The Best Places to Visit in Nicaragua
Nicaragua is a fairly underrated country here in Latin America, bordering both Honduras and Costa Rica. It has an abundance of colonial cities, as well as some of the most iconic volcanoes in the region. It is one of the cheapest countries in Latin America to travel through, the people are warm and welcoming, and outside of the main destinations it still feels relatively untouched by mass tourism.
Capital: Managua
Currency: Nicaraguan Córdoba, US Dollar
Language: Spanish
When to visit: December to April
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1) Granada
Granada is one of Nicaragua’s remaining colonial cities, and it lies right on the shores of Lake Nicaragua. Although it only has around 125,000 people living here, it’s still one of the largest cities in Nicaragua with some of the best architecture in the country. The city was founded by the Spanish and you can easily tell as you visit.
Things to do:
Start your exploration in Parque Central de Granada, which is a pleasant area containing the The Cathedral of Granada, where you have the opportunity to go up the Bell Tower for views. From the central park, Calle La Calzada runs east toward the lake and is the main tourist street of Granada, so walk down here on your way to the lakefront. On the lake are the Islets of Granada, and you can take a boat trip through various companies/guides allowing you to get out on the lake and experience it in a different way. Lastly, spend a day out at Mombacho Volcano as it’s a great way to see some unique wildlife.
How to get there:
Augusto C. Sandino International Airport (MGA) is the closest airport operating flights round the Americas.
You can also take a bus from most major cities in Nicaragua.
2) Leon
León is a city in the northwest of Nicaragua, sitting in a broad hot plain between the Pacific coast and the chain of volcanoes that runs the length of the country. It has a population of around 175,000, many of which being students, and is the place to go if you wanna see an outstanding colonial center home to a revolutionary past.
Things to do:
The iconic building in Leon is the Leon Catedral, which is known for being beautifully white and grand, and boasting the opportunity for the rooftop walk which is really cool to see all the domes and architecture. For museum lovers, The Museo de la Revolución is right next to it as well. The streets all around this area have lots of cool buildings in general, so just go for a nice wander. The Iglesia de la Recolección itself is one of my favorite churches in the city. If you want to do some hiking, I recommend the relatively easy hike up Cerro Negro Volcano to the crater rim as well.
How to get there:
You can take buses from most places in the country with connections in Managua.
3) Ometepe Island
Heading back over to Lake Nicaragua, Ometepe Island sits in the middle and is one of the coolest looking islands. It is shaped like an hourglass and has twin volcanoes standing tall over the island, a very unique piece of geography. One volcano is active, and one is dormant, and over 35,000 people call the island home.
Things to do:
My first recommendation is to get either a bicycle or motorcycle to explore the island as most of the roads are unpaved. Once you’ve done that, start planning your hikes. The hike up Volcán Concepción is the most demanding and rewarding hike on the island, and takes a full day of hard work to get through forest and volcanic rock. You probably want to do it with a guide to be honest. The other volcano, Volcán Maderas, is the dormant one and you can do this hike in about 7 hours return on a good day, plus you’ll probably see some unique monkey species as you go along. Hiking isn’t all though, as there are some great swimming spots like Playa Santo Domingo and The Ojo de Agua.
How to get there:
From Granada, take a bus to San Jorge then a ferry to the island.
4) San Juan del Sur
San Juan del Sur is on the west coast of Nicaragua, not far from the lake, and is a small beach town with a lot of charm. The beach is in the middle of the natural bay which makes it look really nice, but the surrounding coastline is also amazing so it’s a good base for beach and vibes.
Things to do:
Obviously we can start with the beach in the actual town, which is nice especially in the summer. The best part is the sun sets right out on the water. Out of town is where the best surf beaches are though, so take a local bus out to either Playa Maderas, Playa Remanso, or Playa Remanso. If you are in the town, you’ll probably see the big statue on the hill which is called The Cristo de la Misericordia, and you walk up there for some good views in about 30 minutes. For the backpackers who wanna party here, check out the Sunday Funday Pool Crawl.
How to get there:
You can take buses from most of the towns on the west side of the lake including Granada.
5) The Corn Islands
Lastly, over to the east coast you can head out into the Caribbean Sea and find the Corn Islands, a lovely pair of two islands (Big Corn and Small Corn). They are pretty tranquil since not a lot of tourists tend to adventure out here, even the ones who do make it to Nicaragua. The population is predominantly Afro-Caribbean Creole, descended from enslaved Africans and English-speaking settlers who arrived centuries before the Spanish influence reached this far.
Things to do:
Big Corn Island is where most people arrive and I’d say it requires a day or two of slow exploration before heading across to Little Corn. The beach at Long Bay on the western shore is the finest on the island, but you should really go diving and snorkeling around here cause it’s beautiful. Then take the lovely boat crossing over to Little Corn Island, taking about 25 minutes, and spend as much as you have time for just relaxing and taking in island life. Make sure to try the Creole foods.
How to get there:
Big Corn Island Airport (RNI) has flights from Managua. You take a panga (little boat) to Little Corn.
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