Nicaragua Safety Tips For Travelling Smooth
Hostel Tadeo San Juan Del Sur
PRICE: Dorms from $12 whilst Privates from $32
Check the latest price on Hostelworld.
Why is it one of the best hostels in Nicaragua?
FAMOUS FOR: Its quiet but has a good-vibe to it. Clean dorm- and bathrooms. Very comfy beds. WiFi is fast and somewhat stable. The included breakfast is tasty and plenty. The staff is very friendly and can provide you with info. Hostel Tadeo is located in quiet street walking distance from all necessary business such as market, pharmacy, and surf board shops. They have free breakfast which is pretty good, nice place to chill out with a little pool. Truly, it is one of the best hostels in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua.
Where To Stay In Managua A Guide To The Capital Of Nicaragua
Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua. Located in the western part of the country, on the south shore of Lake Managua. The Nicaraguan capital is famous for being the most important business hub in the country. In this post, we will discover the best areas to stay in Managua.
Managuas main tourist attractions include the Santiago of Managua Cathedral, Puerto Salvador Allende, Revolution Square, and the Seawall. See accommodation in Managua.
Nature lovers and those traveling with kids will enjoy attractions like Reserva Natural El Chocoyero y El Brujo, Montelimar Beach, Tiscapa Lagoon Natural Reserve, and Xiloa Lagoon.
Like most of the country, Managua has a tropical climate. The city has an almost constant temperature year-round. The rainy season lasts from May to October, while the rest of the year is drier. The best time to visit Managua is during the dry season . During these months, you can enjoy outdoor activities without having to worry about the humid seasons torrential rains.
To get to Managua by air, the city is served by the . Located 10 kilometers east of the City Center, this airport offers regional connections to several destinations in Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean and a handful of international services mainly to US cities.
Managuas public transportation consists of traditional bus lines. That said, the safest way to get around the city is by taxi. You can also choose to rent a cheap car in Managua.
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Elements Hotel Boutique Managua
Elements Hotel Boutique is a small hotel in Managua. Its perfect for travelers who want privacy and pampering, but still want to be close to the beach and nightlife.
The rooms here are very spacious, comfortable, and decorated in a modern style. Theres also a small balcony where you can take in beautiful views of the city. The hotel has an all-day dining restaurant that serves up great international cuisine. There is also a bar where you can order cocktails.
I would recommend checking out Elements Hotel Boutique if youre looking for a relaxing but luxurious stay in Nicaragua.
We’re Stoked To Be Heading Down To Nicaragua With El Camino Travel With Whom We’ll Be Spending Nine Glorious Days Eating Fresh Seafood Surfing Sailing To Secluded Beaches And Rolling Cigars Leading Up To Our Adventures We’re Taking A Look At What Will Soon Be Our Nicaraguan Home
Its easy for Matt Dickinson to name his favorite thing about Nicaragua: the weather. Its beautiful here for twelve months a year, says the founding partner and general manager of Maderas Village. As a native of Toronto, thats huge.
Well off the beaten path and nestled in the Pacific coastal hills of Nicaragua is Maderas, an eco-friendly, open-minded boutique hotel, hostel, and resort all rolled into one. Here, youre just as likely to find a solo traveler taking surf lessons from the local instructors down on the secluded Playa Maderas as you as you an aspiring tech mogul whos taken three weeks out of his schedule to hop a few flights and live in this vibrant, creative community in order to write the first draft of a business plan.
And even the five-minute walk to the Pacific comes in at a close second that is Dickinsons favorite thing about Maderas itself.
You can carry on life here without feeling like youre compromising, he says. This isnt the traditional idea of escaping to paradise. Youre not escaping or trying to get away from anything. What we celebrate here is going away and engaging. And that, to me, is whats exciting not necessarily realizing that you couldnt work from paradise without giving up your real life, but rather that real life could be much, much better.
And the fresh tropical fruit smoothies really dont hurt, either.
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Nicaragua A Green Destination
Still with plenty of unspoiled regions, with coastline on both the Pacific and the Caribbean, Nicaragua has a wide range of landscape. Its a land of simmering volcanoes, tangled rainforests and a scattering of lodges-with-a-conscience that blend jet-setter chic with sustainability.
Its still not a well-oiled tourist machine and at some point youll likely find yourself on a jarring dirt road, but youll also find a warm optimistic vibe and a country teetering between discovery and grit.
Can You Drink The Water In Nicaragua
The water in Nicaragua is allegedly potable and safe to drink.
Many Nicaraguans drink the tap water, but you may get Travellers Diarrhoea if you try.
If you dont feel comfortable, then dont risk drinking from the tap. Stick to bottled water, or bring a refillable bottle and water purification tablets. Boiling water is always the surest way to eliminate harmful organisms.
