly 7% feel that McCain is the better choice.

Even though the great majority do not have a preference between candidates, the survey also shows that Read more

Guide to Make Money and Travel Full-Time

October 26th, 2008 | Nicaragua - Travel Tips, The Best of Nicaragua | 3 Comments »

Chris Guillebeau is the mastermind behind “The Art of Non-Conformity,” an online blog that touches on unconventional strategies for life, work, and travel. He is also a friend of this traveling gringo. Chris is an amazing character who has spent time the last ten years self-employed, four of them in West Africa as a volunteer aid worker.

Chris’ most recent project is a series of Unconventional Guides and other informational products. These will be available for purchase and expound upon the topics he regularly tackles on his blog: Life, Work and Travel.

The Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself is an authoritative look at being self-employed. It explains how you can make money Read more

Real Estate Investment Opportunities in Nicaragua

October 14th, 2008 | Nicaragua - Business, Nicaragua - News, Nicaragua - Relocation | 3 Comments »

Can somebody give Nicaragua a break? This country, known for its political instability and internal conflict is desperately trying to change its image from a war torn nation to an attractive foreign investment opportunity. And in all reality, Nicaragua is the latter rather than the former.

Nicaragua’s real estate market is still in its developing stages, due largely in part to the fact that it is frequently overshadowed by other Central and South American countries. Henkel Smith, the president of Water’s Edge International Realty said, “Because Nicaragua has historically been overlooked by travelers and real estate investors [in comparison] to Costa Rica, Panama, and Mexico, prices have remained extremely affordable.”

The most popular places to invest are Read more

Nicaragua is the Place to Escape the United States Recession

October 8th, 2008 | Nicaragua - Relocation | 1 Comment »

As the US economy continues to decline Americans are being forced to change the way they handle their dollars as they slide in value against the British pound and the Euro. As businesses buckle down to face the brunt of a world recession many are left wondering how the US is going to weather the storm and if, when the dark clouds of decline finally rise, the economy will be able to recover.

Many businesses have already taken steps to recession-proof themselves by trying to draw in foreign sales. In recent article from Business Week it was stated that “the strongest U.S. companies may be the ones with the biggest footprint abroad.” By having their fingers in multiple Read more