Is Nicaragua as dangerous as the US State Dep't. website claims???

Hello,

I have lived and traveled (usually solo) all over the world, including in many developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America--plus I live in a high-crime city in the USA (Washington, DC), where I've had no trouble whatsoever. Yet suddenly I am FREAKED OUT, having just been stupid enough to read the US State Dep't. info on Nicaragua--a country I assumed would be safer than, say, Guatemala, which I visited solo two years ago (and where I had NO problem). Yet the site describes violent crime in great detail, and in particular when arriving at night at the airport in Managua. I had planned on arriving there (solo, of course) at 9 PM on Feb. 9th and heading directly to Granada--though this very highway is described as VERY dangerous in the State Dep't. info. The State Dep't. also strongly warns against walking (or taking most cabs), against traveling to and from San Juan del Sur, against just about everything I wanted to do.

Hey! Reality check, please! Is the State Dept's description a bit over the top, aimed at naive gringos who have never left Kansas? Or should I really rethink my plans to travel alone in Nicaragua for three weeks in February (I am 51, for what that's worth, and speak decent Spanish)?

PLEASE HELP ASAP since I have less than 24 to get out of my flight reservation without penalty.

Thanks very much.
Hennagaijin82

Just go. Your comments prompted me to read the Canadian government' warnings here, and it doesn't sound any worse than any other Central American country. I'm going, probably on my own, at the end of February and don't expect to have any problems. I'm in Costa Rica right now and have spoken to many Gringos here about going there on my own, and no one seems to think it's particularly dangerous. Have a great trip and maybe let us know what you do and how you like it when you get back.

If you read the US Stae Dept website for Costa Rica, Thailand, or even Italy it would would not be pretty either.

There are few reports of issues overall, and besides the usual cautions for Latin America, its fine.

Costa Rica is a greater risk IMHO.

Little old ladies and church groups go to Granada.

READ the FAQ-

Nicaragua is great, no worries.

Have you the MOON Guidebook? Just read the warnings...

Thanks for the reality check. What does IMHO mean, please?

Yes, I did wonder what the State Dep't. would have to say about living in my DC 'hood, ha ha ha........

Hennagaijin82

Hi again, SoloHobo. I looked for the Moon guide today, but all they had at the local Borders was the Lonely Planet--so I bought it. I must have 40 of them already and have never had any real complaints (on the contrary), but THIS guide is absolutely horribly-written, to the extent that at times I'm not quite sure what the author (who is trying WAY too hard to be clever and adorable) is attempting to say. Do you recommend the Moon? If so, I'll look for it.

Anybody have a hotel recommendation in Managua, or recommendations on how to get there after 10 PM? I guess I won't try to get a bus to Granada after all.... Will wait until the next day.

Hennagaijin82

Arrange a Paxeo to Granada

Read the Trip reports around post 40 in the FAQ at top.

yes, Moon is excellent.

In my Humble Opinion

IMHO

Thats a understatement.

God, the USA has to be 10000000 times more violent than Nicaragua.

The State Dept ismore dangerous than the Nicaraguans!!

You COME from D.C. and you believe the B.S. they spout? Anyway, I think you'll be fine. My wife and I travelled around for a month by public transport and never had a problem. Loved it. Getting in that late , think about staying at the Best Western across the street from the airport. A little pricey but very convenient.

Probably easiest to stay at the Best Western that late.
I like the Footprint guide!

No, theyre just making all that s_ t up. Its as safe as Disney - F _ _ -ing Land!

I started to have similar reservations after I booked my ticket and I saw the same State Department info. I am glad that I went anyway!! I felt safe in Nicaragua. I arrived around 9 PM too on a Friday night and I was very glad that I had arranged a shuttle through Paxeos to Granada through that night.

If you are looking for the Moon handbook be sure and get the September 08 release.

