Another week has past and – for now – I have left Nicaragua and arrived in Santa Tecla, El Salvador, for my volunteering experience.
Nicaragua has been in the news lately for the attempted coup and the human rights abuses by the government in response to this. I know it is always challenging to decide whether you want to travel to a country, where you do not agree with the politics, but here I want to focus on the good things of Nicaragua.
There are not many tourists in Nicaragua, making it a very great country to travel to if you do not like the mass tourism of countries like Costa Rica. Nicaraguan people are very friendly and welcoming. Another thing I like about Nicaragua: In the bigger cities/towns you can drink tap water. It is filtered, and I haven`t had any issues though I am quite sensitive and it is a very green – environment-friendly – country when it comes to electricity.
I perceived Nicaragua as a very safe country. In Managua, as in every huge city in the world, you need to be cautious of pickpockets, and you should avoid walking in the streets after sunset.
Managua itself does not have too much to offer, a few pretty building close to the Malecon and of course the Malecon, but the other cities in Nicaragua are amazing.
Masaya and Granada are charming cities to visit. Both towns have an excellent nightlife with good restaurants and bars and different discotheques (e.g., in Granada if you want to eat something else than rice&beans try „PitaPita“ an authentic Israelian restaurant with delicious falafel). For pictures and more information, please look at my post from 2 weeks ago: (https://wanderluststeffy.com/2019/07/21/week-5-manuel-antonio-cr-and-city-hopping-in-nicaragua/
These cities are quite safe. You should, of course, not leave your bags unattended or similar. Walking in the streets after 9 pm was still ok. For later hours, especially when traveling alone, it is best to grab a taxi.
Beaches, e.g., the ones south of San Juan del Sur, are stunning. You have the choice between calm beaches, or you can stay in the city of San Juan, where they celebrate every week „Sunday Funday“. The waves are good for surfing – both for beginners and for more advanced surfers.
I spent my last days in León. This city has an extraordinary vibe. It is a student city, and you can find some pretty modern things (like DulceMente Helados, where the friendly owner makes your customized ice-cream in front of your eyes, for example, a combination of Maracuja&Lemon, which is so refreshing). On the more traditional side, you can find delicious street food around and in the mercado central– usually, you pay 20Cordobas per piece (e.g., fried mashed potatoes, plantains, meat, etc) and 10Cordobas for white rice or Gallo pinto (rice&beans). For good bread, quiche, etc. you can find two affiliates of the french bakery „Pan y Paz“ in the center.
Léon is the city where the revolution started in 1979. In the revolution museum, you can find plenty of information about this. I also went to the museum of traditions and legends. It is located in an old prison, which was used by the Somoza dictatorship. When you enter the museum, you feel immediately that something terrible happened at this place. But this also creates the perfect atmosphere for stories about witches, jinx and evil spirits, which are part of the Nicaraguan culture.
From León, you can easily go to the beach (30min by bus), and you can explore the surrounding volcanos. From 2day-hiking tours to „volcano-boarding“ on the Cerro Negro, you will find multiple excursions. I did the volcano-boarding (of surfing) with Quetzaltrekking. The people are amicable and a huge part of the income is used to support students in funding their studies. The Volcano-boarding was fun. First, you have to climb the Cerro Negro (ca. 45-60min) carrying your equipment incl. the board. This can be quite exhausting, especially if the sun is burning. You will be rewarded with an awesome view (see also cover picture). The landscape is amazing. The black ashes of the Cerro Negro meet the green, fertile land and you can see many more vulcanos. When we started the Volcano-boarding, I was honestly a little bit afraid, given that it is so steep that you cannot see the whole lane. Once on the board, you will lose the fear very quickly given that you can regulate the speed very well with your feet. Just never use your hands to stop, you could get seriously injured. Quetzaltrekker provides a good overview of do`s and don´ts to ensure no ones gets hurt. CNN once rated this as the 2nd most thrilling activity you can do on vacation. (https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/thrilling-experiences/index.html). The Cerro Negro is an active volcano. If you remove some ash (approx. 1cm) you can feel that the ground is very warm.
I took Ticabus to go to El Salvador and during the ride, I enjoyed the beautiful, green landscape in the north of Nicaragua. I haven`t had the time to explore the north. I am thinking about returning in September to see Esteli, Matagalpa and the Somoto canyon. Given that October is far too rainy for hiking, I hope that I can do it in September, but first I am going to teach English for a month in Santa Tecla.
Wanderlust 