6 reasons why you need to travel to Nicaragua.



Nicaragua has been on my radar to investigate as a "new" destination for travelers to explore ever since I read that Nicaragua is pegged to become the  new Costa Rica. I love Costa Rica. Costa Rica was my gateway country  into Central America many moons ago when I chose to study Spanish there while in college.

Everyone I ever knew who traveled to Nicaragua always said that it's so different from Costa Rica, that the vibe was totally different.  I wanted to know what made Nicaragua so different from Costa Rica; geographically speaking, they have some of the same things: mountains, volcanoes, beaches, rainforest's, etc so why the distinct contrast between Nicaragua and Costa Rica?

What's so great about Nicaragua?


1. The Volcanoes

Looking into Masaya Volcano Crater
Nicaragua has 19 volcanoes. The skyline is riddled with volcanoes everywhere you look. On my last trip to Nicaragua, we visited Masaya Volcano National Park where we stood over the edge of a bubbling caldron of fiery red lava where clouds of sulfuric smoke  filled the air. It is definitely  an impressive display of Mother Earth's work. In addition to Masaya Volcano, we visited Mombacho Volcano National Reserve. Mombacho volcano hovers over the colonial town of Granada and Masaya as well as a variety of other towns.  We took the windy and steep road up Mombacho to take a peek at the valley below but because it is a cloud forest, we were unable to see anything but a white blanket of clouds. If you're interested in taking a hike through the preserve, it would be well worth your time to do so as  the forest is brimming with life and has an impressive amount of wildlife for you to discover. 
 

2. The Volcanic lakes and lagoons

Just outside of Granada, you'll find Lake Nicaragua. It's a gigantic volcanic lake that has has 360 "isletas", or little islands. Some of them are hosts to hotels and welcome guests from all over the world to stay on their own little private island in the middle of the lake. Also on Lake Nicaragua is the island of Ometepe. Ometepe is the largest  island on the lake  and it also boasts an enormous volcano, Concepcion volcano. You could spend a good couple of days on the island of Ometepe hiking the volcano, kayaking the lake or paddle boarding or simply taking in the sights and sounds and reality of being on a volcanic island. 
Wildlife in the isletas
Lake Nicaragua

There are boats that go out on the lake daily where you can explore the isletas or head over to Ometepe island. We took a tour of the isletas where we saw locals net fishing the shoreline, a myriad of birds, monkeys, and we also  did a tour of Hotel Reith The Lake, an exclusive hotel that sits on it's own island within the lake. If you want to get away from it all, this might be a good place for you to start!

Catarina View point : Apoyo Lagoon
In addition to Lake Nicaragua, we visited the Apoyo Lagoon, which was also created by a volcanic eruption. Scattered along the shores of the lagoon as well as perched high above the lagoon in the mountains, are hotels and resorts. It's hard to say whether or not being ON the water or high above it is best because the views are impressive no matter where you are. We visited the Catarina View Point that gave us a nice panoramic view of the lagoon.


Apoyo Resort, The view from my balcony.
The beautiful and quaint resort of Pacaya Lodge and Spa offers travelers a jungle hideaway with breath taking views of the lagoon. Every single room has a view of the lagoon and as the clouds roll in and out over the lagoon, your views are always changing and always beautiful. You cannot go wrong staying at Pacaya Lodge. If you're more interested in staying closer to the water, you have to check out Laguna de Apoyo Resort. This resort has cabins, well, they are practically homes, scattered on the mountain side and every last one of them  has a jungle view and some of the cabins that sit higher up have views of the lagoon. I was impressed by the size of the cabins. It's more like an apartment in that it has a downstairs equipped with a living room, full kitchen, dining room and bathroom and upstairs, there are private bedrooms that share a gigantic deck outfitted with hammocks that overlook the jungle. I was awakened by the sounds of howler monkey's and bird songs at 5 a.m.. I  spent the remainder of my morning drinking coffee, listening to jungle sounds and watching the lagoon reveal itself with the sunrise and it was heaven! This is a great place to relax, swim in the warm waters of the lagoon, kayak or SUP and immerse yourself in nature. 




3. The Food!

Caballo ballo.
Where do I begin with this one? Well, similar to other Central American countries where rice and beans are a staple, the same can be said for Nicaragua. Instead of black beans, rice and beans Nica style is made with red beans.  I never tire of rice and beans and it's a nice gentle yet tasty addition to your meal any time of day! At Mi Viejo Ranchito, we had the most satisfying meal ever, the Caballo Ballo. I'm not sure what that translates into, but in my mouth, it translated to heaven! The Caballo ballo is a plate of chorizo, plantains, rice and beans, seasoned beef, pico de gallo and tortillas; chase that with an ice cold Tona beer and you, my friends have found paradise. 

Another thing you must try is a Bahao. My local guide in Managua took me to La Casa De Bahao. Bahao is a HEARTY  meal of steamed Yucca, plantains, cabbage and beef with a splash of vinegar. It's layered in a pot and steamed in banana leaves over a long period of time. This, my friends, is comfort food at it's best. As a warning, do not plan to do anything for at least two hours after eating a bahao because you will need ample time to digest and then nap off your food coma. 

