Nicaragua Travel Report: The Jewel in the Central American Crown

Believe me, there are few things better than leaving Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital, with its high crime rate, humidity and complete lack of culture, but if there is one thing that is, it is arriving in Nicaragua, possibly the most unique and interesting country in the Central American isthmus. At first glance as you come into the country from Honduras, Nicaragua is not as visually arresting as some of the other Central America countries, lacking the hills and mountains of Guatemala or the jungles of Belize, the majority of the populated land is in the West of the country on the plains between the massive Lago de Nicaragua and the raging Pacific Ocean. However, the country is home to multiple Volcanoes and these punctuate the landscape as you pass along the Pan American highway from ‘Tegus’ to Leon, one of the two outstandingly well preserved colonial cities in Nicaragua. These two cities, the other being Granada, give Nicaragua something that the other Central American nations do not possess, legitimately interesting urban centres containing fascinating culture, architecture and people. These two cities combined with the beaches of the Pacific and the splendid Isla Omotepe in the midst of the Lago de Nicaragua give any traveller much to do and see in their time here, but the real jewel of Nicaragua is not the surf resorts, the wildlife or the history. It is the people.

Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in the world, better off than only Haiti and Bolivia in the Americas, however this poverty and their tempestuous history which has seen natural disasters and political upheaval in almost every generation only seems to encourage their affections for those who take the time to visit their country. Most Nicaraguans are more than happy to talk to visitors, usually providing the conversation is in Spanish, English literacy in Nicaragua is growing, but still small even in the more tourist friendly places. If your Spanish is not perfect do not fear, ‘Nicas’ are some of the most patient and willing of conversational partners and many find Nicaragua is one of the best places in the Spanish speaking world to pick up the language such is the helpfulness of the local population. If you do manage to chat to a local, not very difficult giving their inquisitive nature, you will most probably be asked a question such as this first “Por que esta aqui en Nicaragua?”- Why are you here in Nicaragua? Most Nicas cannot believe that anyone from the Western world would want to visit their tiny impoverished country, but so quickly following will come a flurry of other questions that you may not even have enough time to answer!

Alongside being helpful conversation partners Nicaraguans are also helpful tour guides and sources of local information, unlike other Latin American countries where a selection of locals are wont to try to exploit or rip off tourists, in Nicaragua almost all of the people you will come across are very upfront and honest. Two fine examples can be found in the town centres, firstly at the market stalls where the vendors are keen to help and interact but are also understanding of giving the buyer space and time to think for themselves, a welcome break after the intensity of Mexican or Guatemalan market places. Secondly, taxi drivers all charge the same fee, every time you enter a cab. No need to hustle or wrangle a price beforehand here, simply get in a pay what everybody else does at the end. This two examples might not sound like much but after being on gringo trail for a couple of months or more, this type of experience will provide the weary traveller with just enough encouragement to push on forwards.

The successful Sandinista revolution of 19th July 1979 is barely a generation old, and the Nicaraguan politics give the country a genuinely young and fresh outlook on life. Although the Socialist line is more moderate it is possible to feel a certain political vigour in the lifestyle and minds of the Nicaraguan people. Here Students are still an integral part of political life, they can talk about the future and the past eloquently and unlike many young Latin Americans they do not simply talk about leaving for the United States or Europe for a better life, they talk about leaving for personal development and returning to Nicaragua for a better life. This political activity is particularly evident on some of the national day celebrated in the country, two of the best being “Dia de la Revolucion” and “Dia de los Estudiantes”. If you get the chance to witness or participate in one of these national celebrations take it, nowhere is better for seeing the friendliness, excitement and pride of the Nicaraguans for yourself.

The enthusiasm for life is not the only thing that may well keep you in Nicaragua for longer than you expected, the food and drink are excellent, nothing too fancy and like in most Latin countries, not geared towards vegetarians, but hearty, tasty and cheap; Three things high on any travellers wish list for a meal. The traditional meal is Indio Viejo (Old Indian) is a tasty soup made with mint chicken and vegetables and is delicious, but more regularly the meal consists of meat with rice and beans and plantains, which is much like its Caribbean neighbours however, there is a certain something which places Nica cuisine above its counterparts. The real stars of the culinary show, however are the fresh fruits, which can be bought and eaten off the streets from various vendors or sampled in milkshakes (Batidos) , juices (Zumos) or ice creams (Helados). All manner of tropical fruits abound and you are really spoiled for choice, especially as nothing coasts more than about 30c for a whole fruit. To wash all that down with there is only one choice, Nicaraguan Rum. Some of the best Rums in the world are distilled here and Flor de Caña is surely the prize jewel of the Nicaraguan alcohol industry, having won multiple awards at world Rum festivals and events. Try it on the rocks with a couple of squeezes of lime, it has the properties of a good Scotch rather than the low quality Rums you might get I your local bar or pub.