If you have time, just order the Moon book from Amazon. I am not sure when my last trip with an LP book was, maybe 3 years ago. Not that Moon/RG/Bradt are perfect, but it's good to have alternatives for a few reasons, not the least of which is exploring different hotels & restaurants but also to read different opinions/options.

I went alone--only a 5-day trip to Leon because it was actually not a trip I'd planned to take--and most people think I'm in my early 20s. Felt very safe, and wished my Spanish were better because people want to chat.

As long as you aren´t a total moron, you should be OK. There are plenty of dumb travelers here to keep any would-be thiefs busy.

Edited by: electric_lady

I just returned 4 days ago from a month in Nicaragua. It is a very safe country. I never once felt in danger, even in Managua which is no more dangerous than any other big city in the world, just use your commonsense! The only frustrating thing was my terrible Spanish! Still the people are very patient, very friendly and eager to help. So no need to worry about the safety issues there. Oh and I am a female traveling alone (tall and blonde) and there was never any advances from the men other than an interesting stare and the odd comment (which I mostly didn't understand! :).

As for the Moon guide..actually I ended up traveling with the Moon and LP (long story). The LP, although an older addition had a lot more information regarding bus times etc, the Moon is crap in this regard, there is virtually no or little info regarding buses etc. The moon has good maps, LP a close second. Moon, of course has more up to date info and more general info as it's a much bigger book and a later addition. They both have their strong points, just depends what is important to you.

Oh and I agree with Electric Lady..plenty of dumb travelers out there...just don't be one yourself and you will be fine!

Sailbird said: "there was never any advances from the men other than an interesting stare and the odd comment (which I mostly didn't understand! :). "

you didnt miss much:)

My buddy that is driving from USA to Argentina in a VW Bug, said once he left Honduras, Nicaragua felt like a country club, and he put his guard, almost all the way down.

Thank you, everyone. I was in Honduras in 2003 and never felt in danger there, nor (solo) in Guatemala or Panama. Or Mexico. Or in various other places which are considered dangerous (the Central African Republic).... So I guess I shouldn't have read the US State Dept's info sheet! (But it's true about all the pea-brained travelers. A friend of mine knows somebody who handed over all his money to strangers in Italy. Why? They said they were money inspectors!)

I decided to spend my first night in Managua (I get in at 9 PM and was planning to go directly to Granada, but this way I'll also get to enjoy the view in daylight the next day). Have booked a room at Hotel La Pyramide, which looks very nice (online recommendations). Can anybody recommend a good place in Granada and Leon?

If anyone has any other Nicaragua travel tips (do and don't), I'd be very happy to hear them!

Muchas gracias.

Hennagaijin82

That's about 3 blocks from where I live, walking distance to Zona Hippo, the bar/restaurant area!
There are numerous options in Granada, what's your budget?
In Leon, definitely Lazy Bones!

Henna: Don't worry. Go to Nicaragua; you'll love it. I'm female and travelled solo for 3 weeks in December. Paxeos is a reliable shuttle service. I used Paxeos, also took buses and taxis. I asked lots of questions; ask locals re: prices and/or routes. You will find Nicaraguans and other travellers helpful as well. Enjoy.

Hi, thenicaraguablog. I want a well-located, not-noisy place--preferably something with a bit of local flavor. Prefer private bath though I have done without on many occasions (hey,I'm 51, not 21....). I prefer cheaper rather than more expensive, of course, but can spend more if necessary. For me, over $30 US is getting out of my comfort level, I guess. --Is this reasonable in Nicaragua? Please advise. Thank you.... Also, what about accommodation elsewhere in the country? Is it worth going over to the Caribbean side (I'll be there from the evening of Feb. 9 until the morning of the 28th)? Is the market in Masaya as good as markets elsewhere in Latin America? How about beaches? How do most people get around--by bus? Or plane? I won't rent a car by myself, that much I know.

Thanks....

