Updated: 07/22/19 | July 22nd, 2019

Nicaragua used to be a secret. “Pshhh, have you been to Nicaragua yet? That’s where you really want to go,” travelers would say. It was the land of backpackers and intrepid travelers. Tourists veered toward Costa Rica instead as Nicaragua’s rough past plagued its image.

But over the years, travelers seeking a fun, cheap, and adventurous destination came here as an alternative to “touristy” Costa Rica and Panama once they realized Contras weren’t still roaming the jungles.

Backpacking Nicaragua is the thing to do these days.

The secret is out.

Nicaragua is a hot destination spot for families, retirees, and backpackers relishing the cheap beer, hiking, and good surf. After checking out in December, I completely understand the appeal. Nicaragua is filled with outstanding natural appeal and very warm people. I went in with high expectations and was not disappointed.

Though the country has been “found,” there are still lots of opportunities to wander off the beaten path, interact with locals, get in touch with nature, and avoid the hordes of travelers asking where they can get a burger. Nicaragua is a huge country and it would take a solid month or two to see it all.

No matter how much time you have (and I had a lot), there are plenty of activities to take part in, even if you don’t have the unrestricted time that backpacking afford you. So what must you do in Nicaragua? After spending a lot of time in the country, here are my recommendations for the top things to see and do in the country.

These are the things to do in Nicaragua that must NOT be missed:

Where to go in Nicaragua

1. admire Granada

Granada has some of the most well-preserved architecture in Nicaragua. It was the first big Spanish settlement in the country, and lots of of the buildings and churches in the Spanish colonial style are beautifully preserved (and painted a myriad of colors). Besides wandering around gawking at the architecture, you can take a kayaking trip to the nearby islets, take pleasure in hiking trips to Mombacho volcano, or visit the nearby markets in Masaya.

While you’re in town, be sure to eat at one of the kiosks in the town square serving vigorón, a delicious local pork and cabbage dish (for only $2). Kathy’s Waffles and the garden Café serve good Western food.

Where to stay in Granada: My favorite place to stay is De Boca en Boca. The staff is friendly, there is complimentary coffee all day, and they have a cool rooftop area where you can chill out. You can book a room here on Hostelworld!

2. surf in San Juan del Sur

A hit with surfers and backpackers, San Juan del Sur is the most popular beach destination in Nicaragua. All the beaches are beautiful and lapped by warm water. here you’ll find great surfing (expect to pay around $9 USD per day for board rental and $25 per hour for lessons), the second-largest statue of Jesus in the world (behind Christ the Redeemer in Brazil), and lots of cheap baruri.

The best way to travel to San Juan del Sur from the airport is by booking an airport shuttle. The cost is $40 per person or $65 for two people each way and takes around 2 hours.

Where to stay in San Juan del Sur: My favorite place to stay is The naked Tiger. They have an awesome pool, a complimentary shuttle service, and an in-house bar which is a great place to meet other travelers. You can book a room here on Hostelworld!

3. visit Ometepe Island

This amazing island is located on Lago de Nicaragua and is formed by two joined volcanoes, Concepción and Maderas. Hiking, kayaking, cycling, and healthy food are the island’s main draws. Hiking the volcanoes is as hard as it appears: you’ll need to start really early or the midday heat will slow you down substantially (I learned this lesson the hard way).

The volcano hikes cost around $20 USD if you’re part of a group or up to $40 if you’re by yourself (hike with a guide, as it’s rather unsafe due to poorly maintained trails). keep an eye out for all the monkeys — spotting them was a lot more interesting than the hike! 

Where to stay on Ometepe Island: My favorite place to stay is The landing Hostel. They’re located ideal near the port and the staff can help you with all your bookings. Plus, they have a cool bar and huge lockers to store all your stuff. You can book a room here on Hostelworld!

4. visit “new” León

This city was Nicaragua’s capital until 1857. To this day it remains the country’s intellectual capital and is home to the national University. Remnants of the political war between the Somozas and Sandinistas can be seen in the graffiti and murals around the city. There are a lot of churches here, lots of art museums, and a burgeoning food movement.

Make sure you visit the museum of the Revolution, a fascinating museum about the Sandinista movement. The $2 entrance fee includes a guide. León is also where people base themselves for trips to the nearby volcanoes. This city was one of the highlights of my trip. 

Where to stay in León: My favorite place to stay is Poco a Poco. A fully-equipped kichen, rooftop area, tons of hammocks, and comfy beds make this award-winning hostel an awesome place to stay at. You can book a room here on Hostelworld!

