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

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

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I’m simply over midway by a Central American journey, after beginning in Panama and dealing my means 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 beautiful 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 the whole lot 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 take heed to the misguided warnings and that I used to be capable of spend a month traversing my means throughout this beautiful Central American gem. 

@nomads_nook Replying to @bradxlee._19 📍Nicaragua🇳🇮 is positioned in Central America and is thought for its breathtaking sunsets and tropical seashores🌴 – #nicaragua #travel #traveltiktok #travelinspo #nicaragua🇳🇮 #tiktoktravel #nicaraguatiktoks #nicaraguatiktok #paradise – 📽: @david.tejada.73 @Leo Chavez @Visit Nicaragua @Colleen ♬ Me Gustas Tu – Sped Up Version – Manu Chao

Nicaragua is actually not the only country in Central America that is still a bit undiscovered, and there are many in this region that it’s best to add to your journey plans this 12 months. 

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

The Safety

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

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

That being stated, I wouldn’t stroll round many locations after darkish, however I wouldn’t do that in most international locations right now. Some research have proven that Nicaragua has a decrease crime fee than its way more well-liked 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 subsequent, you will note this firsthand.

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

Currently, Nicaragua has a stage 3 journey advisory from the U.S. State Department, largely attributable to restricted healthcare availability and poor legislation enforcement points.

As a traveler, should you keep in the primary vacationer areas reminiscent of San Juan Del Sur, Granada, Ometepe Island, Leon, and the Corn Islands, you ought to be fantastic, though I’d completely carry medical 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 certain has… nicely, quite a lot 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 straightforward hike as much as the highest of Masaya Volcano to see the sundown and the effervescent lava (one of many solely locations on the planet 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 note lovely nature all over the place you flip. The birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, and the whole lot 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 large iguanas simply chillin’ across the garden.

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

toucan in nicaragua

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 snigger 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 colour, one after the subsequent.

The complete metropolis of Granada, for instance, seems prefer it may 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 undoubtedly miss when this journey is finished. 

colorful house with van

The Beaches 

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

That being stated, I do recognize an excellent seashore city with a browsing vibe. The southern city of San Juan Del Sur is strictly that and makes a straightforward begin for any journey by 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 can remind you of a mini Rio De Janeiro and extra locations to eat and drink than you may probably get by, this seashore city is one to remain some time and chill.

On the coast alongside the Pacific you’ll find different smaller cities, reminiscent of Playa Mardras and Playa El Coco, each good choices for a really quiet vibe. In the northern a part of Nicaragua’s Pacific coast, you could find one other well-liked seashore city of Las Penitas.

Across the nation, positioned about 50 miles into the Caribbean, you’ll find the idyllic Corn Islands, and whereas I couldn’t embrace them on this journey attributable to time, they’re undoubtedly on my radar for one more go to. 

Beach Swing at Little Corn Island

The Ease Of Travel 

Before this journey, I had quite a lot of reservations about touring round Central America. I used to be not sure if it might be straightforward to navigate the transportation and easy methods to attain all of the (ever-growing) variety of locations I wished to incorporate.

However, the most effective 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 whole sub-continent kind of and oftentimes value lower than a cup of espresso.

top of white church in leon nicargua

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

Where any customer will doubtless need to go in Nicaragua is nicely related by transportation, and shuttle busses usually value lower than $30 an individual, with door-to-door drop-off.

It’s price noting that personal drivers can be fairly low-cost right here as nicely, and I used them a couple of instances after I couldn’t make shuttle instances attributable to work. The greatest tip is to get a card from one you want and preserve utilizing them. 

man standing outside bus

Undiscovered Gem 

One factor that basically shocked me in Nicaragua (and in El Salvador as nicely) is the variety of vacationers it appears to obtain. Now, there have been vacationers all over the place we went; sure, this nation isn’t a secret anymore, and other people do come right here.

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However, what did shock me was the place these vacationers have been coming from. In my month of assembly folks, I will need to 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 would possibly nonetheless think about Nicaragua not fascinating sufficient or too harmful to go to.

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

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

Additionally, Nicaraguans might desperately use some extra vacationer {dollars} of their financial system, they usually 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 need to see some lovely preserved historic cities, Leon, Granada, and Ciudad Antigua have 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 keep in mind to look each methods for the quite a few horse and buggies that zip round these streets all hours of the day. 

Guadalupe Church at Granada, Nicaragua

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 dear than Nicaragua and El Salvador.

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

Now, some areas undoubtedly 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 seek out lodging on the otherworldly island of Ometepe for subsequent to nothing, and Granada additionally has many low-cost choices obtainable.

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

cliffs in sunset on coast of nicaragua

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