Thanks, travelbo8. Glad to hear it. I do like blabbing with people in my gringified Spanish; will look forward to that. Bloody US State Dep't. is trying to scare people away (I read their pages on Guate and Mexico, and of course I've done everything they warn against on many occasions, with no problems whatsoever).

Hennagaijin82

The State Department wants to give all possible information about a country. If you read their desciptions of Spain and Italy, you'd be a little nervous going there. Be most aware of the countries that are on the "travel warmings" list as those are likely to be very dangerous. Nicaragua definately requires you to be careful. It mostly comes down to where you go and how you conduct yourself.

Well, Hotel Terrasol is US$35 and very nice, you might get them down to US$30 if you stay for 3 nights or more and pay cash.
Hotel Oasis is popular with backpackers, rooms slighlty less the last I heard.
Corn Islands are lovely, you need a flight from Managua to get there.
There are 2 markets in Masaya, the old market and the 'new market. The old one is for the tourists, the new ne is more like a Central American market, bit rougher round the edges, safe but keep your wallet in your front pocket. They have more stuff and it's cheaper.
The biggest market in Central America is Mercado Oriental in Managua, but I wouldn't recommend it for visitors.
Every city/large town has expresso or UCA buses that are go direct between points, cheap, reliable and safe, though try to avoid travelling after dark, it's common to see taxis etc with lights off on the road.
You should also look at visiting the following:

ESTELI & MIRAFLOR RESERVE
LEON
MATAGALPA & SELVA NEGRA
ISLA DE OMETEPE

HERE are my favorite beaches in Nicaragua.

Edited by: thenicaraguablog

Thanks, nicaraguablog; very useful info. Lovely photos, too. Upload more if you feel so inclined! (I travel for artesania/markets, people/anthropology, scenery, and the chance to talk to people in their language wherever possible.)

Thanks, glad you liked them.
I just got a new camera, been stuck in Managua for a while but I'll be venturing out soon.
You'll have lots of good photo opportunities here that's for sure!

Safe. Absolutely safe. Crimes of opportunity and some mugging if you are a dumbass (or just naive) or a drunk who walks around alone late at night. Heard some pretty scary stories about Managua, but that's about it. Never felt even uneasy except for one late night, my friend and I were walking to get something to eat near the market in Granada, a sort of sketchy guy comes to "help" us find a pulperia. I was sure he was going to pull a knife or something. Nope, he really just wanted to help the gringos. I feel a lot worse off going through the bad parts of my town in the U.S.A.

There was actually a "travel alert" for the entire country when I went, because of a few protests that got out of hand.

I honestly think they should scale back their warnings to more accurately reflect the security situation. There really are some dangerous places in the world, and calling Nicaragua dangerous is a "crying wolf" type situation.

Nicaragua is regularly quoted as being "the safest country in Central America." Anyone know where that comes from, who's stats? Compared to what I hear about El Salvador and Guatemala and what I know if Nicaragua, it definitely seems true. There is also an interesting posting on the NicaLiving site discussing why Nicaragua is safer than Costa Rica, but I can't find it right now.

I took a taxi from the airport to Huembes market and there connected to Granada. Huembes is closer to the airport, thus a cheaper taxi ride, than to UCA, and has excellent street food vendors.
IN Granada I used HOSPEDAJE COCIBOLCA, "Su Hogar Fuera de Casa" (from my souvenir bar of soap) near the plaza. I think we have the same preferences in accommodations.
If you have that much time I recommend Corn Islands via land. I was on Grande and stayed in Casa Blanca, which is on the beach and about as basic as you can get. I heard that the land leg of the transit wasnt that great of a drag.

