Searching for exciting and new places to visit can be a fun experience, but the most important thing is to make sure that we can choose a location that is not only unique but also safe for travel. Nicaragua has been placed among the “Top destinations to go to in 2017” by several of the foremost recognized travel magazines and media worldwide.
Nearly a fifth of the territory of this Central American nation is protected by national parks or reserves. This is also a prime destination for eco-tourism and adventure activities with volcanoes, rain forests, valleys, beaches, lakes and islands to explore. That is why in this post, we are going to be talking about some of the most basic travel information for Nicaragua as a perfect destination for travelers.
1 The weather
The weather in Nicaragua is quite hot for most of the year and humidity is high, so the only thing you should worry about during most seasons is to have comfortable clothing to wear. The rainy season in Nicaragua is between May and October, but even when rain and storms can be mildly strong, the weather never gets cooler than 75F.
2 Money and costs
The Nicaragua currency is called the Cordoba and twenty dollars are about 600 Cordobas right now (click here to confirm the current exchange rate). The good news is that most shops, stores, and establishments accept dollars as an official currency. Just try to avoid paying large bills at small convenience stores. One-dollar bills and five-dollar bills are ideal for those situations.
Depending on your style of traveling your cost are going to change. To give you an idea of how cheap Nicaragua can be, as an intermediate budget traveler you could go out to a restaurant, then to a bar and stay at a nice looking accommodation, all for as little as $60.
3 Medical advice
The first thing you need to do before you get to visit a travel health clinic or your personal physician a few weeks before arriving. Each country has their own policies about traveling in Central America. The vaccinations, required for general traveling and not just for Central America, are Hepatitis A, Rabies and Typhoid. Normally just if you are going to visit certain areas (our accommodation is not on one of them) you might be advised to take the vaccine for hepatitis B and the medicine for Malaria.
For all travelers, insect repellents are recommended, in conjunction with other measures to prevent mosquito bites.
4 The food
Nicaraguan food is delicious, and there are many traditional dishes you should try out. The vigoron, the gallo pinto, the cocoa drinks and the quesillo are just a few of the many local foods you should try out. Some people can get a mild stomachache or diarrhea from the local tap water, but this is not usually a problem.
5 Security in Nicaragua
The United Nations and Interpol consider Nicaragua as one of the safest countries in the continent. There is no debate about that Nicaragua is a nation at peace. The war ended in 1990, definitely a few years ago. The modern Nicaraguan is a peaceful, friendly and hardworking individual that is not interested in violence.
The last “Global Peace Index” which ranks 144 countries in the world ranked Nicaragua the 5th most peaceful country in Latin America.
The Nicaraguan territory has become the safest in the entire Central American region. Anyway, as a visitor you should take common sense precautions in visitors to Nicaragua as you would in any other peaceful area of the world. The serious violence and the impending danger people experience in other countries is not an issue in Nicaragua at all.
6 Electricity and the Internet
The electricity here runs at 120V and 60Hz and you may need an adaptor if your electrical devices differ from this standard. Nicaragua uses the two-pronged North American plug.
If you want to use your cellphone in Nicaragua, it has to work on 850MHz or 1900MHz networks. If you don’t have international roaming phone plan, you can always get a local SIM card from Movistar or Claro and make or pre-paid calls at local rates.
Anyway WhatsApp, as a traveler it is a popular tool to be in contact with friends and family, and it is becoming more popular among the Nicaraguans. Most accommodations in Nicaragua have Internet access, but depending on the area it can be hard to get a good signal for your roaming devices if you want high-speed internet.
Bonus – Travel Insurance
Choose one that fits your needs; our favorite is WorldNomads.com. It is available to people from 140 countries. It’s designed for adventurous travelers with cover for overseas medical, evacuation, baggage and a range of adventure sports and activities.