14 Tips for traveling to Nicarwater by the free

SHORT INTRODUCTION TO NICARAGUA

Before we get into the subject, let's set the scene for a bit.carWater is found in Central America between Costa Rica and Honduras, bathed by the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean SeaIt has a population of almost 7 million, of which 1 million live in Managua, its capital.

The surface of NicarThe area of ​​water is 130.400 km², which is more or less the size of Andalusia and Extremadura combined. Of its surface, Lake Cocibolca, one of the largest in the world, occupies more than 8.000km², which, taking into account the autonomous communities, is almost the size of Asturias.

Currently, the political situation norcaragüense It has been under the control of President Daniel Ortega since 2007, who is the subject of criticism from both his own supporters and his own people.carAguascalientes and internationally due to authoritarian practices, restrictions on the opposition, and limitations on civil rights.

Another very important historical political event for Nicarwater is the Sandinista Revolution that existed in the eighties. A political and military conflict that culminated with the overthrow of dictatorial government. The city ​​of Leon played a very important role, it is full of murals with historical representations and you can visit the Museum of the Revolution.

1. REQUIREMENTS TO TRAVEL TO NICARAGUA

Documentation

For Spaniards there are 90 days to travel through Nicarwater without needing to do anything beforehand or at customs. Just keep in mind that if you're traveling through Central America, these 90 days is the total time you can spend in the CA-4 countries (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua).carWater).

To enter NicarYou need water;

1. Passport. in order with a blank page and at least 6 months of validity
2. Flight out of the country (it is rare for them to ask for it) For security reasons, we fake one or use Onward Ticket which creates an authentic ticket for 24 hours.
3. Funds in the account bannedcaria (it is rare that they ask for it) it would be worth showing a screenshot of your mobile banking, you can have it done just in case.

Vaccinations for traveling to Nicarwater

No No vaccines are required to enter Nicarwater, except for the Yellow fever if you have been to high index countries in the last 10 days. Be careful with this because if you are taking a trip to different countries in Latin America it could affect you, they are considered high index: Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Panama, Colombia.

The Spanish Ministry recommends going to Nicarwater with the following vaccines up to date, but they are recommended, not mandatory and most of them are already part of the carroutine vaccination schedule:

• Tetanus-Diphtheria
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Malaria
• Typhoid fever

In addition, there is a slight risk of dengue fever, a disease transmitted by mosquito bites, which is why the repellent cannot be missing in your suitcase to travel to Nicarwater for free.

2. HOW TO GET THERE TO NICARAGUA FROM SPAIN

There are no direct flights from Spain to Managua Airport so you will have to make one or two stopovers. Some Cheaper routes pass through Miami or Panama City. From Latin American countries some of the best routes also pass through Panama.

Another option is combine your trip to Nicarwater with some other Central American country like Costa Rica. Crossing the borders is easy both on your own and on tourist transport that offers direct service from city to city with a border crossing. 

You can fly to NicarWater from Spain and return from Costa Rica, or vice versa to make a complete route without having to go back.

3. HOW PAY AND WITH WHAT CURRENCY

La official currency is the Córdoba, which over the last 5 years has remained fairly stable in a change of 1€=40C$. Dollars are also widely used, in fact, you will find many prices in both currencies and you can choose how to pay. It is usually a fair conversion where you do not pay more in dollars, although it tends to round off.

Likewise, always carry córdobas with you because some businesses or public transportation do not accept dollars.

Changing money in Nicarwater

Changing euros or dollars to córdobas does not have any difficulty, in the main tourist sites you will find exchange houses. You can also do it inside the bank or ask at your accommodation, many also change.

What is certain is that you will always find where to changeBefore crossing into Honduras, we asked at a pharmacy where we could exchange the córdobas we had left over into dollars and the same woman at the pharmacy exchanged them for us.

Check carefully the current change to make sure that you are not deceived and count the money in front of the person, a precaution that you should take in any country.

ATM, cash withdrawals in Nicarwater

ATMs in Nicarwater They charge a commission of about $4. In addition to that commission, it is very possible that your Spanish bank charges you another fee or that it does not do so directly, but applies a very bad conversion that causes you to lose money. That's why we recommend (if you don't have it yet) to get one. travel card like Revolut  It is free, it has no maintenance their basic rate and you only pay €10 to have the card sent to your home.

That said, you will find ATMs in all the main places, but don't be overconfident and always carry money with you.

Alternatively carry dollars from home. This way you will save ATM fees and by carrying dollars with you you will ensure that you can pay and get córdobas whenever you need.

You can get dollars with ExactChange at a very good exchange rate and with home delivery. Very convenient!

Pay with credit cards

You can pay for hotels and activities with a card, again, to get a good change I recommend doing it with Revolut. The bad part is that it is common that establishments that accept cards charge between 5% and 10% extra, so without a doubt, it is best to pay in cash.

