Easily my favorite country so far in Central America! Nicaragua has so much culture, so many good waves, and I met so many awesome people while traveling here. As most of you know, back in September of 2018 Nicaragua was unsafe to travel due to political riots. I visited from April-May 2019 and even then heard a lot of negative advice when I told friends and family I planned on traveling there solo. One of the biggest annoyances I have is when someone who has only read an old news update online decides to tell you a country they never have been to, have never met anyone from, and have not talked to anyone who has been there recently is very dangerous. I understand this is only with your safety in mind but it is a very uneducated assumption.  What I find ironic is that even in Florida in areas I frequent there are regular shootings. This is considered normal life and seems more untouchable than a rare report of a shooting in another country. While I worked in Panama and Costa Rica I met at least 20 solo travelers who had just traveled in Nicaragua and loved it, found it very safe, and had no issues. When traveling these people are your best source of accurate information. Because of their experiences and advice I traveled to Nicaragua and had the best time! Nicaragua was very quiet due to lower volumes of tourists and very safe-even safer than Costa Rica I felt. The locals were very kind, helpful, and friendly. I advise you to do your research and speak to people who have been where you are going if you have concerns about a country. Once you deem it safe, enjoy your time experiencing a new place and culture!

Maderas

A very small town with only 1 little market. Known for it’s surf break and offshore winds. A beautiful place you can easily get stuck at. About 15 minutes from San Juan Del Sur.

Stay

-Selina Maderas: An 8 person AC dorm goes for $8/night which includes a kitchen, library, cinema room, pool, and yoga space. Awesome staff and they also provide a shuttle service to and from San Juan Del Sur and the beach for a small price. Nightly activities include salsa classes, movie nights, and karaoke.

Eat

-Selina: Try their Gallo Pinto for breakfast and burger for lunch or dinner.

-The Beach House (In SJDS): Try their tostones which is patacones (Fried plantain) with cheese on top served with pico de gallo.

-Machete: Go for their Friday night pizza. They also have a small market if you need any basics for food or snacks and don’t walk to go all the way into town. About a 10 minute walk from Selina.

Do

-Surf Maderas: From Selina its a 10 minute walk to the beach and a big hill to climb each way. The wave is a beach break generally but as the swell hits there will be a left point break coming off the rocks as well. The wave breaks quite fast and tends to close out. There is usually off shore wind in the morning and can make it pretty cold-some guys even wear wetsuits.

-Go to Hush for sunset: From Selina walk towards the beach and take a left towards Hush. Bring a swimming suit to enjoy their infinity pool and some cash to buy a drink.

-Take a shuttle into San Juan Del Sur and explore the town. If you stay at Selina there are multiple shuttles throughout the day.

-Walk to the nearby Playa Marsella for a Tona (A Nicaraguan Beer) and to catch the sunset.

Popoyo

Probably the best surf town in Nicaragua. At least 4 breaks within walking distance and 2 more in the next town over. Very chilled spot, very dry, and very hot.

Stay

-Big Surf House: An awesome hostel run by Mario and Antonio with the best vibes in Popoyo. I was going to stay for 5 nights and ended up staying for 10. Right on the beach and a few minutes walk to the main surf break. This is the hostel that everyone gathers around sunset to play volleyball, pool, ping pong, or foosball. They have a kitchen and bar but do not offer food. There is a restaurant two doors down that also takes card. They rent out surf boards, use a tab system for the bar, and will take you to the nearest ATM if you need to get money out.

Eat

-The Barrel: Right next door to our hostel. I went there about everyday for their chicken burrito which had a sauce and cheese over the top which basically made it an enchilada. Awesome brownies and a good Tico breakfast.

-Dutchy’s: Amazing food! Try their fresh bread around a roast beef sandwich or topped with Nutella. Delicious banana coffee smoothies!

-There is a good fish restaurant at the end of the road past the market on the left.

-Down on the right is a good Italian restaurant with delicious pizzas!

-There is a small market on the left that sells all your necessities, along with a local market at the end of the road. There is also a surf shop just before the first market.

Do

-Surf trip to Playgrounds and Lance’s Left: Two days in a row I went out on a boat and surfed for 5-6 hours at these two spots! We had the waves almost to ourselves and such a good time! We ate peanut butter sandwiches to refuel and went back to catch some more waves. Big Surf House can organize your taxi and boat and a day of uncrowded waves! The price is about $20/person with 8 people.

El Transito

A very quiet surf town with less than 5 places to stay and 5 restaurants. Beautiful beach break that ended up being pretty messy while we were there.

Stay

-Solid Surf Camp: Run by an awesome lady from New Jersey who happened to know my first surf instructor! Beautiful little spot right on the beach in front of the waves with hammocks, rocking chairs, a yoga space, bar, and kitchen to use. I stayed two nights and paid $15 a night for a dorm bed. The bathroom/shower was very nice!

Eat

-There was an awesome local restaurant right across from the mini super that had the best fried chicken! Very cheap – maybe $5 for the whole meal.