5. visit “old” León

The ruins of León Viejo date back to the 16th century and are a short trip from León. The site is Nicaragua’s only UNESCO world Heritage providing and is one of the oldest Spanish colonial settlements in the Americas. While this isn’t some extravagant spoil site, it’s really the only place to see and learn about the country’s founding colonial past.

6. Go volcano boarding

Cerro Negro, a young and active volcano, is where tourists (mostly backpackers) board down the gravelly slopes on one of the lots of organized excursions to the mountain. You hike up to the top, which takes around an hour, sit on a piece of wood, and then fly down the side of the volcano. excursions from León leave in the morning and in the afternoon.

It’s the main reason lots of travelers visit León and, while not my cup of tea, is very popular. I couldn’t visit anywhere in the country without seeing someone wearing an “I went volcano boarding” t-shirt. the most popular slope is on Cerro Negro. prices start at $25 USD per person.

7. escape to the Corn Islands

Located off the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, the Corn Islands are a stunning place for a holiday retreat. a lot of people come to the islands to snorkel, scuba dive, fish, soak up the sun, and kick back with a good book. There are two islands: little Corn and big Corn. little Corn is the quieter, a lot more backpacker-oriented island with more affordable guesthouses and fewer resorts.

You can fly or take a ferry to big Corn and then a smaller boat to little Corn. big Corn is a lot more developed with larger resorts and a lot more restaurants, and it’s a lot more expensive. Home to around 800 people speaking Creole English and Spanish, this is one the most friendly places you’re likely to find in the country!

Where to stay on the Corn Islands: My favorite place to stay is Mimundo. The hostel is ideal on the water and you can enjoy the sunrise and sunset from your balcony. What a lot more do you need? You can book a room here on Hostelworld!

8. Hike Miraflores
Located in Esteli in northern Nicaragua, this national park was the highlight of my entire trip. You get to wander through a beautiful cloud forest, around small farms, and over rivers and waterfalls. You’ll hardly run into any other tourists — it’s like you have the whole jungle to yourself. You can take daylong or multiday treks to the park (the multiday trips enable you to stay with local host families in small communities). There are also programs to help you learn to farm or show here.

Here’s a video of the area:

I did a one-day trek ($15 USD for two meals and a mandatory guide), which started at 7am and concluded around 4pm. Bonus: all the money from the excursions goes back into supporting the community and farmers. 

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9. visit the stone Man

Alberto Gutiérrez has been carving animals and symbols into the stones outside Esteli for decades. He had a vision of angels who told him to carve, and in an effort to end his alcoholism, began carving whenever he craved a drink. He’s not easy to get to, but when you find him, Alberto will welcome you into his home, give you fresh fruit, and show you all his stone carvings, which he says were inspired by God. He doesn’t speak any English, so if you don’t speak Spanish, just nod and take pleasure in the carvings. He also won’t ask for any money, but donations are welcome. This is a really great “off-the-beaten-path destination.”

(Special thanks to Rodney McDonald, director of ERSLA (a fantastic nonprofit that sets up fire departments in the country), for taking me there and introducing me!)

Directions: Getting there is a bit complicated. To visit Alberto Gutiérrez, take a bus or taxi to the Tisey Estanzuela natural Reserve. Ask to be dropped off at the the entrance to El Calejate or Eco Posada. If you are dropped off at Eco Posada (where you can get lunch, buy drinks, etc.), keep walking up the road and eventually you’ll come to a big clearing on your left with a well-worn road going slightly down the deal. There will be a sign that says “El Calejate.” Go down this path, admire the sensational view, and then veer left down the footpath down the hill. keep walking and you will see a sign that says “Bienvenidos a Galeria Esculturas en Piedras.” cross the wooden gate and start calling out. Alberto will come out to greet you.

10. skip Managua – There’s nothing toVezi aici. pășește. Nu petreceți mult timp acolo.

11. Călătoriți câțiva vulcani

Există o mulțime de vulcani în țară, iar drumeția lor este o activitate populară. A fost principalul motiv pentru care m -am îndreptat spre Nicaragua și am sfârșit prin a face drumeții trei. Cei doi vulcani de pe Ometepe sunt drumeții populare de zi. Sunt mult mai dificili, atunci veți fi conduși să credeți, dar merită (căutați maimuțe!). León este probabil cel mai bun loc pentru a face unele drumeții, totuși, având în vedere că există o mulțime de vulcani acolo.