This heady brew is concocted in a rather small and unpleasant town named Chichigalpa, which is easily reachable for those who wish to have a tour at the Licoreria, however there are numerous wonderful places which warrant your time elsewhere. The aforementioned Leon and Granada are the two most accessible and rewarding cities in the country, both being small enough to become familiar with but large enough to be interesting for more than a couple of days. Any history, architecture or politics buff will be enthused by the array of each widely available and easy to sample. Leon is the smaller city but compensates with proximity to the Pacific beaches, active and climbable volcanoes and historic sites such as Leon Viejo. The city itself is compacted into a few square blocks with the dominating main plaza home to the major buildings and the majority of people, with locals and tourist alike mingling freely. It is here that the pseudo-spiritual candle lit vigil that is “La Dia de los Estudiantes” is most celebrated, due to the students’ connection with the city’s University. Another historical landmark is the death place of the dictator Somoza, who was shot by poet-hero Rigoberto Lopez Perez, which is now a secretive open air bar, which requires entering through a tiny door. A highly missable plaque on the faded façade is the only hint to its existence. From Leon there are numerous beach ‘resorts’ none of which are truly large enough to deserve the name, however almost all are a rewarding experience. Unlike the large and ugly San Juan Del Sur further down the coast, which attracts large numbers of tourists and all the negatives that accompany them, places such as Las Pinitas, Poneloya, La Bocano or Corinto are much smaller and still offer the chilled out beach atmosphere and surf schools.

Travelling via the large and typically ugly capital Managua you will reach Granada, larger than Leon and sporting its own ‘beach front’ on Lago de Nicaragua, it is a place that any traveller can get stuck in for a week, not because of poor transport links, but because of sheer apathy to leave such a cool place with its vibrant market, cool bars and quality restaurants. Granada position also makes it a great place to base oneself to see other attractions and towjn in Nicaragua, within one hours bus journey are the huge markets of Masaya,  the crater lake of Laguna de Apoyo and Volcan Mombacho, all of which make splendid days out. Bus is not the only way out of Granada there are boat trips that can be taken to Las Isletas, over 400 small islands off the waterfront or the longer trip all the way to Ometepe. The volcano island is worth a couple of days, trek up one of the two peaks or if the weather isn’t good enough to make it worthwhile then content yourself with a swim in the lake and to relax in one of the haciendas that provide hostel services. Ometepe might seem like off the beaten path, but it is still easily accessible and popular with backpackers, for something a bit more challenging, but rewarding, then either the coffee towns around cool and pretty Matagalpa or the frontier-esque Esteli, with it fantastic nearby waterfall and national park could be the answer if you didn’t wish to stray too far away from civilization. For those who really want to get away from it all, then the Caribbean coast is the answer, the area known as La Mosquita covers most of the country and is rather barren and desolate of attraction, but the trip through it, (or over it by small plane), is worth it to reach the hot and sweaty Corn Islands, where you can experience an (almost) desert island escape. The islands are also known for their excellent diving, and represent great value if you wish to go on a course.

Nicaragua all round is a refreshing country to visit during an extended trip in Central America, it lacks the American commercialism of Costa Rica and Honduras in particular and many of the less intrepid travellers seem to be too daunted by false claims of crime and danger, (Actually Nicaragua is statistically the safest place in Central America to travel). This allows the independent traveller to really enjoy not only what the country itself has to offer, but also those likeminded individuals who decide to travel, live or work there too. This perfect balance of local culture and hospitality mixed with just enough tourist provision and the ‘right’ type of travellers makes Nicaragua the most enjoyable and rewarding country in the Central American region, a definite must with any backpacker searching for a soulful and interesting destination.

This article was written by a contributing member of the theglobalguru.net community, Oliver Mitchell.   Thanks to Olli for his article and photo contributions!   Please feel free to submit your own content to the knowledge base!

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