Now I'd love to hear what a different perspective you'd all get from people who happened to have had a problem there; those people, and they're legion, are clearly not represented here. They are, however, represented in the statistics of the State Dept, and thus, the grim warnings. It's a numbers game, and when it's your time, it's no fun and we've seen their posts here on the TT. They, too, like the State Dept, get poo-poohed here.
Like many, I've never had a problem personally in Nicaragua, but I've heard enough first hand reports from fellow travellers, both green and experienced, to know that one needn't be a "dumbass" or "naive" to be assaulted there. It can just happen, and it can change the kinds of opinions I'm reading here, quickly... Yes, go and enjoy, but be careful and do your homework. Punto.

hey Pedro, so you don't get assaulted in States then?
or mugged?
or shot?
or machine gunned by teens in your school?
or stabbed ?
or run over by drunk drivers?
funny cos i watch the US news here and its murder inc every day and night!!!
here maybe once every few months, almost always in the barrios!!
was it the State Dept that warned about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq??
just wondered, cos obviously US government statistics are completely true usually.

Stats on crime is all related to population, a per capita index.

There is more petty crimes in the capitols and major cities againt foreigners in this region, but overall, unless you wonder into a barrio that

As long as you dont wonder into gang infested and poverty from end to end, the odds of a issue for a foreigner is no greater risk to me than the USA.

Knowing where not to go, and what not to do, in CA, is asimportant as where to go and the must see. Always ask the hotel/lodge about safety.

Nightime presents the greatest risk, gee, imagine that!

I was far more intimidated getting lost in Naples Italy than in San Jose Costa Rica, thats for damn sure.

Yeah, been assaulted in Manhattan, close call in Boston once, but we're talking about the relative safety issues in CA, and the fact that many people on here sound like they're in the tourism industry the way they try to downplay the potential dangers in CA (granted, while the State Dept over plays it) solely because they've been fortunate enough to never have a problem like the majority of travellers. Humorously, they generally attribute this to their savvy travelling skills, whereas more often than not it's been plain dumb luck.
Funny you mention schools, I turned down a pretty good gig in a middle school in the Springfield area because of the metal detectors and the gangs, etc. Glock-toting 12 year olds.... What an environment to teach in!

I'm not trying to downplay it,.
It's just that people here get fed up with the 'image' that this is a dangerous, poor country.
It is poor, but I feel safer here than in Costa Rica where I lived for 3 years where almost every day I had friends locals and ex-pats robbed.
You need to be aware, but not paranoid and most people here that I've heard of that got robbed by being stupid.
Like, walking around Managua in bad areas!!
Just like in the States, if you do that, you're probably going to have a problem!
A poster recently here got mugged in an area that Lonely Planet warns against and any hotel here would tell you was a bad area.
We know the street here as 'anything goes' its brothels etc, so he walks round there with his kids!!!!!????
The thing about common sense is it's not that common!!
Ask at your hotel, if in doubt get a taxi.

Yes, very true, many people get in trouble due to lack of street smarts, but some of the most veteran travellers I know have fallen victim, too. Worst incident I had was in Guatemala when the Nike knock-offs that I had in my hotel room were snitched by the girl who cleaned the room.... I agree about the CR comparison, I felt much safer in Nica. I spent 40 days in San Jose doing a Celta course once and of the 15 of us in the course it was amazing how many came to school with reports of muggings, etc. I also tempted fate ridiculously when I used to drink a lot back in the bad old days: I purposely went where you're not supposed to go, and often! I've seen a lot of violence all around me in Guatemala and Honduras, too. Life is cheaper down there in many respects, it just is

it is, but its nowhere near as bad here as in any of those countries!
Part of the reason I left CR was because of the crime, a lot of it with guns!

Well I have been on this LP TT branch for 7 years, and bottom line is, the reports of assualts/robberies of a tourist in Nicaragua average about 4 per year....and lot of that was Corn islands before they cleaned up the issues.

Nicaragua, is great destination and I consider it as safe as anywhere in USA.

East St Louis, Compton LA and Spanish Harlem offer far more risk.

Getting back to the practical and away from the philosophical, somebody recommended Hotel Terrasol. Where is it, please (in what city)?

