Surrounded by water.
Nicaragua is a beautiful country. It is not only the largest country in Central America, but it has the largest freshwater lake as well. It has 19 volcanoes, seven of which are active. For these reasons, it is known as the “land of lakes and volcanoes“. Not only that, it has the second largest rainforest in the Americas and coastal beaches on both sides (Pacific and Caribbean). Nicaragua is often translated to “surrounded by water”. Apart from all the lakes and volcanoes, a fifth of the country is protected and designated as national parks and biological reserves. Do I need to keep talking about the diverse and stunning geography to convince you to visit?
The Pacific lowlands region is the most populous (with over half of the nation’s population) where tourism has continued to grow over the years. I planned a few weeks in that region to see what all the hype was about. After a 14-hour bus ride from the islands of Honduras to Leon, Nicaragua I was exhausted. The journey was relatively smooth, except we switched drivers three times and one of them drove so fast everyone in the car was nauseous. The border to cross into Nicaragua was interesting. For whatever reason they make it very difficult for visitors and it takes FOREVER. We waited at the border for an hour while the bus driver talked to the border control agents. I am not sure why they make it so difficult…but there are different theories that I will not get into here. We made it, nonetheless, late in the evening and I went straight to bed!
Volcano boarding.
My first day in Leon I did very little. Yoga, massage, dinner, facetimed loved ones, got my favorite dish arroz con pollo, and slept a lot. Day two however was packed. I had a walking tour (guruwalk for the win) in the morning where we learned about the interesting history and the recent struggles the country has been through. The best part of the tour was the guide collected $1 from each participant (there were 16 of us) and we went to the local market. With that money we tried about 10 different foods – from cheese breads to nacatamales (stuffed goodness) to desserts to drinks to fruits. When you are in foreign countries and you enter a market, there are hundreds of vendors selling different things. Most of the time you are overwhelmed and have no idea what to get, what is good, and what is safe to eat. Having a local guide there to show us is simply the best. I had to bow out of the tour a bit early to get ready for my volcano boarding experience.
What is volcano boarding you ask? Well…let me tell you (I had no idea what this was until I arrived in the city of Leon). Volcan Cerro Negro is located about an hour outside of Leon and is most famous for adventurous travelers sliding down the side of it on a board made out of wood and a steel bottom. Bigfoot Hostel started this nonsense several years ago and now backpackers from all over come to experience this unique thrill-seeking activity. Me included. I signed up for the sunset boarding experience and had no idea what I was in for. There were about 20 others with me, and we were briefed on safety, given the required supplies, and climbed onto a “party bus” with lights and loud music. I sat next to a lovely couple from Australia that were on my shuttle bus the day before (you always run into the same people when traveling). We climbed about 45 minutes up the volcano with our boards and gear. There was plenty of time at the top to enjoy the beautiful views and take pics before sliding down. The crew taught us how to break and speed up, all I really needed to know was the slow down part – I was not about to get hurt with all my back problems.
We went one by one (I opted for going in the middle) and the volunteers waited in the middle of the volcano to ensure safety, but more importantly to clock how fast we were going. The fastest ever recorded boarder was 100 kilometers. I locked in a whopping 25 😊 and that was fast enough for me. one guy clocked in 80, but got hurt on the way down. At the bottom we cheered the others on as I worked to get all the volcanic dirt out from our beautiful orange jumpsuits. I had sand in places I didn’t know existed. We enjoyed a cold beverage and watched the sunset at the base of the volcano. We roasted marshmallows at the bonfire for an appetizer and had dinner at a local home with beef stew and rice. The bus back was filled with party music and passing a rum bottle around. Things definitely got rowdy. When we arrived back at the hostel, we were informed of the beer pong tournament a bit later. I had no intention of playing in the tourney, but one thing led to another and I entered the tournament with one of the hostel employees. We didn’t win, but we had a great time!
I love pomegranates.
Granada is historically one of Nicaragua’s most important cities, economically and politically. It has a rich colonial heritage, seen in its architecture and structure. It is located on the coast of Lake Nicaragua surrounded by volcanoes. It is not as large as Managua (the country’s capital) and offers a more local feel than a big city can. It was named after the Spanish city of Granada and has a sister city in Guatemala. Granada translates to grenade or pomegranate in English, so I like to associate it with the fruit rather than fighting.