4. BEST TIME TO TRAVEL TO NICARAGUA

Our memory of NicarWater at the end of March is passing Much hotIn León we had to take refuge for several hours in a McDonald's because (literally) our rubber sandals got stuck to the floor.

NicarAgua is a tropical country where it's always hot, especially In the Pacific, maximum temperatures rarely drop below 30°C. and the nights are also quite hot.

But if you look The best time to visit NicarI would recommend you try to avoid water. the months from August to October because they are the rainiest. Although these precipitations are usually tropical storms and it does not rain all day, the skies are usually cloudy.

5. IS IT SAFE? SECURITY IN NICARAGUA

As of today, neithercarwater is one of the safest countries in Latin America for tourists and this is something that we notice. NicarAgua was the only country in our Central American trip where there was a lively atmosphere in the city centers after sunset, and where many locals told us it was safe to walk around at night. For example, we returned from Masaya volcano at night on public transport.

That said, of course you have to take some basic precautions such as always carry valuable things with you. For example, during transfers your luggage may go on the roof of the bus, and this does not provide much security. 

Also I would avoid wearing jewelry and watches carYou (or at least look like you). Although nothing has to happen, it's best not to draw attention to yourself.

Nor would it take the hanging camera while walking around town, especially on streets with traffic, because you could get pulled. On the other hand, in my opinion, it is completely safe to carry it hanging inside markets or while walking through a pedestrian area, of course, also on any excursion.

I recommend that when you arrive at an accommodation Ask if the area is safe. Although they tend to be overprotective of tourists, no one knows better than a local if you should take any precautions, sometimes as simple as returning by taxi at night instead of walking.

6. PRICES IS NICARAGUA EXPENSIVE?

Do you know what is the way to not spend a lot on a trip Costa Rica? Run to the border of NicarWater.

With this I come to say that NicarAguascalientes is the most affordable country to travel to in Central America, along with El Salvador..

You'll find Room Basic doubles from €12-€15 in cities like Lion o Granada and from €35 if you want a good hotel, without luxuries, but a good room.

You can eat well and a lot between €4 and €6, even for €3 or less if you are looking for the cheapest options.

You will rarely pay more than €4 for a journey of several hours in your curious chicken bus. For short distances taxis and tuk tuks They are also economical, it was not a transport that we used much, but no trip was more than €5.

The most part carThese are the activities, although it's not unreasonable and There are many things you can do on your own. Most tours do not go below $35 and the entrances to tourist sites for foreigners are not cheap either, for example the Masaya volcano is $10 or in Ometepe you pay to enter practically all the places.

So traveling to NicarBuying water can be very cheap.

7. HOW MOVE FOR NICARAGUA

If you are organizing a self-guided trip to NicarOne of your questions will be how to get around within the country. Well, good news because NicarAgua is a country where moving from point to point is easy. 

The local population does not usually have a private car so all cities and towns are connected by buses. They are not the most comfortable in the world but they are very economical and are very common. 

How to cross from Costa Rica or Honduras

Crossing the borders of these countries as a Spanish citizen is not difficult. Beyond having a valid passport and paying certain border taxes, the process is very easy. But to make it even easier we have written two articles on how to do it including with everything to take into account and what transport to take to get there on your own.

How to get from one city to another in Nicaraguacarwater

To get around between cities in NicarThere are two alternatives for water. The most economical is to do it by local transport with the indispensable and necessary chicken bus (old American school buses that operate as buses) or in vans. Depending on the route you will find one of the two options or both.

To find out the schedules you can go to the terminals or ask someone at your accommodation or a restaurant if they know. Many of They have an established but flexible schedule, that is, if it is not full they will wait a little longer until it isOthers, however, only leave when they are full. Public transport in NicarWater is used a lot, so the frequency is high.

Generally these transports cannot be booked in advance. The ticket is sometimes purchased at the transport terminal office, although the most common is pay while sitting on the bus or when you get on.

La plus option cara, and of course more practical, is to use private tourist transport. These are vans with a set schedule that make the route from point to point and leave the city center or even pick you up at your hotel.

You can book the trips at tour agencies or also within many hotels that offer the service.

Car rental in Nicarwater

We travel by public transportation, but if you have a budget, you don't want to depend on buses and you arrive in the country through the Managua Airport. rent a car in NicarWater is a good option. carThe roads are in pretty good condition, the distances aren't very long, and the driving isn't too risky. Prices start from €30/day.

8. HOW HAVE INTERNET IN NICARAGUA

Although it doesn't stand out for its great speed, in all the places on our route through NicarWe found places with WiFi. But Not all the cheap accommodations we stayed in had, That's why we always had mobile data. 

