Must-see attractions in Caribbean Coast

  • Museo Arqueológico Gregorio Aguilar Barea

    Caribbean Coast

    Mystical stone statues rise like ancient totems in the courtyard entrance here. It houses the most important collection of stelae in the country, with…

  • Long Bay

    Corn Islands

    This stunner of a beach arcs from a pile-up of local fishing pangas and lobster traps to a wild, jungle-covered headland at its far end. If you’re looking…

  • Museo Auka Tangki

    Caribbean Coast

    Don’t miss Dr Dionisio Melgara Brown’s museum, a 10-minute walk along dirt roads curving away from the river. Brown, a retired teacher, built this museum…

  • Waiku Centro de Arte

    Caribbean Coast

    This excellent social project is run by two English-speaking activists, Greta and Yesi, whose small arts center displays painting, handicrafts, clothing…

  • Reserva de Biosfera Bosawás

    Caribbean Coast

    This remarkable expanse of protected wilderness is Nicaragua's biggest biosphere reserve, and makes up more than 14% of Nicaragua’s national territory. It…

  • Muelle Viejo

    Caribbean Coast

    Take a stroll along the wooden boards of the historic Muelle Viejo (Old Pier), where both Sandino and the Contras received arms smuggled in from abroad,…

  • Awas & Raiti Pura

    Caribbean Coast

    Take the path opposite the church due west along the paved road through the savanna and, after 30 minutes, you will reach the humble Miskito fishing…

  • Wild Cane Key

    Caribbean Coast

    This large island with a long and spectacular beach once hosted the family paradise of a young New Zealand millionaire. However, following a series of…

  • Reserva Natural Kahka Creek

    Caribbean Coast

    This reforestation and ecotourism project near Pueblo Nuevo is set in lush gardens surrounded by jungle. There are a number of hiking trails and a lookout…

  • Crawl Key

    Caribbean Coast

    Pronounced 'Claw Key' by locals, this slender crescent of white sand is covered with soaring coconut palms. It’s also home to an unfinished three-story…

  • Casa Museo Judith Kain

    Caribbean Coast

    Set in the former home of a prolific local painter, this museum provides a window into what it was like to live in Bilwi in the good old days. There are…

  • Tarpon Channel

    Little Corn Island

    One of the best places to see hammerhead sharks in the Caribbean, this excellent intermediate dive site off the eastern side of Little Corn is a long…

  • Southwest Bay

    Corn Islands

    The most popular beach on Great Corn, Southwest Bay has calmer, more sheltered water than at most other beaches on the island, though the area is more…

  • Grape Key

    Caribbean Coast

    Home to an abandoned hotel, this lovely round island has probably the best swimming in the archipelago, with pure white sand beaches sloping down to deep…

  • Otto Beach

    Little Corn Island

    The island's most popular beach, Otto boasts multicolored waters perfect for swimming and a fun young crowd. Here you'll find the island's fanciest…

  • Moravian Church

    Caribbean Coast

    This large concrete church is Bluefield's most iconic building, constructed to the exact specifications of the 1849 wooden original, which was destroyed…

  • Cocal Beach

    Little Corn Island

    A long stretch of white sand fronted by brilliant turquoise waters. Cocal has lost a lot of its mass through erosion but is still a fine place for a…

  • Iguana Beach

    Little Corn Island

    Really just the southern extension of Cocal Beach, Iguana boasts a solid stretch of sand as it is protected by the headland.

  • Rama Cay

    Caribbean Coast

    This tiny and rocky barbell-shaped island 15km southeast of Bluefields is the de facto capital of the Rama nation. Dotted with coconut and banana palms…

  • Virgen de Cuapa Santuario

    Caribbean Coast

    Most visitors to Cuapa come with the purpose of making a pilgrimage to this porcelain statue holding flowers in her hands, located at the entrance to town…

  • Reserva Silvestre Greenfields

    Caribbean Coast

    This privately managed, 284-hectare wildlife reserve near the village of Kukra Hill has tracts of both mangroves and jungle, and offers a variety of…

  • Parque Arqueológico Piedras Pintadas

    Caribbean Coast

    Here you'll find hundreds of petroglyphs carved into the mossy boulders, including deer, snakes, turtles, crocodiles and spirals, set among rolling green…

  • El Bluff

    Caribbean Coast

    Across the bay, the port of El Bluff is nestled at the point of a long sliver of land where the Caribbean Sea rushes into Bahía de Bluefields. There is…

  • Reserva Hídrica Municipal La Chorrera

    Caribbean Coast

    A community-run nature reserve designed to protect the town's water supplies, this innovative project has a number of hikes marked out, including the four…

  • Sitio Arqueologico La Laguna

    Caribbean Coast

    Around 10km from Boaco, this archaeological site is only just beginning to be investigated and features a number of petroglyphs in stones scattered around…

  • Mercado

    Caribbean Coast

    Spilling out from a dank warehouse perched on a public pier, the local market is packed with small stands displaying pineapple, banana, citrus and casaba…

  • El Monolito de Cuapa

    Caribbean Coast

    A massive stone monolith that rises from a hillside savanna outside Cuapa. If you walk from town, it will take about two hours to reach the peak…

  • Lighthouse

    Little Corn Island

    Little Corn's lighthouse is actually a metal tower that doesn't emit any light these days, but it does offer fine panoramas of the island and is a dreamy…

  • Quinn Hill

    Corn Islands

    This remote hillside is where Spanish artist Rafael Trénor has installed a cube (the lower half is buried to make it look like a pyramid) symbolizing one…

  • Cueva Santo Domingo

    Caribbean Coast

    A tough 4km hike from town, this cave is an old Sandinista stronghold with many petroglyphs left by the previous indigenous residents. It's not well…

  • Mercado Municipal

    Caribbean Coast

    This ramshackle collection of stalls selling ripe produce, traditional fried-fish breakfasts and sweet, savory rundown (seasoned fish or meat cooked in…

  • Mount Pleasant

    Corn Islands

    Walk up the dirt trail behind the Sunrise Hotel in South End past the banana groves and you will be rewarded with panoramic views from Mt Pleasant,…

  • Parque Palo Solo

    Caribbean Coast

    This rather lovely, beautifully tended and shady park is where couples come to whisper, cuddle and kiss beneath palm and ficus trees, and absorb a truly…

  • Catholic Church

    Caribbean Coast

    The renovated town church, about two blocks downriver from the dock, is not an architectural classic but has stained-glass windows and a neon cross. It…

  • Big Fowl House Beach

    Little Corn Island

    An easy but unmarked walk through the bush leads to this fine secluded cove. Pass the former Casa Iguana and turn left where you see a small blue hut,…

  • Malecón de Santa Rosa

    Caribbean Coast

    This waterfront area on the way to the airport offers views across Bluefields Bay and is a popular gathering place for families. It also pulls a crowd for…

  • La Loma

    Caribbean Coast

    It's possible to climb this hill on the edge of town for good views of the local rivers, but you'll need to navigate the poor neighborhoods that surround…

  • Catholic Church & Clock Tower

    Caribbean Coast

    A modern white-and-green Catholic church that is more or less open to the elements. It also has an impressive matching clock tower.