Sun, sea and sand in Nicaragua

March 2, 2008 1:25 PM

Where should I spend a day swimming and chilling near Managua, Nicaragua?

I'm travelling to Managua with work next Saturday. I arrive early afternoon and don't have to be in the office until Monday. As I'm escaping the northern hemisphere winter I'd like to spend the Sunday by a nice pool or beach drinking beer. I'm not really bothered about sightseeing.

Where's the best place to go for a relaxing day trip? How should I get there?

posted by TrashyRambo to travel & transportation (7 comments total)

Laguna de Apoyo. Bus.
posted by kittyprecious at 2:21 PM on March 2, 2008

[pedantic tangent] You'll still be in the Northern hemisphere. 12 degrees north of the equator.
posted by winston at 2:42 PM on March 2, 2008

[pedantic tangent] You'll still be in the Northern hemisphere. 12 degrees north of the equator.

True. But its currently 88F in Managua so I'm definitely escaping the northern hemisphere winter. And it's not actually winter anywhere any more as we're in March
posted by TrashyRambo at 4:56 PM on March 2, 2008

it's currently
posted by TrashyRambo at 5:02 PM on March 2, 2008

I don't really what Winston is getting at, but from personal experience I can tell you that March is the hottest, driest, and dustiest month of the year in Nicaragua.

If you're up for a little longer of a trip, I'd recommend heading south to San Juan del Sur- there are several pleasant restaurants and bars right along the beach. You can take a bus or rent a car. If you do take a bus, try to catch an Express- otherwise, you'll be stopping every half mile the whole way.
posted by emd3737 at 7:52 PM on March 2, 2008

Since the OP only has a day, I think San Juan isn't the best choice--it's not exactly nearby (and honestly, I found it to be a pretty crappy resort town and the beach itself is mediocre).
posted by kittyprecious at 9:38 PM on March 2, 2008

I second Laguna de Apoyo. That's your best bet if you only have time for a short trip. You can take a bus to Masaya and then a taxi the rest of the way (or a taxi the whole way if you're not on a budget.) I stayed overnight several times at The Monkey Hut, but it's also good for day trips. Bring a lunch.
posted by xbalto at 11:34 PM on March 2, 2008