Which of the Corn Islands do people prefer?

Guess it's all relative to what one is used to when it comes to matters of safety, street smarts, etc. I actually lived and worked in NYC's Spanish Harlem for more than a decade; figured if I could survive there I'd make it anywhere throughout my travels, and have probably taken far more risks than the average person. (and Pedro, I was brutally mugged/stabbed/robbed by four of those 'middle schoolers' you spoke of, two blocks from the old Yankee stadium in South Bronx.)

I'm drawn to larger cities; especially when traveling and have been fortunate - so far. While I'd like to think that comes from a sense of street smarts and general awareness, I also won't underestimate luck or an overworked guardian angel.

Hoping to finally visit Nicaragua, maybe as early as this summer despite any U.S. State Dept. warnings. How many of those government officials have been there; at best beyond a diplomatic position? The information from real travelers on these boards is worth more; something even as recent as this. I would have undoubtedly done the 2km walk, thought nothing of it regardless of helpful warnings, and may or not have ended-up another statistic. It's valuable (unfortunate) posts like this that make me stop and think!

State Dept warnings need to be heeded for the fact it alerts you to the possible issues in recent reports to the Embassy there.

If you look at say Turkey? Bali? Bangkok? Even French suburbs (Protest) there are all sorts of risk, but a few ATM bombs in Istanbul or a old Marriott bombing in Bali will not deter the average thrill seeker looking for new culture.

Now getting hung up in Thailands airport fiasco would be a drag!

Lets not forget more US Passports are stolen in Costa Rica than any other country in the world. (Car Break Ins)

Edited by: SoloHobo

Terrasol is close to the cathedral

My experiences with crimes, or people I knew, while living in Nicaragua:
1. Crimes of opportunity
We learned not to leave anything outside unattended. Our hammock and a fish trap were stolen. After that first experience, we kept everything of value in our house and never experienced another problem.
A Peace Corp volunteer had her laptop stolen, but she left it unattended for a short period of time.
A hostel owner befriended a street child and had $4,000 stolen. It was hidden in his sock, in a drawer in his house, and the street child knew where it was located.
2. More violent crimes
A Peace Corp volunteer was dating a local girl and the exboyfriend found them together. The Peace Corp guy's jaw was broken and he had to be flown back to the states for reconstructive surgery.
A business owner was returning from the states with medical supplies for the local children. Their truck was hijacked a few miles from the Managua airport. Their passports were stolen as well as all the medical supplies, computers, luggage, etc. They were left on the side of the road without their vehicle.
A local gay guy was left near death after a severe beating by a local gang.
Eric Volz....we all know what he went through while living in Nicaragua.

Would any of these incidents deter me from returning to Nicaragua? No! Nicaragua is a beautiful country. The majority of the people are gracious, friendly, and spirited. Use common sense and don't let fear overwhelm you. Walk with confidence, understand the culture of crimes of opportunity, and enjoy your trip.

All of those incidents above would happen in NYC, Bangkok or France. Maybe nobody would steal the tarp/hammock, and maybe the street child thing was a set up....how did he know where a sock in a drawer had $4000?

The bandits ona commercial truck can happen in NJ!

I´m a single woman, 63, traveling solo in Nicaragua right now. I´ve been here for more than 2 weeks and have not had one scary moment. In fact, what I´ve found is that some nice Nicas usually come along and take me under their wings. One guy helped me with the border crossing from Costa Rica, a family took me along on a tour of Volcan Mombacho, I always meet nice people on the buses. I think the US State Dept could be called the Department of Fear. Sheesh. This world is full of wonderful people. I´ve had a chance to watch the news a couple of times and it seems like everyone in the US is shooting themselves or each other or their families. Sounds scarier there than here! I´ve been in Granada, which I found to be very polluted, and am now in Esteli, which feels very nice and clean. Everyone here seems pretty reasonable, even if they do look at me as if I just got off a spaceship from Mars.

