Nicaragua trip report
I recently returned from my trip to Nicaragua. I arrived on the 18th of December and left on the 28th. My trip was cut short by ten days due to an emergency situation back home. I went with my husband and 15 year old daughter. As a tribute to all the people that helped me plan everything, here is my trip report.
General tips and observations;
I brushed my teeth and washed my hands before handling my contact lenses with regular tap water.
I found it was equally easy to use cordobas and US dollars, but be aware of the exchange rate and count your change.
I was amazed that in a country that produces so much and such good coffee, the stores do not serve it!!!
If you do not speak Spanish try to learn at least the basics. English does NOT go a long way in Nicaragua, even in the tourist areas.
Do try to make contact with the locals. I found that the people enhance the experience a hundred-fold. The best topics to initiate conversation were education and, of course, politics. I was amazed at how involved people are in politics.
I loved the people of the country. They are so poor, yet so proud of their heritage. They are not sure if they will have food on their table the next day, yet they do not give up. Meeting and talking to them truly changed me and my outlook for life.
A couple of words of caution: what would be considered animal abuse in the western world is quite common in Nicaragua.
Child begging is also extremely common particularly in the cities. I must confess I had quite a bit of trouble with this.
The idea of not littering is non-existent in the country. Unfortunately there is garbage everywhere.
Managua: I arrived from Toronto via Houston with Continental. There was a five hour delay in Toronto. Thankfully the connecting flight from Houston to Managua was much later in the evening and so I had no problems arriving on time at 23:00. I had booked a room at Maderas Inn in Masaya and had arranged for the owner to pick us up from the airport. I cleared customs in a breeze. The ride from the airport to Masaya via the Tipitapa highway took about 30 minutes. It was very dark, but I could tell that there was vegetation everywhere along the highway.
Masaya: Upon arriving in Maderas Inn I was met by the owner’s family. His daughter runs the place with him and speaks excellent English. The inn itself is a beautiful old house. There is a nice terrace with hammocks where you can relax with a glass of rum and a good book. There is free local coffee in the lobby. The room was basic but really I did not need anything more. The hotel offers breakfast too for USD3.
While in Masaya, I visited the central market, where I found souvenirs for friends back home.
I enjoyed sitting in the central park, where I bought numerous edible treats. Some of them I liked some of them I did not, but hey, it’s all about the experience right? If you do not try, how will you know if you like it or not?
I liked walking the length of the Malecon at the western edge of Masaya. The view of the lake from there is very clear. I found a taxi driver/guide who took me for a tour of the Masaya volcano and the museum located on site for USD20 (for two people). The volcano is active and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting it. I have never seen an active volcano before so it was a unique experience for me.
After spending two nights in Masaya, I was ready to move on to Granada. The owner of the inn was kind enough to drive me to an Esso station nearby, where buses that were Granada bound were driving by every 15 minutes. I got into one of the buses, where I felt like a sardine in a tin can. It was great! I met quite a few people there and had some very interesting conversations about, what else, politics of course!!! My new found friends were kind enough to tell me exactly where I should stop in Granada in order to find a hotel.
Granada: I checked into hotel Terrasol a locally owned hotel. The hotel is in a quiet location and close to the central park. The owners are extremely helpful and they make you feel right at home. The rooms are a bit small but again, since I only need the room for sleeping I did not care. I appreciated the safe in the room, where I could leave my valuables.
I visited Puerto Asese and I could see the Isletas. Unfortunately I did not visit, because my daughter felt sick that day so we just spend the day at the Puerto. That was fine though and I got a chance to try some truly excellent prepared fish at a very reasonable price.
I also visited Laguna de Apoyo. I spent the whole day at Crater’s Edge a Canadian owned hostel, right on the beach. The water in the laguna is very warm and very, very clear. It is a pleasure to swim in it. The hostel recycles and the owner is actively involved into helping the local community.
I went to the Antiguo Convento San Francisco to see the pre-Colombian times museum. I really liked the museum and was there for a good three hours. The chimeric statues are a lot of fun. The place also had a room, where local artists exhibit their work and I enjoyed seeing their paintings.
Finally, I visited Mobacho with Tierra tours. I did the long hike to the volcano and I found it very pleasurable. The vegetation here is very tropical and very thick. Everywhere you turned there was more and more species of plants and insects to see. Once on the top of the volcano, the view is stunning. You can see Las Isletas and also the lakes. Great spot for picture taking, which is exactly what I spent my time doing for a good hour. I also did the cable canopy tour. I highly recommend it, I had a BLAST!!!
After spending four days in Granada, it was time to move on and go to Ometepe. Unfortunately I had to take a private ride to the port at Rivas, because my daughter had fallen victim to food poisoning and we needed to stop frequently for vomit sessions. The ride cost USD60 (ouch!) but such is life. We boarded the Ometepe ferry at 12. The ferry ride was very smooth and offered some stunning views of the volcanoes. It also offered the opportunity to meet some locals and learn about their daily lives and customs.
Ometepe: Once in the port we headed for Merida, where I had reservations at the Hacienda Merida. The ride to the place is grueling. I never thought that 16 km can take an hour and a half to ride! If you are thinking of renting a car, do rent a four wheel drive. The hacienda is located right on the beach and it is magnificent. I cannot say enough good things about the place. The food is prepared from scratch every day and is delicious. There are hammocks everywhere for relaxation. If you are the biking type, there are mountain bikes for rent. Or kayaks if you’d rather take into the water. The view that the place offers is truly out of this world, especially during sunsets.
I visited the San Ramon waterfall. Once there I was surprised at how chilly it was. If you decide to do the hike, take lots of water and food with you. The hike will surely stir your appetite.
I kayaked to the river Istian and I highly recommend it, if you enjoy birds. Stick close to the beach and start as early as possible. The amount of bird species I saw is ridiculous.
I also visited the Ojo de agua and am I glad that I did. The water is so refreshingly cold, I loved it. It is a truly excellent spot for relaxing.
I had a lot of excellent fish in Nicaragua but I feel I have to mention that the best fish was here in Ometepe in two places: one at the biological research station (located at the beginning of the San Ramon hike). The chef was very proud of his kitchen and treated us to a tour. The food was very, very tasty and the price very cheap.
The second place was at Villa Paraiso. I decided to stop here, because I was famished. The fish was just dreamy!! Roasted to perfection and melting in your mouth. The price was a bit high but totally worth it.
At this point my trip was cut short by an emergency and so never got a chance to see the North. Perhaps another traveler will treat us to a trip report.
I really enjoyed my time in Nicaragua. There is not much tourist infrastructure but that is what makes it so special. If you have any questions or you want details about a place do ask. I tried to keep the report as concise as possible.
Happy travels!!