-We also went to the little breakfast place on the corner for a Tico style breakfast. As the owner was preparing our food the wife was bathing their son in the sink before school, baby chicks were scurrying around pecking at the dirt, and a local boy ran through the street bareback on his horse. El Transito is very quiet, very local, and one of my favorites places.

-Caracola Café: Awesome chicken rice bowl and smoothies!

Do

-Surf: This is really all you can do in El Transito. Have a few beers, watch the sunset, and enjoy time moving slow.

Leon

Leon is a bustling city on the map for backpackers due to the famous volcano boarding. Very cute streets, cafes, and shops.

Stay

-Malinche Leon: A small little hostel on a quiet street about 5 minutes walking from the main strip and Bigfoot Hostel. I wanted a private room and they have a room with AC for 25$/night with breakfast included. They also have a super cute dog who is very friendly!

Eat

-Kiss Me: A delicious artisanal ice cream shop with homemade waffle cones. Located right next to Get Up Stand Up and right across from Bigfoot Hostel.

Do

-Bigfoot Hostel Volcano Boarding: Probably one of my favorite things to do on this trip. You pay $30 to receive transport to and from the volcano, an awesome tour guide, a tank top, a local beer and fruit after your hike, a mojito upon return back to the hostel, one free night at the hostel, and transport to the nearby beach afterwards. You ride to and from the volcano in the back of a big truck and get to know everyone on the way. The drive is beautiful and you drive past little homes with pigs wandering around and young boys riding horses bareback. We picked up a couple guys to help carry our boards up the volcano (for a fee of 100 Cordobas) and then stopped at the next little house on the road. Our tour guide called out to the little boy named Danny who lived there and told him to get his shoes. Today would be his first day riding down the volcano with us and he was stoked! We ate some local fruit on the ride and then paid our $5 entrance fee (not included in the $30). Then we drove to the base of the volcano and started our hike up! I recommend paying the 100 cordoba to the local men to carry your board up. Not only will you have an easier hike up but you are contributing to their wage as this is their only job. We had a few breaks on the way up which was needed as the trail was quite steep and uneven due to the volcanic rock. We finally reached the top and our guide told us a bit about the volcano – and that we were just in time for an eruption as the last eruption took place 20 years before. Volcanos usually erupt every 20 years – a fact he only shared with us at the top. He also told us how volcano boarding came about. An Australian traveler came upon the volcano during his travels and took up all different materials to try to slide down with including a snowboard, fridge door, and sled. Finally he figured out what worked best and Volcano Boarding was born. This activity is ranked #2 on CNN’s 50 most daring activities to do on vacation. Finally it was time to ride. We paired off and got ready to race. There was a man halfway down taking pictures and another clocking our speed. The record for men is 101km/h and 94km/hr for women. You can adjust your speed by how you sit and decide if you want to go faster or slower. The slowest man and woman would receive the ice bucket challenge. I made it to 50k and was in the middle of the pack so no ice for me! At the bottom we enjoyed fresh watermelon and a cold beer before heading back. I planned on taking the truck to the beach after but after the big day I was exhausted, grabbed some dinner, and relaxed. One of my favorite days in Nicaragua!

Ometepe

Ometepe is a small island not far from Rivas. You take a ferry across from the mainland and get off in the town of Moyogalpa. I went over myself and stayed at a home stay about 5 minutes out of town.

Stay

-Hostel Finca Monserrath: A little homestay about 5 minutes scooter ride from Moyogalpa. I was the only one staying there and they gave me a free upgrade to a room with 3 beds. I paid $27 for two nights. The room had a shower and toilet and two fans. The owners were very nice and had a little puppy upstairs. They also have a small menu and I had one meal there but would recommend getting some food in town.

Eat

-The Cornerhouse: Maybe the best food I had in Nicaragua! I had eggs benedict with roasted potatoes and a thick mango smoothie. So good! Located right downtown a few minutes from the ferry.

-El Pital: A delicious chocolate restaurant were we had chocolate smoothies and a platter of fruit with a magic chocolate ball that melted. Very good!

Do

-Rent a scooter: Back on the mainland you can rent a scooter before getting on the boat and you will be met by someone to take you to pick up your scooter or dirt bike. The price is about 25$/day excluding gas. The first night I went to Punta Jesus Maria for sunset and explored some side streets. The next day some friends I had met in Popoyo came over and we explored both islands. There is a section of road that is loose gravel so keep your speed down on this section if you are driving a scooter.

-Ojo de Agua: Hot springs with a small fee. We jumped off a wooden platform into the water, tried to do backflips, and had a nice swim. You can buy coconuts, alcoholic drinks, or even have a massage.

I highly, highly recommend you make a trip to Nicaragua. This country is not like any other I have visited in Central or Latin America. Due to the drop in tourism I found the locals to be more authentic and more interested in making conversation. Don’t have any set plans and let the people you meet and the places you go dictate your experience.

 

 

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