My good friend, Louise, whom I met about nine years ago in Chicago, planned a last-minute trip over the week of Thanksgiving to meet me in Nicaragua. I took a three-hour bus from Leon to Granada, and she flew in to Managua to reunite in Granada. We spent hours catching up during happy hour on Calle Calzada, a street lined with bars and restaurants that set up tables outside. It had been about a year and a half since we saw each other so we had lots to talk about!
We stayed in Hostel Azul (would recommend) which organized many fun events. The first night we took a salsa class and sweat a lot. The next afternoon we took a food tour through the local market to try vigorón (made with pork rinds, yucca, and cabbage), bunuelos (deep fried yucca and cheese balls), and lemongrass refrescos. That evening we booked a sunset hike up to Volcano Masaya, an active volcano about 30 minutes outside of Granada. We got there early to beat the crowds and hiked up a nearby hill to get a bird’s eye view of the the surrounding mountains and valleys. On one side you could see the active sulfuric volcano and on the other side you could see Lake Appoyo surrounded by nearby towns. We walked down as dusk approached to fight the crowds on the platforms and view the bubbling lava. It is recommended to stay around the crater for only 15 minutes due to the high sulfuric activity and potential harm. It was quite windy that evening and the sulfur is no joke. Our eyes and throats told us when it was time to go – but not before we got to see down the crater. Those few minutes observing the phenomenon remind you how incredible the earth that we live on is and I am grateful to get to see so much of it.
We spent the next morning on a walking tour that lasted FOUR HOURS. This is way too long. Normally they last 2-3 hours but the guide on this city tour would not stop talking. We stopped by every church in the city, went to the top of the bell tower for a lovely sunset, and stopped at a chocolate factory for some free tastings. However, the only thing I really remember about those four hours was when he talked about the housing market and financial wellbeing of the city. There is a lot of old money in the city with houses stretching an entire block with eight external doors. They have since created multiple more modern-day homes from one of the old mansions, separating the homes by painting the exteriors different colors (which is why Granada is so colorful!). Today, homes are very affordable which is why so many expats are flocking to Nicaragua to purchase property. I could even afford a house there! Food for thought…
That evening we met the same Australian couple that I went volcano boarding for a bar crawl put on by multiple nearby hostels. Before the crawl, we got woodfired pizza and while sitting at the restaurant we noticed the TV was playing Miss Universe in the background. I grew up watching Miss Universe, so I was all about it. Everyone in the restaurant was also invested. We finished dinner and needed to get to the first bar, but as we were walking we noticed the show was on in every bar/restaurant we passed. They had TVs set up outside for the tables in Calle Calzada for patrons to watch the show. As the night went on, the program kept narrowing down the women and Nicaragua was in top five along with two Spanish speaking countries, Puerto Rico and Colombia. The entire town of Granada was now invested!! Down to three, still in it. Spoiler alert – NICARAGUA WON! The streets went wild, horns were honking, people were screaming. I am honestly surprised there were no fireworks going off, but I don’t know if anyone expected it since Nicaragua has never won the pageant before. It was so cool to see the pride and excitement and the celebrations continued well into the early morning!
Twin peaks.
Ometepe Island is a beautiful, beautiful place. It is an island located in Lake Nicaragua with two huge volcanoes, Concepcion and Maderas. You can climb both, but they are not easy treks. Each take about eight hours round trip with very difficult terrain. Basically straight up both rocks and dirt. Often the view from the top is obstructed from the clouds/fog surrounding the peak. I read many reviews that expressed the hike was not worth it. Therefore, Louise and I agreed to hike the San Ramon waterfall instead (only about three hours and not as challenging) and explore the island on an ATV.
We stayed at a lovely hotel, Hospedaje Soma Resort, in the main port area of Moyogalpa for convenience since we were only there two nights. After the hour ferry ride from the port town of Rivas, we headed to Punta Jesus Maria to watch the sunset. From this viewpoint you can see both volcanoes, the sunset and walk out into the water on a long sandy point. The next day we zipped* around the island on our ATV (*the roads are quite horrible with lots of potholes and narrow roads). We hiked up to the waterfall, which was a bit harder than anticipated. We saw and heard howler monkeys in the trees and passed tons of cows grazing in the pastures. We scaled narrow paths and rocks along a babbling river. However, the waterfall was beautiful and so refreshing after that physical challenge. Except for the bees at the top, they were relentless. On our way back to Moyogalpa we stopped at Peru Beach to jump in the water. The backdrop was incredible (see photos here) with the calmness of the lake, Volcan Concepcion in the distance and clear blue skies. We played on the swings in the water, floated around, enjoyed cold beer and just soaked up our last day on the island.