Dacă doriți să vă rezolvați drumeția, aici este unde să o faceți! Cei mai populari vulcani sunt Cerro Negro (Vulcan Boarding), Telica (unde alegeți drumeții la apusul soarelui), San Cristóbal (cel mai lung și mai greu) și Momotombo (al doilea cel mai greu).

12. Binge pe Gallo Pinto

Voi fi sincer: am găsit mâncarea din Nicaraguan destul de bland. Fii pregătit să mănânci o mulțime de Pinto Gallo (orez și fasole), carne și plantane prăjite. Nu este cea mai interesantă mâncare, dar a fost delicioasă (și incredibil de economică). Cu toate acestea, după ce l -am mâncat timp de trei zile consecutive, m -am destrămat și m -am dus la un restaurant occidental. Un bărbat nu poate mânca doar atât de mult orez și fasole înainte de a avea nevoie de ceva diferit. Este o mâncare de bază pentru o mulțime de oameni din Nicaragua. De fapt, Gallo Pinto este o parte atât de chintesențială a bucătăriei Nicaraguan, încât chiar și McDonald are o versiune!

13. Faceți o casă/învățați spaniola
Vrei să stai mai mult? Participați la o casă de casă. Există o mulțime de oportunități de a sta mai mult, de a face voluntariat, de a învăța spaniolă și de fermă. Dacă acest lucru vă interesează, pensiuni și birouri de vacanță din orice oraș mare vă pot ajuta să vă organizați acest lucru. Esteli, Ometepe și León au fost destinații populare pentru acest lucru.

Companii de casă din Nicargua:

Lecții de spaniolă Nicaragua

Stai acasa

DALE spaniolă

14. Vizitați Apoyo Lagoon

Deși mulți oameni vizitează Lacul Nicaragua (cel mai mare și unde este Ometepe), această lagună de lângă Managua este un loc minunat pentru a vă relaxa. Puteți naviga pe lac, pește și drumeții în jur. Este o parte frumoasă a țării.

15. Kick Back – Nicaragua este o țară minunată pentru a sta doar. Stai pe o plajă cu o carte bună, cu piciorul înapoi în junglă, stai la fermă, surfează sau se balansează într -un hamac. Ritmul vieții aici este lent și relaxat, așa că încetinește -te și te bucură în unele zile leneșe și grozave.

***
Nicaragua devine rapid noul Costa Rica în ceea ce privește turismul și recomand cu mare drag o vizită în această țară înainte de a deveni „prea turistică” și scumpă. Văd scrisul pe perete: acest loc va exploda cu turiști chiar și mult mai mult decât a fost deja. Nicaragua este visul unui iubitor al naturii: vulcanii, pădurile tropicale, pădurile de mangrove și plajele. Adăugați câteva activități aventuroase, localnici prietenoși și prețuri ieftine și veți vedea de ce toată lumea face ravagii despre această țară.

Există atât de multe de văzut și de făcut în țară, încât veți avea o călătorie plină de acțiune, indiferent unde mergeți sau cât timp rămâneți acolo. Lăsați acest ghid cu privire la ce să vedeți și să faceți în Nicargua vă permite să experimentați magia pe care o oferă țara.

Pentru că este una dintre cele mai bune țări din lume și nu trebuie ratată! Nu pot să vorbesc destul de mult despre asta!

Rezervați -vă călătoria în Nicaragua: idei și trucuri logistice
Rezervați -vă zborul
Folosiți Skyscanner sau Momondo pentru a găsi un zbor ieftin. Sunt cele două motoare de căutare preferate, deoarece caută site -uri web și companii aeriene de pe glob, așa că știți întotdeauna că nu este lăsată nicio piatră neîncetată. Începeți cu Skyscanner mai întâi pentru că au cea mai mare acoperire!

Rezervați -vă cazarea
Puteți rezerva pensiunea dvs. cu Hostelworld, deoarece au cel mai mare inventar și cele mai bune oferte. Dacă doriți să rămâneți în altă parte decât o pensiune, utilizați Booking.com, deoarece acestea returnează în mod constant cele mai puțin scumpe tarife pentru casele de oaspeți și hotelurile ieftine. Locurile mele preferate de cazare sunt:

The Naked Tiger (San Juan del Sur)

Bigfoot Hostel (Leon)

Hostel Oasis (Granada)

Nu uitați de asigurarea de călătorie
Asigurarea de călătorie vă va asigura împotriva bolilor, a vătămării, a furtului și a anulării. Este o protecție detaliată în cazul în care orice nu merge bine. Nu merg niciodată pe un t