If you let the State Dept run your life you´ll miss out on a lot of fun. :o)

Good attitude!!
If you're in Esteli, you should MIRAFLOR NATURE RESERVE definitely visit

Nicaragua is a nice country with lot of very nice people, but like anywhere
you can have crime problems, especially if you make poor choices. Use
ATM machines, wear an under clothing money belt, travel in the daytime,
use hotel safe deposit boxes or a Pac-Safe/ Travel-Safe 100, stay out
of high crime areas. be aware of who is behind you or in front of you,
learn to cross the street or walk in the middle of the street if there is
danger. Most victims are people who help the criminals set them up
for a hit.

Unfortunately there is nothing common about common sense.

I just got back from Nicaragua and felt totally safe, although I didn't spend any time in Managua. Don't worry- just use caution as you should traveling anywhere abroad. And yes, the Moon Handbook was the best.

I don't know that it's as dangerous as the State Department site claims, but I can say from firsthand experience that the types of crimes they cite on their page are quite accurately described.

I've always felt the DoS site was a little over the top in terms of frightening people, and I've at times traveled to places they don't advise (northern Ghana under a travel warning, Casamance, DRC, parts of Joburg, and Nigeria.

However the experience my husband and I had in Nicaragua on Jan. 11 has made me slightly more appreciative of their service. We were victims of an "express kidnapping" very similar to those that are outlined on the site. Fortunately we both survived with minimal injuries and made it back to the US the next day, but I'm not going to downplay the dangers that exist.

And before people jump all over me, we're hardly naive, inexperienced travelers. I've lived and worked all over Africa, in refugee camps and war zones. I've backpacked throughout West and southern Africa, India, the Caucasus and South America.

I wouldn't recommend against travel to Nicaragua, we had a fantastic trip aside from the incident on our last day, and I'd love to go back and spend some more time on Ometepe, but some of the flippant "you'll only be a victim if you're stupid" attitudes on this board are a bit much. Bad things happen. They happen in the US, in Europe, and yes in developing countries. And if you're obviously an outsider who is clearly from a wealthier country, no amount of risk avoidance is ultimately going to protect you if someone really wants to rob you. So yes, don't carry valuables, don't wear fancy clothes, etc. But also do read the advisories from the US State department (and Canada, the UK, etc.), there's no harm in being aware of the dangers that are out there, and having a solid understanding of the type of situation we were in and how it would likely play out enabled us to make the right decisions and ultimately survive.

pluralofcow1 - I'm sorry to hear about your misfortune. Could you give us some details about what happened? It would be helpful to others who might encounter a similar situation.

Gracias, mesacrow

"but some of the flippant "you'll only be a victim if you're stupid" attitudes on this board are a bit much. Bad things happen" thank you, very well put... I've been saying this for years on this branch: when it's your time, it's your time, period, no matter how experienced or prepared you think you are

Plural...did your express kidnapping happen on Ometepe Island?

#50

Pluralofcow

I find it odd that you just made first post on the forum, and it happens to be about a "Express Kidnapping" in Nicaragua, yet you have not offered not a single piece of info, nor have you contributed one ounce to the forum afterwords, yet you are so "Traveled".

So please indulge us on your time in Nicaragua.

Why were you there? Where you in a private vehicle? What area were you in? What could you have done differently that would of prevented it? Is your husband doing business there, or your were strictly tourist? Did this happen while you were staying in a hotel? if so, where?

Otherwise, your opinion on this particular thread, is no more than chatter, banter, and at best, a story.

Yeah, Cows, how about some detail? Like, was Waterfrontmary involved?

Waterfront Mary reminds me of Crazy Mary-

Since I moved to Chicago in 1991, this old nutty homeless woman is a fixture on the Goldcoast and Michigan Avenue, she swears and yells at any female walking by, blurting out slut, whore and bitch to complete strangers, young and old alike. Anyone that has lived in downtown Chicago knows here, harmless, but hilarious. When we dont see her for awhile we ask the bar owners and beat cops where she is, and they tend to know the scoop, as we all giver food, clothes and a sometime a good chuckle.

