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Nicaragua - Land of Lakes and Volcanos

Updated: Feb 19, 2022

From dense tropical jungles and sandy beaches to captivating colonial cities and two volcanic peaks that emerge from a freshwater lake, Central America's largest country has something for everyone.



Bordering Costa Rica to the South and Honduras to the North, the "Land of Lakes and Volcanoes" as it is know, often surprises those who travel here with few expectations. You'll find Creole and English speakers on the Caribbean coast, Indigenous communities on the Pacific Coast and a rich history, culture and culinary scene in between.


We at Castaways Nicaragua, fell in love with this country the first time we came here.

The scenery is magnificent, the beaches and jungles are untouched, the colonial cities are impressive and take you back in time and the people are perhaps the greatest asset in this land of contrasts.


Here are some basic bits of information if you've never been to Nicaragua before:



LANGUAGE: Spanish, English, Miskito, Rama, Sumo and others are recognised.


SIZE:


Around 50 000 square miles. Central America's largest country. (Similar size to England, Greece)


CURRENCY:


The Cordoba (NIO) is the official currency here and US Dollars (USD) are widely accepted too. Cash is preferred in most places over cards. There are ATMs to be found in most places.


RELIGION: Nicaragua is a heavily Christian nation, by some estimates over 85% of the people practice Christianity,


WATER:


We recommend drinking bottled or filter water in Nicaragua, tap water is not recommended. Castaways Nicaragua provides you with fresh drinking water if you are staying in our casitas.


ELECTRICTY:

110V is the standard voltage in Nicaragua. A lot of wind turbines are spinning in the south of the country though and we're hoping one day that renewable energy can power the whole country completely. TRANSPORT:


Arriving in Nicaragua by plane, will take you to Managua's International Airport. We are about 2.5 hours by car from there and about 1.5 hours from the Costa Rican border. Getting around is easy if you speak a bit of Spanish - busses are low-cost and cover most of the country. You can also hire cars, motorbikes and take taxis to get around.


WEATHER:


Nicaragua experiences two distinct seasons. The driest part of the year is November to April - the perfect time to escape for a vacation from the colder climates in North America and Europe. Between May and October however, surf season draws tourists from around the world and the region gets most of its yearly rainfall. This welcome change in the weather nourishes the countryside and temperatures remain warm year round, with consistent daily highs that are usually above 80°F (27°C).


WILDLIFE:


In our part of Nicaragua, you'll find: monkeys, skunks, possums, porcupines, snakes, wild horses, pelibuey, langostas, sea turtles, pelicans, an array of birdlife and plenty of fish in the sea. Don't worry - most of these are friendly and not trying to hurt you.


LANDSCAPES: Caribbean Islands, Sandy Beaches, 19 Volcanos, Tropical Jungle, Swampy Lowlands, Cloud Forest, Lake Nicaragua (19th largest in World), River valleys, Grassy plains, Rocky beaches and more.







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