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

Last Updated 13 hours in the past

I’m simply over midway by means of a Central American journey, after beginning in Panama and dealing my approach 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 scripting this from the completely beautiful Antiqua, Guatemala) one nation has stood out as an sudden 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 every thing 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 hearken to the misguided warnings and that I used to be capable of spend a month traversing my approach 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 you need to add to your journey plans this 12 months.

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

The Safety

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

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

That being mentioned, I wouldn’t stroll round many locations after darkish, however I wouldn’t do that in most nations immediately. Some research have proven that Nicaragua has a decrease crime charge than its rather more in style neighbor of Costa Rica (one other nation I by no means felt unsafe in).

Top 5 Travel Insurance Plans For 2023 Starting At $10 Per Week

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 following, you will note this firsthand.

There is lots of poverty right here, though from what I noticed, it was principally 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, principally on account of restricted healthcare availability and poor regulation enforcement points.

As a traveler, for those who keep in the principle vacationer areas reminiscent of San Juan Del Sur, Granada, Ometepe Island, Leon, and the Corn Islands, you have to be high-quality, though I’d completely carry medical health 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 positive has… properly, lots 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 outdoors Granada, the place you may 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 this planet you may 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 in all places you flip. The birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, and every thing 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 greater 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 interesting birds I noticed in Nicaragua actually gave Costa Rica a run for its cash.

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 chuckle 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 shiny shade, one after the following.

The complete metropolis of Granada, for instance, appears 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 positively miss when this journey is finished.

The Beaches

Let me get this out of the way in which proper now; I’m under no circumstances a surfer. I’m rather more of a let’s seize a drink and watch the sundown type of traveler.

That being mentioned, I do admire 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 means of 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 would presumably get by means of, 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 will discover one other in style 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 on account of time, they’re positively on my radar for an additional go to.

The Ease Of Travel

Before this journey, I had lots of reservations about touring round Central America. I used to be not sure if it will be simple to navigate the transportation and the way 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 may be as simple or as low-cost as you make it.

Chicken busses join your complete sub-continent roughly and oftentimes price lower than a cup of espresso.

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

Where any customer will probably wish to go in Nicaragua is properly linked by transportation, and shuttle busses usually price lower than $30 an individual, with door-to-door drop-off.

It’s price noting that non-public drivers can be fairly low-cost right here as properly, and I used them a number of instances after I couldn’t make shuttle instances on account of work. The finest tip is to get a card from one you want and maintain utilizing them.

Undiscovered Gem

One factor that basically stunned me in Nicaragua (and in El Salvador as properly) is the variety of vacationers it appears to obtain. Now, there have been vacationers in all places we went; sure, this nation is just not a secret anymore, and other people do come right here.

@itsvivslifee Nicaragua – the land of lakes & volcanoes🌿🤍 #visitnicaragua #nicaraguatravel #travelnicaragua #nicaragua #volcano #traveltiktok #travelbucketlist #nicaraguatiktoks #visitcentralamerica #centralamerica ♬ video games – favsoundds

However, what did shock me was the place these vacationers have been coming from. In my month of assembly individuals, 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 may 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 achieve this fascinating vacation spot.

Additionally, Nicaraguans may 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 wish 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 bear in mind to look each methods for the quite a few horse and buggies that zip round these streets all hours of the day.

The Price-tag

Going into this journey, I knew some counties in Central America could be cheaper than others. For instance, I used to be ready for Costa Rica and Panama to be extra expensive than Nicaragua and El Salvador.

And but, simply how cheaply you would get by in Nicaragua nonetheless stunned me.

Now, some places positively price 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 attainable to search out lodging on the otherworldly island of Ometepe for subsequent to nothing, and Granada additionally has many low-cost choices accessible.

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