Yes, it was my first post under this name. I used to use the handle "pluralofcow," but it's been a few years since I was on here and I can't access the password (attached to yahoo account that is now shut down). Hence the new name. I used to post on the Africa boards quite frequently, way back before the format switch (largely 2001-2006). I don't know whether those old posts are still accessible, but if you really cared to I'm sure you could way-back-machine your way to them.

I'm sorry you don't believe that this is for real, or think that I'm some kind of a troll. Lovely that you give new posters the benefit of the doubt so readily.

We were not on business, we were tourists. It happened in Masaya/Managua. It was almost to the letter what is described on the State department site, which I is why I thought it important to bring up--given that the subject of this thread is whether the State Dept warnings are to be taken seriously or are exaggerations.

We were on a bus from Rivas to Managua (with plans to disembark at the junction for Masaya and taxi into town). We had planned to take a taxi from Rivas, but the people managing the guesthouse we stayed at in SJDS recommended this route instead.

Anyhow, my husband and I were sitting in different areas of the bus as it was quite crowded. A woman sat down next to him and they got to talking. Apparently she offered that she was from Masaya and would share a taxi with us when we disembarked as she was also headed into the center of town. She was an older woman (50s or so). I was not party to this conversation.

So we exit the bus, and my husband introduces me to her, not really adding much information. A taxi pulls up (legit looking taxi, red plates, etc.). He explains that we've agreed to share a ride...at this point I should have gone with my gut and said no, but since I had no idea what they had discussed I trusted that my husband had better information than I did and got in the car. It played out in the typical manner...more people get in (all women btw), we have to change routes because of an "accident" in Masaya, start heading towards Managua. I know this is headed nowhere good, but what can you do? Eventually the driver pulls a knife, and they drive us around for 1-2 hours pulling money from our bank accounts and then drop us off sans luggage (although they were quite fastidious about making sure we had our passports, credit cards and even our tourist cards so we could leave the country). They left us in a relatively upscale area of Managua where we were quite lucky to find some very kind people who took us to an ICT center where we could call our banks and cancel the cards, and then drove us to the airport (we were flying out the following day, so just checked into the Best Western for the night).

I posted this, because as I noted before I've long been a skeptic and poked fun at State Department warnings. But what happened to us was to the letter what is described on the site.

It's not to say we ought all lock ourselves in our homes. Simply that their warnings are often based in fact, and that having read it and therefore having knowledge of what was unfolding helped me to make the correct decisions in a dangerous situation (i.e. we knew that fighting back was a bad idea as they likely wouldn't harm us, or at least much, and just wanted our money). If we didn't have that information and thought we were about to die...well, we very well may have!

Thanks for the details. I never said you were a troll, just a tad suspicious, as this is the first report. This also happens in the USA, though its not reported.

I hope we hear more from you.

No problem. I know bad things happen everywhere (I live in DC now and read the police report on my phone every morning before I get out of bed). I've been quite lucky to have never been the victim of a crime (even something minor) previously, largely, I believe because I have always been quite cautious and heeded warnings from guidebooks and travelers/colleagues with a lot of experience in my destinations. As a previous poster said, sometimes it's just your time, I suppose :)

I'll try to post here some more, but this was my first trip to Central America, so I'm more likely to be at my old haunt on the Africa board, or on the India board (my latest travel obsession).

Solo (56)
perhaps they are one and the same. did she have an ice pick? another crazy mary has been reported in La Ceiba. There used to be a Scary Mary in my home town in S. Indiana. She drank too much, looked real skanky, was obnoxious.