I just want an american thanksgiving.
San Juan del Sur is a cute little surf town on the Pacific Ocean, about 40 minutes south of Lake Nicaragua. There are lots of tasty restaurants and beach bars to enjoy the sunset each night. We went for a night swim on our first night there. We met up with several backpackers I met in Mexico a month prior at Tio Milton Bar to catch up and share our recent travel stories. We laughed until our cheeks hurt and it was time to go to bed.
The beach in San Juan itself is not great for surfing and swimming as it is more of a port. But there are tons of smaller pristine beaches nearby that the surfers and sunbathers flock to. So we took a shuttle to Remanso Beach to spend the day there. We got chairs and umbrellas and relaxed all afternoon. The water was warm, and the waves were gentle – it was perfect. Louise went back the next day for a surf lesson while I hung back and did yoga at Zen Yoga (a sister studio to one in Seattle – what are the chances??) and watched some Thanksgiving day football at a bar owned by an American. The next morning we woke up early to hike up to Cristo de la Misericordia statue at the top of a hill on the north side of the beach. From the top you could see the bay of San Juan, the vast ocean, and the rolling hills behind. A great way to start they day!
When I was planning Nicaragua, I knew we were going to be there over Thanksgiving. I have only been out of the country once for the holiday back when I was studying abroad in Costa Rica. However, we still had turkey and shared the tradition with our Costa Rican families. It was so special. Also, I LOVE the Thanksgiving meal, so I really didn’t want to skip it. I started messaging nearby restaurants the days leading up to the holiday but kept striking out. The day before I got the number of a resort (Mango Grove Resort) that was owned by a retired Floridian who was indeed serving a traditional Thanksgiving meal. JACKPOT! Louise and a fellow Australian, Ben, (his first Thanksgiving celebration!) were in!
The meal itself was quite expensive for Nicaraguan standards ($28 USD) but for me it was worth it. We had the full feast from real turkey (which is very difficult to find in Latin America), stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, salad and bread. I was in heaven and it felt like home away from home. Our bellies were full and hearts happy. I am BEYOND grateful for the year that I have had, words can’t really explain it. However, in that moment, I had such gratitude for the friends sharing the meal with me.
The jen essentials for nicaragua.
- A board (the kind you slide down the side of a volcano with)
- Happy hour prices (Nicaragua is a bit more expensive than other Central American countries – so those HH rates really help!)
- Private rooms in the hostels (Louise was on vacation so I didn’t want to put her in a dorm, but still wanted the social aspect of a hostel)
- Fans or AC for sleeping (it was HOT – average was 90 degrees everyday)
- Organized shuttles (this is one thing Nicaragua does beautifully and they are quite cheap…$10-$30 depending on the distance)
- Better camera (my iPhone 11 camera doesn’t capture the beauty and definitely not the bubbling lava from afar – thank goodness for airdrop)
- ATV (getting around on Ometepe is difficult without a motorbike or ATV)
- Hiking boots (so many volcanoes to climb!)
- Thanksgiving meal (I needed this taste of home to keep going on my travels)
- Louise (it was so lovely to have a travel buddy and we had an absolute blast!)
Wrap it up jen.
Originally when I was planning my path in Central America, I was going to skip Nicaragua because of time, and I had been there 16 years ago. However, many travelers told me it was not to be missed. I reworked my travel itinerary to make time for it. And boy am I glad I did.
Leon was an adventure, Granada was charming, Ometepe was stunning, and San Juan was emotional. All places have something different to offer and unique in their own way. Getting to share these memories with a dear friend of mine was so special. Friends make everything better, kind of like GRAVY. Which is why “gravy” is slang for amazing or awesome. It just is. You also can’t have a Thanksgiving meal without gravy – even if you are celebrating outside of the US. Gravy brings the meal together and makes it complete. Traveling and friends make my life better and that is GRAVY. OK I think that is enough gravy for one paragraph.
Up next: The last country on my world tour, Costa Rica 😊
Signing off for now,
Jennifer