Traveling to Nicaragua in January. What should I know?
December 3, 2010 7:13 AM Subscribe
Traveling to Nicaragua in January. What should I know?
Tips, hints, advice, hacks for first-time traveler to Nicaragua?
Tips, hints, advice, hacks for first-time traveler to Nicaragua?
You don't list your travel experience, or what cities you are visiting, but here are some observations.
The police are corrupt. If you travel on roads between cities, you may be stopped by traffic police who will look for bribes if you don't have your full documentation.
Negotiate rates with taxies before you enter. Also, you will have to indicate if you want the taxi just for yourself, otherwise the driver may pick up others.
You will find many ex-pats, and also many Nicaraguans who have lived in the states. The latter will be friendly, perhaps too much so.
There are some very good restaurants near to the major shopping malls in Managua.
Go see the volcanoes.
Nicaragua is a very poor country, and while the majority of people are nice and friendly, do not ever think you are in a safe environment. If you feel suspicious about something or someone, then don't take the chance.
In the end, I recommend you go to Trip Advisor and read in the forums there for more travel advice.
posted by eas98 at 9:20 AM on December 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
The police are corrupt. If you travel on roads between cities, you may be stopped by traffic police who will look for bribes if you don't have your full documentation.
Negotiate rates with taxies before you enter. Also, you will have to indicate if you want the taxi just for yourself, otherwise the driver may pick up others.
You will find many ex-pats, and also many Nicaraguans who have lived in the states. The latter will be friendly, perhaps too much so.
There are some very good restaurants near to the major shopping malls in Managua.
Go see the volcanoes.
Nicaragua is a very poor country, and while the majority of people are nice and friendly, do not ever think you are in a safe environment. If you feel suspicious about something or someone, then don't take the chance.
In the end, I recommend you go to Trip Advisor and read in the forums there for more travel advice.
posted by eas98 at 9:20 AM on December 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
If you want to step away from the tourist trail, head as fast as you can to Matagalpa in the north. It was -- hands down -- my favorite part of Nicaragua. It helps if you speak a little Spanish, since I found English to be pretty rare up there. Just a couple of highlights:
If you're a guy, you have to see Vidal Castro for a haircut. The best haircut I've ever had, and for $4, you can't really go wrong!
Matagalpa Tours runs some great tours with English speaking guides. Toured a small coffee farm with them and had a great time. The family who owned the farm even invited us into their home for some fresh picked and roasted coffee.
Don't forget to bring home some of their famous ceramica negra (black ceramics). Apparently, it's indigenous to that area.
There's a buffet owend by a former Nicaraguan professional baseball player. I forget the name, but I stuffed my face there. It's not great food, but it's A LOT of food... and a fun place to grab a bite.
posted by kmtiszen at 12:09 PM on December 3, 2010
If you're a guy, you have to see Vidal Castro for a haircut. The best haircut I've ever had, and for $4, you can't really go wrong!
Matagalpa Tours runs some great tours with English speaking guides. Toured a small coffee farm with them and had a great time. The family who owned the farm even invited us into their home for some fresh picked and roasted coffee.
Don't forget to bring home some of their famous ceramica negra (black ceramics). Apparently, it's indigenous to that area.
There's a buffet owend by a former Nicaraguan professional baseball player. I forget the name, but I stuffed my face there. It's not great food, but it's A LOT of food... and a fun place to grab a bite.
posted by kmtiszen at 12:09 PM on December 3, 2010
Did a fun, though low-end zip-line trip up the mountains close to Granada. Coming back into town, our mini-van packed with about 10 turistas, was squeezing through a crowded little alley when a guy with a table on his shoulders banged into us, shattering the mini-van's window. No one was hurt, there was a lot of screaming and shouting, but all was okay.
Loved Granada overall. I did a short massage with the blind guys near the main plaza which was quite an experience. Great and cheap pizzas in Nicaragua! Look for wood-fired pizza places.
Took ferry to Ometepe. My least favorite part of the trip. Very windy, the lake was brown and dirty, hotel over-priced and didn't really see or do much there.
Finally, we hopped over to Corn Island. Daily lobster lunches for about $6, cheap beer, beautiful quiet beaches. Stayed in a run down little hotel on the beach for $60 / night, dogs running around, trashy streets, but still enjoyed it.
posted by HeyAllie at 12:45 PM on December 3, 2010
Loved Granada overall. I did a short massage with the blind guys near the main plaza which was quite an experience. Great and cheap pizzas in Nicaragua! Look for wood-fired pizza places.
Took ferry to Ometepe. My least favorite part of the trip. Very windy, the lake was brown and dirty, hotel over-priced and didn't really see or do much there.
Finally, we hopped over to Corn Island. Daily lobster lunches for about $6, cheap beer, beautiful quiet beaches. Stayed in a run down little hotel on the beach for $60 / night, dogs running around, trashy streets, but still enjoyed it.
posted by HeyAllie at 12:45 PM on December 3, 2010
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From there I took a day trip to Managua and that was just really odd. The old downtown is vacant lots and parking lots. The streets were deserted but then the museum (in the old Presidential Palace) was closed that day. The cathedral that "withstood" the earthquake is still more or less standing--too dangerous to enter--and is an impressive ruin.
Less than a mile away, the city picks up again and with all the malls, it looks a bit like southern California.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 9:11 AM on December 3, 2010 [1 favorite]