We were abducted by a crazed medicinal plant man when we lived on Ometepe Island. This is from my journal.
On Thursday, we were abducted by a crazed medicinal plant man and forced to listen to four incomprehensible pages of spells and incantations from the encyclopedia of the magic of witchcraft. An hour later, after a tour of his dusty altar containing a tooth of a cow, a silver dollar, a holographic picture of the last supper, as well as numerous other creepy things, he proudly showed us his 12 inch dagger and a loaded 45 handgun. Then he smoked our bodies with incense and gave us a goody bag filled with 5 lemons, an aloe plant, and samples of his incense with verbal instructions on to how to use everything. The only words we could decipher during the mad ramblings were police, volcano, yoga, vegetarian, God, mother, and erotica. The strangest thing about the whole event was that Ron and I had absolutely no fear of this New Aged Nica. Maybe, it was because I was concentrating on memorizing the title of his book, since I didn’t know what Brujeria meant. Now that I know it means ‘sorcery or witchcraft’ our only salvation is that he liked us well enough to perform a blessing and not a curse. The only thing we know for sure is that on our next trip into town, we’ll choose a different path, one that takes us far away from his house.

Crazy things happen all over the world. We were naive, but learned quickly. We learned later, that the crazed medicinal plant man took his loaded 45 hand gun and a propane tank strapped on his back to the hospital to retrieve his son. He held the loaded gun to the propane tank and told the doctor to release his son immediately or he would blow up the place.

The moral of this story...is you can't be too trusting with strangers. :-)

There are over 12 religions practiced on Ometepe, and witchcraft is not one of them...haha

gypsytoes - I didn't mean to scare you.

I can tell you that there are definitely brujos on Ometepe but I have not encountered anyone there like you describe - sounds more like new age mumbo jumbo. What I encountered is more closely related to ancestral Mayan/Toltec practices.

mesacrow...The crazed medicinal man definitely has some mental health issues...but I think he's harmless. We walked by his house almost everyday and often stopped and had small conversations with him. Every town has a crazy character. However, in Nicaragua, without a full understanding of the language, or the culture, one has to be cautious. Desperate times beget desperate measures. Unfortunately, more violent crimes are happening everyday throughout the world.
On another note...I am fascinated by the ancestral Mayan/Toltec practices. I met women who claimed to turn into monkeys, (Quiederias sp?) and talked with men who claimed that the monkey women beat them up at night. My neighbors described duendes and the Chupa Cabra, and enacted spells to keep them away. I'd like to explore their ancient cultural practices because they are so fascinating to me.

My husband and I just returned from a 3 week trip to Nicaragua and were also victims of the same exact "express kidnapping" scam that is mentioned in this post. We were travelling from Granada to Masaya and were also approached by 2 women on the bus- for all I know it was the same ones! They also took everything, except our passports and left us with 100 cordobas so we could get back into town (now that I think of it, it HAD to be the same people). The reason I feel compelled to write about it here is that there seems to be a denial in terms of the level of current violence in Nicaragua. The State Department site (which I've also felt seems over the top) is actually the only reliable source of information that address the recent increase in crime in the country. Nicaragua has been very safe for travellers for the past 10 years, but after talking with the Granada police and the US embassy in Managua, it is my general impression that during the last year, violent crime has increased considerably. So, I'm only posting here to draw more attention to this potential scam and urge traveller's to inform both the police and the State Dept so there is more awareness out there.
This happened to us about halfway through our trip, and after we got over the initial shock, we decided to stay in Nicaragua and finish our trip. It is a beautiful country, with some lovely people, and great places to explore.

opps- didn't mean to post twice

Edited by: ldarian

I am sorry to hear about this. It seems there are more reports each month in the past year of all sorts of issues concerning robbery and foreigners.I guee this is a direct result of the poor government managing affairs and country sliding further into poverty.

Thanks for you balanced feedback.

I still would not hestitate going to Nica...JUST DONT GET IN TAXIS WITH STRANGERS!