Nicaragua Travel Guide

Full Name

Republic of Nicaragua

Former Name

NA

Capital City

Managua

Government Type

republic

Area Size

total: 129,494 sq km

Time Zone

UTC/GMT -6 hours

Climate

A tropical climate can be observed in Nicaragua. Just as in the other Central American countries, there are two seasons: the dry and the raining season. During the dry season (January - June) there is virtually no rain and trees and plants start to dry out. Once the rains come around June, July, everything starts growing and the yellow plants and leafless trees turn green and start blossoming. In August and September it often rains once a day. Fortunately, it just rains for a short period of time and these are often spectacular, tropical downpours. In the eastern part of the country it rains more than in the west. There are three temperature zones in Nicaragua. In the lowlands (Pacific and Atlantic coast) temperatures vary roughly between 22° C - 30° C. Temperature can reach 38° C in May. The central part of the country is about 5° C cooler, and in the mountains in the north it's about 10° C cooler.

Geography

Nicaragua occupies a landmass of 129,494 km² - roughly the size of Greece or the state of New York and 1.5 times larger than Portugal. Close to 20% of the country's territory is somehow protected as national parks or biological reserves. The country is bordered by Costa Rica on the south and Honduras on the north, with the Caribbean Sea to the east.

Languages

Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census) note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Culture

The country has strong folklore, music and religious traditions, deeply influenced by European culture but enriched with Amerindian sounds and flavours. Nicaragua has historically been an important source of poetry in the Hispanic world, with internationally renowned contributors, the best known being Rubén Darío. Also included in this group are Ernesto Cardenal, Gioconda Belli, and Jose Coronel Urtecho. Nicaraguan culture can further be defined in several distinct strands. The west of the country was colonized by Spain and its people are predominantly Mestizo or European in composition. Spanish is invariably their first language.

History

The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

Travel Information

The national airline is Nicaraguenses de Aviación (NICA), which is now a member of the Taca International Airlines (TA). Managua International Airport (MGA) is 12km north of the city (journey time – 15 minutes). Bus and taxi services run to the city. Airport facilities are bank, bars, post office, tourist information, restaurants, duty-free shop, pharmacy and car hire. Departure Tax US$25. Exempt are transit passengers leaving within eight hours, and children under two years. Main ports: Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas and Puerto Sandino, which are served by shipping lines from Nicaragua, as well as Central American, North American and European countries. The Pan-American Highway runs through Nicaragua via Esteli and Managua. There are daily bus services between Managua and Tegucigalpa (Honduras), San Salvador (El Salvador) and San José (Costa Rica) (journey time – 9 hours). Services are provided by King-Quality, Nicabus, Ticabus and Transnica.

Accommodation

Managua has several 4-star hotels with conference facilities. A 15% tax is levied on all hotel bills. Self-catering apartments are also available in Managua. There are motels along the Pan-American Highway and modern resort hotels along the west coast, offering a good standard of accommodation. Ecotourism is also developing in the country where some excellent hacienda-style accommodation and jungle lodges can be found. Guest houses are found throughout the country.

Visa Requirements

Visas are not required by nationals of the EU, Australia, Canada and USA. All nationals of countries referred to above can obtain a Tourist Card on arrival for approximately US$10 for touristic stays of one month, provided they are holding valid travel documents and, in the case of business travellers, a letter from their employer and/or company in Nicaragua. Nationals not referred to above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements. Passport valid for at least six months from the date of arrival required by all nationals of countries referred to above.

Getting Around

Given the relative size of the country and the difficulty of some ground travel routes, internal flights are worth considering. La Costeña and Atlantic Airlines cover a wide range of internal routes. Managua International Airport charges an airport management fee of US$1.50 or local equivalent for travellers on domestic routes. A twice-weekly boat service runs between Bluefields and the Corn Islands. It is also possible to visit the 300 or so islands on Lake Nicaragua, which are very beautiful. Traffic drives on the right. Lack of road safety is probably the biggest single hazard to travellers in Nicaragua. There is a network of 18,447km of roads of which 1,749km are paved. There is a bus service to most large towns. Booking seats in Managua in advance is advisable. Taxi is available at the airport or in Managua. Prices should be agreed before departure. A map of each area in the city determines taxi prices. No tip is expected. Car hire is available in Managua or at the airport. This is often the best way of travelling, as public transport is slow and overcrowded. The bus and minibus services in Managua are cheap, but they can be both crowded and confusing.

Health & Safety

Travellers are adviced to take special precautions for hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid and sometimes for diphtheria, malaria and rabies. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year of age arriving from an infected area. Vaccinations against tuberculosis and hepatitis B are sometimes recommended. All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Milk in rural areas may be unpasteurised and should be boiled. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled. Public hospitals do not charge for emergency services, but will charge for supplies and medicines. There is an extensive network of health posts and health centres in rural areas, their resources can be limited. There are several private hospitals/clinics in Managua. Many doctors and hospitals will require payment in cash before treatment. Travellers are advised to take out full medical insurance before departure. Travellers are advised to journey with caution in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) due to the remoteness of this area. There have been occasional incidents of violent crime in Bonanza, La Rosita, Siuna and Little Corn Island. It is not recommended to walk alone after dark. Managua is prone to strikes and demonstrations. Visitors should avoid all public gatherings or demonstrations. You should also be aware that road blocks may occur on main roads during strikes, affecting access to and from the airport.

National Holidays

1 Jan - New Year’s Day. 5 Apr - Holy Thursday. 6 Apr - Good Friday. 1 May - Labour Day. 19 Jul - Liberation Day. 14 Sep - Battle of San Jacinto. 15 Sep - Independence Day. 2 Nov - All Souls' Day. 8 Dec - Immaculate Conception. 25 Dec - Christmas Day.

Currency

Nicaragua Cordoba (NIO)

Electricity

110v AC

Working Hours

Office hours: Mon-Fri 8.00am - 5.00pm. Some offices close for an hour at lunchtime (12.30-1.30pm).

Emergency Numbers

265 1761(Ambulance) 265 2373(Fire) 118(Police)