"14,400 Minutes in Nicaragua" a Nicaragua Travel Page by epicult

So what does one do with only 10 days in Nicaragua? Well, we thought we could "do" the Corn Islands, Masaya and San Juan Del Sur. Close... but not quite. We did however have enough time to thoroughly explore the culture, beaches, reefs of the Corn Islands and enjoyed copious amounts of Flor de Caņa with locals and travelers alike.

We also had time to visit the markets, Volcan Masaya and guitar craftsmen Sergio Zepeda in Masaya - a short 25 minute drive from Managua. Masaya is cited by many Nicas as "the" strongest cultural center in Nicaragua.

We ended our trip with just enough time to relax, chill and play some music with locals and rich vacationing Nicas in San Juan Del Sur. Apparently, home to Nicaragua's most beautiful sunsets. I managed to snap some evidence of this :o)

Member "Marie-France" has now returned from a trip so check out her homepage too.

1. Nicaragua is still a war-torn country... Once true but not the case since the late 80's. However, there are still many military/war themed monuments and you can still see the scars left by gunfire.

2. Nicaragua is a dangerous place... Managua has its share of seedy areas that you should avoid (such as Mercado Oriental, where someone is robbed every 7 minutes) but compared to the rest of Central America, Nicaragua is one of the safest countries.

1. Nicaragua is home to over 40 volcanoes, 6 of which are active. Nicaragua, in it's current state of tourism infastructure is probably what Costa Rica was like 25 years ago.

2. Most people I've spoken with have the perception that Nicaragua is a dry and dirty place. Although true in some parts of the country, the Atlantic coast and The Corn Islands look as though they've been cut straight from a travel magazine's front cover. Lush jungle, beautiful beaches, amazing water.

If you could turn back time and had the chance to visit the Carribean 25 years ago, would you? If so, visit these islands before foreign investment and 5-star hotels move in. Dreamy!