La The most economical option is to hire it with a local company, but also the most tedious and least fast.

When we crossed the border into Costa Rica, we got a 10GB data plan for less than €4, valid for 6 days, from Claro, a company present in many Latin American countries, and a few days later...carLet's get the card. You can do it anywhere phone store and although we have not been, I imagine that it can also be found at the airport.

On the other hand, you have the option of hire internet with Holafly in eSIM format so you can activate it as soon as you reach Nicarwater, it's more carOr, but super comfortable. As our reader, you get a exclusive discount on your eSIM card.

9. WHAT IT IS LIKE TYPICAL FOOD NICARAGUAN

Central America in general is not known for its varied cuisine, but the good news is that NicarAgua has a reputation for being the best place to eat in the region, and in our case it was. We really enjoyed the food.caragüense.

We really liked the nacatamales, especially one we ate near Somoto Canyon. We loved the grilled cheese and güirilas (thick corn tortillas) with cream. We also ate the famous Spotted roosterpresent throughout Central America and we drank many very refreshing natural juices, great for combating the heat.caragüense.

Whether you're more of an eater carAre you vegetarian or do you prefer fish? In NicarThere will be options you'll enjoy.

Our stomachs were invincible at that point in the trip, but if you've just arrived in this part of the world, yours probably won't be yet. I recommend eating vegetables in areas without refrigerators, paying attention to how they wash things, asking if the ice is made with tap water, and eating in places where you see other people to ensure the food is fresh.

10. IS IT DRINKING WATER?

According to the latest available data, around 79% of the population has access to drinking water, so you'll see childrencarYou might drink tap water, but your stomach probably won't be able to handle it. So you'll have to drink bottled water or use a water purification filter (what we do).

If you tend to have indigestion on your trips, it is better to only drink bottled food and be careful with natural juices, ice and washed fruits.

11. BEST INSURANCE TO TRAVEL TO NICARAGUA FOR FREE

To travel to NicarTravel insurance is not mandatory when traveling independently, but as always, It is more than recommended Take it with you to any destination, especially when you leave Europe.

You can travel to NicarWater without the worry of what to do if you get sick, if your luggage gets lost, and without several other worries, starting from just €2,90/day on a 15-day trip.

However And what is the best travel insurance for traveling to NicarWater? Well, if your trip is going to be calmer visiting cities, beaches and some easy excursions, I recommend the insurance company specialized in travel. HeyMondo, your Essential Travel policy with which you are covered for 15 days for only €43.

Now, if your trip to Nicarwater goes to include adventure sports such as lots of hiking, canyoning or diving on their islands carFor Iberian travelers, our recommendation is Chapka travel insurance, which covers all of this for just €9 more, €52 for 15 days.

You can see everything it includes on its website and purchase it with a 7% discount using our link.

12. BAG O BACKPACK TO TOUR NICARAGUA

For us, the most practical thing, unless you rent a car, is to travel with a backpack because you will have to carry it on buses or up stairs in the accommodations.

But I don't think a backpack is essential, so I'm traveling to Nicarwater with whatever you find most comfortable. A good option if you would like to carry a backpack, but cannot carry weight on your back for a long time, is to buy one. suitcase with handles backpack type.

Whatever you wear, what you do It is essential, it is a cover If you don't want your luggage to end up with dust, grease and scratches during transfers. If your backpack does not come with protector I recommend buying one, and if you travel with a suitcase one bag It will prevent it from getting damaged.

13. ESSENTIALS IN YOUR BAGGAGE

In our luggage article for traveling through Central America (coming soon) You can see in detail what you can't miss in your luggage for Nicarwater, but in this article of tips we would like to leave you with those that we consider essential.

• Small backpack all with take valuables with you in transportation. It will also help you use it on a daily basis. 
• Fanny pack or crossbody bag to carry documentation, telephone and cartera nearby yours and also prevent them from pulling your hair.
• Sunscreen, the sun in NicarWater is scorching.
• Sunglasses y cap.
• Very cool clothes, but includes some long pants because bus seats are usually made of leather.
• A closed shoe for excursions like volcano boarding.
• Reusable water bottle thermalEven if you buy it bottled, transferring it to a bottle that keeps it cold will be a lifesaver.

14. WHAT PLUGS ARE USED

The last thing you can't leave out of your luggage when traveling to Nicarwater for free is a adapter, this is the one we use.

In NorcarThe standard voltage for water is 120V and the frequency is 60Hz. The plugs They are type A. 

Additionally, carrying a multi-input adapter will allow you to carTo charge several things at once if sockets are scarce in your room.

I hope this guide helps you organize your days in this magnificent country. Remember that we have other items from Nicaragua that could help you if you are going to visit this interesting country. You can also relive our trip through Central America by watching our stories on Instagram.

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