A Grayl Geopress would also be a great investment as these are quite effective in the field. Seriously, filtered water bottles are the best.
Single-use plastic bottles are a huge threat to Marine Life Be a part of the solution and travel with a filter water bottle.
The GRAYL GEOPRESS water bottle is the ONLY all-in-one filter water bottle setup youll need. Whether you need to purify the water from a hostel sink in Kathmandu or a stream trickle in the Andes, the Geopress has got you covered.
Read our full review of the GRAYL GEOPRESS!
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How To Get To Leon Nicaragua
Leon is at the north of Nicaragua, making it easy to reach by international bus from Guatemala and El Salvador. From within Nicaragua, I recommend shuttle busses.
- Shuttle bus. Its easy to get a shuttle bus from Granada, San Juan del Sur or Managua to Leon Nicaragua. Simply ask at your hotel or one of the travel agencies. Shuttles are air-conditioned, safe and have friendly drivers at least in my experience.
- International busses. Getting to Leon from Guatemala, El Salvador or Costa Rica is also pretty straight-forward. Take one of the international bus lines like Ticabus. We traveled with them through all of Central America and always found them reliable and comfortable.
Granada to Leon. A shuttle from Granada to Leon Nicaragua will cost from $15 per person and the journey takes 2.5 hours.
Managua to Leon. The shuttle bus costs $2 and takes 1.5 hours. Most are air-conditioned and relatively comfortable.
San Juan del Sur to Leon. It costs $25 with shuttle bus and takes about 5.5 hours.
Hold The Keys To Your Own Private Island With 360
The best way to experience the 100-mile-long Lake Nicaragua is by boating between the hundreds of tiny islands along the shores of Granada. Their inhabitants vary from friendly Nicaraguans to howler monkeys. From slightly further afield? Nicky and her husband from distant Cornwall, who came to the region searching for tranquillity and fell in love with the island of El Coyol on holiday in 2012. Today, the pair rent out their beautifully curated villa, which feels like an exclusive home-away-from-home, to those looking to experience the lake from their own private oasis.
Just a 10-minute water taxi from Granada, it takes up the entirety of a sleepy island sleeps up to eight people and includes an infinity pool, yoga platform, and a dedicated river cruiser and kayaks. As for the food, a private chef is on hand to cater local dishes or personal requests when guests take a break from indulging in home-grown mangoes from the trees that line the island, that is. This is island living at its best.
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How To Get To Leon From Granada
We have tried both the local mini-bus and the tourist shuttle to Leon from Granada.
At first we were a little nervous to catch the local bus as we believed it required a taxi transfer between bus terminals in Managua. We subsequently discovered that while the local chicken bus does require a taxi transfer in Managua, the local mini-bus does not.
Visit A Surf Lodge Designed For Interiors Fanatics
Its no surprise that there are an increasing number of surf-focused guesthouses popping up along the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. After all, the waves on the Costa Esmeralda are some of the best in the world similar to those in neighbouring Costa Rica but minus the crowds. Set within lush gardens, the 12-suite beachfront hotel Malibu Poyoyo has to be the most refined surf offering in the country right now offering access to more than 10 untapped, world-class surf breaks within a complimentary 30-minute drive as well as spa treatments, meditation and yoga classes.
La Quinta, the estates sustainable farm, produces fresh organic fruit for guests and the surrounding community make sure to ask its locally trained chefs to whip up some cantina fish tacos and ceviche that spotlight the days home catch too. Try and book the master suite, decorated with local crafts and artisanal tiles. Its outdoor bathroom with a Moroccan-style lounge area and walk-in rain shower will have your Instagram popping.
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Where To Stay In San Juan Del Sur
Casa Oro Eco Hostel: Casa Oro Hostel is the perfect place to stay in San Juan del Sur for anyone on a budget. The hostel has a central location, offers surfboard lessons and rentals, shuttles to all the beaches, and a restaurant and bar. You can book Casa Ora on Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Nuestra Casa: For a quiet, comfortable hotel that wont break the bank, Nuestra Casa is a great option. The hotel has a small pool, great reviews, and is only a few blocks from the beach. You cant ask for much more without choosing a luxury stay.
Hacienda & Ecolodge Morgans Rock: If you are after a luxury stay then you cant beat this small boutique hotel. They specialize in bungalows some with private pools overlooking the ocean. Although located 7 kilometers out of San Juan del Sur, youll have an almost private beach all to yourself!
Is Nicaragua Safe To Live
Many ex-pats end up living in Nicaragua. Its safer than its neighbours, has a generally laid-back lifestyle, low cost of living, good food, and some amazing natural landscapes. If anything, its becoming an increasingly popular destination for ex-pats but there are aspects that mean Nicaragua is not safe to live in.
