About Nicaragua: Travel To Learn Destinations and Country Information

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ABOUT NICARAGUA:	Nicaragua and Our Destinations
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Nicaragua is called the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes. With 84 nature reserves that cover over 21,000 square kilometers, Nicaragua boasts the largest expanse of rain forest north of the Amazon basin, offering a wealth of outdoor nature areas to explore. Like its neighboring county Costa Rica, Nicaragua attracts many tourists that are health-conscious, outdoor recreation enthusiasts interested in popular adventure sports, such as kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, canopy tours, surfing and that want to enjoy these activities knowing that they are not contributing to a destruction of the natural resources. However, they differ in that Nicaragua is less developed, so one can expect to find areas that have been impacted minimally. Less crowds, lines and tourists results in a more realistic view of Nicaraguan culture. It's also worth noting that Nicaragua has less contamination, deforestation and crime than its Costa Rican counterpart.

	Granada http://www.moon.com/planner/nicaragua/regions/granada.html Rising above the shores of Lake Nicaragua, or Lake Cocibolca, the tenth largest lake in the world, Granada is one of the oldest Spanish colonial cities in the New World. A lively commercial and cultural center, Granada was frequently raided in its early years by Caribbean pirates. In the 1850s the city was briefly occupied by William Walker, the United States adventurer who declared himself dictator of Nicaragua. Today Granada is on its way to being a major international destination, considered Nicaragua's crown jewel of tourism. It is the country's third-largest city, but it retains a colonial atmosphere with a tranquil historical center that takes travelers back in time. Fresco vendors roll carts down cobblestone streets, families drag rocking chairs out to watch the sunset, and young boys shine shoes and knock mangos out of the trees in the central plaza.
The cool lake breezes, lovely colonial style architecture, and vistas of the towering Mombacho volcano make strolling through Granada a scenic delight. Located one hour south of Managua, Nicaragua's capital city, Granada provides access to many of the cultural and natural wonders of the country. The Masaya National Volcanic Park, with its smoking craters, stunning views and scenic views, is 30 minutes away. Catch an hour ferry at San Jorge to Ometepe, a large island with a nature preserve, extensive hiking trails, and numerous petroglyphs and archaeological sites. The Archipelago of Solentiname, a paradise of islands in the southern part of Lake Nicaragua, is home to a world-renowned artists colony, which was also an important center of resistance to the Somoza dictatorship. The Pacific beaches to the west, pristine rainforests to the east, and the Costa Rican border to the south are all within easy reach.

	Mombacho Volcano Reserve http://www.mombacho.org/ Visit the biological station and visitor's center at the top of the fascinating Mombacho Volcano. Here you can talk with trained biologists to learn about this unique natural area, or take a guided hike on one of the interpretative trails, watch wildlife, or just relax in the cool cloud enshrined forest.

	Mombacho Canopy Tours Located a few minutes up the volcano in a vehicle, Mombacho Canopy tour offers 13 different zip lines high above a coffee plantation. This enchanting tropical cloud forest provides fascinating views of Granada, Lake Cocibolca, Las Isletas, Zapatera Island, Volcán Concepción and Maderas on Ometepe.

	Ometepe Island http://www.moon.com/planner/nicaragua/regions/rivas.html Home of two volcanoes, Madera and Concepción, you'll find rare orchids and flowers, exotic wildlife, like the endemic Mombacho salamander and the white-faced and howler monkeys. There are more than 175 species of birds, 6 kilometers of trails with interpretation provided and a biological station with lodging.

	Charco Verde on Ometepe http://www.vianica.com/activity/50/visiting-charco-verde This hostel is a leader in sustainability practices on the island with an organic farm and recycling programs. It sits on a quiet beach next to a lagoon surrounded by a forest.

	Apoyo Lagoon http://www.nicatour.net/en/nicaragua/Apoyo.asp Nicaragua’s cleanest, bluest, and deepest swimming hole is this 48-square-kilometer body of water trapped inside the crater of the Apoyo Volcano. The deepest measured point (200 meters) is the lowest point in all of Central America. The Monkey Hut Hostel is located right on the water and has kayaks, inner tubes, a beautiful property and a floating dock to swim out to and rest on.

