"el pais de lagos y volcanes" Nicaragua by Malecka

Nicaragua Travel Guide: 1,675 reviews and 5,849 photos

Momotombo, in all its grand beauty - Nicaragua

A Macedonian girl in Nicaragua

For those who have known me for a while, it wouldn’t be a surprise to find out that, basically, one of my dreams came true this summer 2007, when I had a chance to cross the ocean, again, and touch the soil of one Latin American country. While I am certainly hoping that it won’t be the last time (more than sure that it won’t be), I have to say that I love this very first experience.
I got to know a part of Nicaragua... a jewel in Central America. A country of astonishingly beautiful nature, breath-taking landscapes and vegetation, delicious fruits and flavours.

A note before I begin

I see now that in my pages about Turkey, at the very beginning, I have shared some ... suggestions about the “approach” one should have in order to enjoy the visit. I hate sounding patronizing, of course, but I will dispense the same advice in this case as well.
If you are going to be cranky about the “power cuts”, the “water supply shortages”, the roads, etc... then don’t bother going to a “third world country” and just stick to the “highly organized” resorts that offer a “five star comfort” in... for instance, Costa Brava.

...
Nicaragua has seen some bad, bad times. This is not a political website and therefore I will try to restrain myself from making political comments, although it is quite difficult, cause, let’s face it, a lot of things could be much better in Central America were it not for the northern neighbour and its well intended foreign policy. Okay, I'm shutting up now.

Nicaragua is a country of jaw-dropping contrasts. The poverty I saw there cannot be seen in most of Europe. At least not at that level. And the differences between the rich and the poor are... heartbreaking. To me, that is.
On the other hand, it is a country where visitors (specifically those coming from a well-developed, centered-around-work-and-earning-money country) could learn a thing or two (or more) about leisure, taking time, enjoying the simplest of beauties in life.

about these pages

cocoa beans

Just like the pages I did about Turkey, I decided to write some very general tips about Nicaragua (food, people, transport, etc.) and then develop some more specific pages about the places I have visited (Managua, Leon, San Juan del Sur), but within the "things to do" section, rather than start completely new pages.

Pros and Cons

Pros:the people, the food, the nature, the coast
Cons:the poverty, the inequality between the people

Last visit to Nicaragua: Aug 2007
Intro Updated Dec 21, 2010
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Reviews (22)

Leon & Poneloya vol. 1 Things to Do (6)

Somoto-San Isidro-Leon was our first bus-route. We somehow got close to San Isidro, got off at a ... well, next to a... more travel advice

Managua vol. 3 Things to Do (6)

We started to climb down from the hill where Sandino's monument is located, reaching a broader street. On the left, the... more travel advice

Managua vol. 2 Things to Do (6)

The Park Sandino is located on a hill, not particularly high, but high enough to have a fantastic panoramic view of... more travel advice

Managua vol. 1 Things to Do (6)

An organized chaos! Or, a chaotic organization. An impressive mixture of contrast! Huge, loud, relatively dirty, FUN and... more travel advice

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Written Dec 14, 2010

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Comments (4)

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hunterV Dec 14, 2010 at 11:27 AM

Hello, Maria! ~ Thanks for your useful tips! ><><><><><
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Jim_Eliason Dec 11, 2010 at 5:17 AM

Nice page!
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maykal Nov 30, 2007 at 4:05 AM

Happy Birthday Maria! Never thought about visiting Nicaragua, but your page and your fascinating emails over the summer might well change my mind ;@P Hope you have a great day...
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jacquisuiza Nov 6, 2007 at 11:27 AM

Thanks a lot for your pictures and tips. I see the same love for the country and its people that I feel.