Youll still be targeted like any other travelling gringo that means petty theft and scams are still things to look out for. Trying your best to blend in, not being flashy, not shouting around in English these things will help you live more easily in Nicaragua.
Learning Spanish is a must. Even if its just a little bit, learning the local language will help you get around.
The urban infrastructure is inhibited greatly by the unrest. Theres often a shortage of fuel, frequent power outages, somewhat limited food supplies, and a heavily censored media. When theres a big confrontation the internet gets shut off, the roads are blocked, and the paramilitary presence increases greatly. At this point, protests and even looting are usually on deck.
Living in Nicaragua, youll have to be ok with this instability. Living in Nicaragua has its pros and cons.
If you want to know more about the current situation, you really should do your research. At the end of the day, I wouldnt say living in Nicaragua is safe but you may be of a different mind.
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Which Area Should I Stay On Ometepe Island
If you have been browsing on Hostelworld or Booking.com you wouldve noticed that accommodation options are spread out over the entire island.
It is important to know that although the island looks small on a map, it is actually very large and takes a long time to get around. It is important to choose the area wisely so you get the most out of your trip and dont spend all of your time getting around. Believe me, there are a ton of fun things to do in Ometepe!
With so many options how do you know which area is best in terms of where to stay in Ometepe?
To me, it depends on what you are looking for but basically, there are a couple of options: either stay in the main town of Moyogalpa, stay in the central village of Balgue, or get out into nature and stay elsewhere. Below are the different options described in-depth.
Things To Do In Popoyo
Learn to surf: Surfing the most popular thing to do in Popoyo. For beginners, head to one of the board rental shops to sign up for lessons. These range from 1 hour up to multi-day courses.
Salinas Hot Springs: Las Salinas is a natural hot spring located in Popoyo. Using naturally hot water there are three pools filled with spring water from beneath the ground. Although the smell is off-putting, the pools are great for your skin! The spring costs $3 USD to enter.
Swim at the Tidal Pools, Guasacate Beach: If you head to Guasacate Beach around low tide youll be welcomed with beautiful tidal pools. These are perfect for swimming and viewing a range of marine life. This activity is completely free too!
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About The Caribbean Side Of Nicaragua
Many people thinking about retiring in Nicaragua inquire about the Caribbean side. “The Caribbean side is a whole other place and not comparable to the Pacific side. I would visit before you make any choices. There are good reasons why it is called an autonomous region,” warned one expat. Another expat in Nicaragua explained, “the Nicaragua caribbean coast is not at all like Cancun or the Mexican Riveria, ie, no Walmart, no Sanborns, and not many tourist facilities. The weather is very different from Cancun. Our friends who travelled up the coast last year by open boat had a hard time finding a grocery store or any place that sold food. That is why some people like it. I think you should visit there before thinking about it.”
Hacienda Puerta Del Cielo Ecolodge & Spa Camino De Los Bueyes
Hacienda Puerta Del Cielo Ecolodge & Spa is a five-star adults-only resort best known for its gorgeous beachfront location, traditional architecture, and abundant wildlife.
Accommodation here is in suites and stand-alone casitas. The rooms are huge and luxurious, with a very romantic ambiance. They also have an outdoor deck where you can take in the views of the surrounding mountains. In addition, they have nice chairs and hammocks to just sit back and relax.
The resort has a spa, a boutique, a yoga studio, and more. Its focused on being an eco-friendly resort. They try to conserve water, use solar energy, and they also have recycling facilities. They also offer a variety of tours like horseback riding, bird watching, or exploring nearby waterfalls.
One downside to Hacienda Puerta del Cielo Ecolodge & Spa is that theres no pool on-site, but they do have an outdoor Jacuzzi.
Accommodation: Hacienda Puerta Del Cielo Eco Spa
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Learn The History Of The City Of Lions
Okay, back to the city of Leon.
Leon means lion in Spanish. It lives up to its name with the imposing lion statues that guard several of the town churches, the tomb of Nicaraguan national icon, Darío, and the main entrance of the citys religious and cultural centre the cathedral.
Leon is Nicaraguas second-largest city and is known as the intellectual centre of the country. Its an old Spanish colonial town thats somehow modern, but doesnt compromise with tradition and local life. For instance, youll find no McDonalds or 7-elevens here, and the local markets and overall street life has an authentic feel, very untouched by tourism.
This makes Leon a sharp contrast to Granada, another popular Nicaraguan city, also known as the historical rival to Leon. Granada is considerable wealthy with lots of North American expats and the occasional chain restaurant. Leon has students, artists, poets, and a dislike for multinational companies.
Celebrated poets Salomón de la Selva and Alfonso Cortés are from Leon, as is Rubén Darío, who initiated the Spanish-American literary movement known as modernismo that flourished at the end of the 19th century.
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