Fried cheese, rice and beans, tortilla. 
One of my favorite meals is so simple  yet so delicious : fried cheese, rice and beans and plantains. If you're hungry but not down for steak, chicken, or fish, this is the perfect afternoon snack ( or breakfast) to get you through the day.


4. The Colonial City of Granada 

What makes Nicaragua different from Costa Rica is definitely the fact that it has colonial towns, specifically the beautifully quaint town of Granada. Granada is about 45 minutes to an hour from the bustling metropolis of Managua yet once you are here, you feel like you've stepped into another world. 

Every day life in Granada
Granada is known for it's cultural richness and history dating back to 1524 when it was founded by Francisco Hernandes de Cordoba. Much of what you see and experience comes with centuries of history attached to it. Cobblestone streets, horse carriages, beautiful cathedrals that stand as a back drop to the center square in town and restaurants that line the streets inspire you to wander and wander and wander. Locals and travelers alike gather in the center square to share a meal, listen to music, grab a cold drink or hop in a horse drawn carriage to tour the city. 

Horse drawn carriages in the center square of Granada
There are myriad of hotels in Granada to choose from, most of them boutiquey feeling and colonial style hotels. While I was in Granada, I stayed at Hotel Dario, an old colonial home turned into a hotel. It is centrally located, directly across the street from great restaurants and bars.  Plaza Colon,  in the center of town, offers wonderful balcony rooms that over look the center square; grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and take in all the sights and sounds of Granada from the privacy of your own space. This hotel is also a colonial style hotel with a private and luxurious courtyard in the middle of the hotel complete with a lovely pool and palm trees.


If you're a poetry nut, you may want to hit up Granada in February for their annual poetry festival. Over 100 poets from around the world come to read their poetry.  I bet you never thought that Nicaragua would be home to a poetry festival, huh? Nicaragua is full of pleasant surprises.

View from the balcony at Plaza Colon hotel, Granada.

5. The Beaches

Sunset at La Barra, Miramar.
Nicaragua is home to some seriously beautiful and UNCROWDED beaches around. San Juan del Sur  lies about 2  1/2 hours South of Managua. This is probably one of the most known beach towns around as many surfers frequent the area. This is also home to some of the nicest luxury hotels in the area. Morgans Rock Ecolodge and Resort will indulge your senses on every level. If luxury and seclusion are your thing, this is your place to be. 



While I was in Nicaragua, I stayed in the tiny town of Miramar at La Barra Surf camp with AST Adventures. I'm a no frills kind of traveler and I like to keep things simple so I can thoroughly enjoy the natural surroundings of the area and La Barra is the PERFECT place to do just that. La Barra is a surf hotel that offers surf trips but also local trips to city's like Leon, Granada and other touristy attractions but the main event here is the surf and the beach. Perched atop a hill, La Barra gives you sweeping views of the surf on the Pacific ocean. The vibe here is pure relaxation. There were days when all I did was go from one hammock to another, accompanied by the hotel dog, Chele, and I was in heaven. The town of Miramar is a sleepy town. It's home to one bar, Bar Ocho and a couple of little convenient store tiendas... housed in the front of someones home. If you  need something specific or special, you won't find it here so come prepared to do without some things. I found that the less distraction of shopping and extras, the happier I was. Less is more often than not, more. 

The only "crowd" I had to deal with at the beach were these two guys, Luke and Chele
If you enjoy surfing, Nicaragua is a great place to continue your sport and improve upon it. If you're new to surfing it's also a great place to get started on your new addiction. I'm by no means a good surfer but I hopped in the water with the best of them and the support and encouragement of surfers who know what they are doing was inspiring and kept me wanting more, even though I bit it hard over and over again.

Here I am, on the left,  freaked out but stoked all at the same time!

6. The Vibe

It's difficult to sum up the vibe of a country and it's people without actually having you BE there but I'll do my best to paint the picture of how I felt in Nicaragua. 

Local artisans doing their thing.
Board games in the market in Managua.




















The people of Nicaragua are VERY proud of the their country. They are proud of all that they have endured over the last several decades and of where they are moving towards in their future. The accept no bullshit in their country. By that I mean, gangs, drugs, crooks etc. are NOT welcomed and the citizens of Nicaragua work together to get them out of the country or in jail if they are tainting their vibe and causing harm to their people. With that said, Nicaragua is the safest country in Central America, albeit one of the poorest, it is the safest country. Think about that for a while.


As I traveled throughout the streets of Managua, Granada, Massaya, and Miramar, there was a deep sense of peace and rejuvenation that swept through me. Maybe it was because I was in a place that had seen so much hardship with their war and revolution and natural disasters but  despite it all, the people remain resilient and strong in their beings.  I felt safe and in good hands, no matter where I went. There is something so comforting  being around people who can handle storms that strong and still stand . . . and smile while doing it. 

Children on their way home from school in Miramar.

There you have it, the 6 reasons why you need to hit up Nicaragua on your next trip. There are a million more reasons why to visit Nicaragua as well but you'll have to discover that for yourself when you go!

Love, Peace, and Life
This about sums up Nicaragua.

Comments

  1. Yes we are proud of been Nicaraguans! A land of heroes, poets, welcoming-charming-and-humble people! "Si pequeña es la Patria, uno grande la sueña" Ruben Dario

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    Replies
    1. Its evident every where i went... i love your country.

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