Blogs from Nicaragua, Central America Caribbean - page 4

This was my last stop in Nicaragua, before heading back to Managua. Because of COVID-19 pandemic, I cut 3 days from the vacation. ..... Leon is a colonial city and ancient rival to Granada. The city is far less touristy than Granada, but still have many accommodations and things to do around. Old downtown center is compact and easy to navigate. We stayed in hotel Flor de Sarta, about 4 blocks North of central park. This si close enough to get to center in 10 minutes, but quiet enough to sleep well. The staff is super friendly ans breakfast is very good and varied. A small pool and patio allows to relax in the afternoon. ... In Leon, the highlight is of course the big white cathedral, which is white in and out. The building is ... read more

It's time to go to the sea!! We left early from Ometepe and with reservation we took the ferry in no time with our car. We headed North on the inter Americana. During the dry season, the landscape is more open with many beige colors grasses in contrast with a few evergreen trees. The terrain is in general flat but things change after Diriamba. We climbed in altitude for many kilometers, changing the landscape completely. It's now more green, and from above, we can see the ocean in the far distance. We left highway at El Crucero, and descend steadily for a few kilometers. The views are splendid here! It seems that this resort is in the middle of nowhere, because we took a shortcut, but that's part of the adventure!! A couple of dirts roads, ... read more

Ometepe island was one of my top 2 places to visit in Nicaragua, and I wasn't deceived!! First thing is to get there. Although there are a few flights a week to get there from Managua, it's more fun and exotic to take the boat to reach it. :-) One important thing about the ferry. If you don't have a car or other transportation, you can take the ferry or smaller boat at any time without any preparation. But if you have a car or a truck, it would be very wise to reserve in advance!!! Reason is that not only tourists go to the island, but also many delivery trucks, and ferries are not that big. To give you an idea, on one ferry you can put: one long 53 feet truck, another truck less ... read more

If you are on the road to Granada, you need to stop at the mirador de Catarina. When you enter the city, there are many flower shops and that part of town is really beautiful. You can park for a few Cordobas neat the viewpoint. The view is splendid: Deep blue lake, in a crater and you are on top of it. You can see the whole lake from it. This is a very touristy place, with lots vendors and musicians, but it is pleasant anyway. Horse rides are available there to go down the lake if you wish, (you could walk down too). A couple of small hotels surround the lake with forest. We ate in a restaurant overlooking the lake. Real good view, but it's windy too! Next stop, Granada.... read more

"Land of lakes and volcanoes", is actually true if you consider the western part of the country only. I went to neighbor Costa Rica many times in the past, and apart from arenal lake, there aren't many lakes there. Also, they are relatively big in Nicaragua. With all the size (and wind), lake Nicaragua really look like a sea. Number of volcanoes is also very high, especially in Leon's region. I drove during my trip, and driving was relatively easy: people generally follow road rules, use flashers and are not aggressive, (if i compare to colombia last year, where it was a total disaster!!). Saw many beautiful landscapes that are worth to stop and take pictures. Tourism is not that developed overall and is concentrated in some pockets, (Granada, Ometepe, Leon), which is a good or ... read more