NICARAGUA

THE COUNTRY

Hands down my favourite country in Central America. There are many reasons to love this country. The diversity this country offers is incomparable to the rest of the countries in Central America.

Hiking and surfing are your top activities here. A country with 19 active volcanoes, containing the largest rainforest outside of the Amazon Basinthe and the largest lake in Central America, not to mention it's hugged by the beautiful waters of the Caribbean Sea. Nicaragua is often referred to as the "Land of Lakes and Volcanoes".

Many believe that this is going to be the next Costa Rica in terms of tourism because of its natural beauty. It is an attractive to country to visit for many with the amount of things to do and see, and the fact that it's a budget friendly country.

VISA/ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Ensure that your passport is valid for the next 6 months from the date of entry into Nicaragua. Have enough blank pages in your passport for the entry stamps. You need at least a couple of empty pages. 

A tourist visa on arrival is available up to 90 days. You need a tourist card which can be obtained at the port of entry. This will cost you $10 USD. This applies to any British, EU, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and USA passport holders. There are fines for those who stay longer than 90 days on this visa although a 30 day extension can be made before the 90 days expire.

Other nationalities should check with the embassy for any additional requirements as they may vary.

CURRENCY

Cordoba is the currency in Nicaragua. ATM's are everywhere in most of the main tourist areas. Debit and credit cards are accepted in most of the established vendors.

The Nicaraguan currency both have coins and notes. Try to get rid of the coins first if possible to ensure you are squeezing every penny in your pocket as they do add up even if its a couple of cents here and there.

TRANSPORTATION

Chicken bus - The cheapest way to get around Nicaragua within a city or when getting from one city to another. At times they overpack the chicken bus (like shoulder to shoulder.. you can even barely move, no joke) but there’s nothing like a more authentic local transportation experience when you get in these. This is my preferred transportation to get around the country. You will meet a lot of travellers and backpackers using this means of transportation as it is commonly used by tourists.

Shuttle service - A more expensive option than the chicken bus. Nicaragua is safe enough to travel around in the chicken bus without using a tourist shuttle. You can even cross the border via chicken bus going to Panama for example. However, if needed, hostels, hotels and travel agencies is where you can get your tickets if you prefer taking the tourist shuttle instead.

Taxi - Taxis are available in most of the cities. Most of the time, the sites are within walking distance or if it's an activity, the tour usually includes the transportation as a part of the package. I rarely used taxis in Nicaragua.