	Masaya Volcano National Park http://www.moon.com/planner/nicaragua/regions/masaya.html Nicaragua's first national park, just north of Masaya, is predominantly a volcanic landscape; its active craters being the main attraction. In spite of the toxic smoke from Santiago Crater, an endemic species of green parakeets nest in the crater walls, producing one of many unique ecological experiences the park has to offer. Here, the landscape resembles something from a Paleolithic era; simple life forms, such as lichens and mosses, are just beginning to renew the forest ecosystems.
There are numerous trails around the park that offer spectacular views. A 15-30 minute hike up to the left of the craters for terrific views towards the lake and Mombacho. You can drive or hike through a moonscape of barren lava fields to the edge of the fuming 2000-foot wide crater of Masaya Volcano, making it the most accessible active volcano in Central America.
	Leon http://www.moon.com/planner/nicaragua/regions/masaya.html Boasting Latin America's largest cathedral, Leon was the capital of Nicaragua before Managua. It has a similar comfortable feel to it like Granada, but with a university in town, it feels a lot busier during the day. The architecture is similar to Granada with beautiful tiled roofed homes and various cathedrals in town. Leon is also home to Ruben Dario, the leading modernist poet of his time, and once can visit him home and a museum dedicated to him in town. Leon is only 20 minutes from the beautiful beaches of Poneloya and Las Peñitas.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is it safe to travel in Nicaragua?
There are inherent risks with traveling anywhere. However, by comparison, it's very safe to travel in Nicaragua. If we thought otherwise, we would not be traveling there. The perception in the United States is a result of politics, media and a lack of information. Many people remember the US involvement in Nicaragua as well as the economic sanctions against them. A popular belief is that since Nicaragua had a civil war in the 1980s that it must still be dangerous. However, what tourists are seeing and what statistics show are contrary to this belief.

	Nicaragua	Costa Rica	United States
Robberies per capita/100,000 Compiled from CIA Factbook by NationMaster.com	List ends at #64. Data not listed.	#3 at 4.79	#11 at 1.38
Murders per capita/100,000 Compiled from CIA Factbook by NationMaster.com	List ends at #62. Data not listed.	#19 at .061	#24 at .042
Assaults per capita/100,00 Compiled from CIA Factbook by NationMaster.com	List ends at #57. Data not listed.	#50 at .178	#6 at 7.56

Related Links
Become familiar with the history of Nicaragua.
US Dept. of State's listing of Current Travel Warnings.
The Overseas Security Advisory Council Crime and Safety report
Article: Nicaraguan Safety: Is Nicaragua's Negative Image Justified?
Article: The Rediscovery of Nicaragua

2. Isn't that Sandinista guy back in power?
Yes, Daniel Ortega was elected President of Nicaragua in November of 2006. If elections are any indication of a country's stability, then according to the seemingly uneventful election, Nicaragua is in fact, quite stable. Jimmy Carter was present throughout the elections representing the Carter Center election observation team. The Nicaraguan Ethics and Transparency observation team gave its blessing reporting a margin of error of about 1.7%. The European Union observation mission reported a "normal" election process. The OAS (Organization of American States) were "satisfied" with the results and reported that 70% of the Nicaraguans eligible to vote did so.
Reports and interviews say Daniel Ortega is looking to move the country forward.
http://www.nicanet.org/election_special_hotline_110706.php
Get to know Daniel Ortega and the history of Nicaragua in this CNN interview.
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/18/interviews/ortega/

3. Where is Nicaragua?
Nicaragua is in Central America north of Costa Rica and south of Honduras.

4. How long does it take to get there?
From Phoenix it usually takes about 6 hours on a plane with a stop in either Houston or Atlanta. From the capital city of Managua, it's an hour drive to Granada.

5. What is happening now in Nicaragua?
Nicaragua information page, Comprehensive Nicaragua page

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