Leon: Tortuga Booluda or Via Via?

Via Via has good live music but when ever i was in leon I always stayed at bigfoot. the owners are really nice and so are the people that work there.

I would say definitly Via Via!!!
I've been there for a month now and I can't leave that place! It been newly renoved, the staff is great, the place is always extra clean, the ambiance is relax, the privates rooms are very nice!!! The restaurant serve good and cheap food. And, because it's always full, you always meet nice people! Also, in the Via Via, there is a great tour agency called "El Forro" that organise wonderful socio-cultural tour in and around León! A good way to get in the local culture and meet nice Nicas!

Also, I heard bad stuff about the Bigfoot... but anyway, I recommand you at 100% the Via Via! It's the best hostel were I've been since years of travelling!

during my fourth month stay in nicaragua i frequented bigfoot quite a bit and I just wanted to say that the staff is great. no, bigfoot is not owned by nicarguans but i don't believe via via is as well. so yeah, you should check it out. also volcano boarding is dangerous and but so were a lot of the hikes i went on. you just have to be smart and use common sense. have fun were ever you decide to stay

Tortuga boluda is def better than both via via and bigfoot, having stayed at all 3 (in my opinion), its true that via via has been recently renovated and is quite nice. It does depend on what you want to do, if you are up for a party with a million other tourists every night then bigfoot is the place to be, tortuga boluda has a much more chilled atmosphere, great staff, lovely rooms, amazing library, i met loads of wicked people when i stayed.

Bigfoot and Via Via Hostel

We regret that people are spreading wrong and/or tendentious information about hostels and tour companies in Leon. Via Via and Bigfoot both are offering services to travellers with different needs and wants. As we are situated in the same street, some backpackers like to compare these two businesses as competition.

What some backpackers don't understand is that neither Bigfoot & Via Via can serve 100% of the expectations of all backpackers. Every backpacker is different and our common goal between our hostels is to facilitate all backpackers. Some backpackers will like Via Via and some will like Bigfoot. We know that, so please let it be.

Also we want to point out that "helping the communities" can be misunderstood. The profit of these excursions and tours that we offer in Via Via and Bigfoot does not go to the local people. Working together with local communities is a daily reality for Bigfoot and Via Via . Our businesses employ Nicaraguan staff, giving money to their families and providing job security.

We, the management of Via Via and Bigfoot, want to distance ourselves from this internet discussion. We are confident that Bigfoot and Via Via can offer a wide range of services to fulfill the expectations of the ever changing backerpacker market.

Via Via & Bigfoot

Veronie & Bart, Darryn & Kim