The Regions

Managua
The most chaotic and elusive of the Central American capitals, Managua is tenaciously making itself interesting to passers-through and the various internacionalistas who make it their adopted home. You can easily see its cadre of attractions in a quick morning, but it’s more fun on a weekend, when you can enjoy its vibrant nightlife as well. Though you could conceivably pass through Nicaragua without visiting Managua at all, its central location makes it an important transport hub and the place to go for services not available elsewhere.

Masaya, Carazo, and the Pueblos Blancos
An hour south of the capital, Masaya and the dozens of villages that comprise the Pueblos Blancos are known for their residents’ artistic passion and creativity. Start with a trip to Volcán Masaya, where you can peer down into Nicaragua’s fiery volcanic entrails, then visit the shaded stalls of Masaya’s craft markets in Masaya. Spend a lazy afternoon driving around the charismatic Pueblos Blancos and have lunch at the lip of an ancient volcanic crater, overlooking its azure lagoon. You could easily spend two full days in this region, as Volcán Masaya and the crafts market will occupy the better part of day, and the Pueblos another full day, particularly if you’re constrained to public transportation. The Pueblos make a nice diversion for those spending a longer time in Managua, as these highlands are markedly cooler than the nearby capital.

Granada
The most picturesque and comfortable of Nicaragua’s colonial cities, Granada has been charming travelers with its red-tiled roofs, breezy lakeshore, and drowsy tropical lifestyle since the days of the Spanish, who made the city their Atlantic port (via Lake Cocibolca and the Río San Juan). Today, Granada is without doubt Nicaragua’s best-adapted city to the needs of the foreign traveler. Many use Granada as a tranquil base from which to explore Masaya and the Pueblos, the 365 isletas right offshore, the Island of Zapatera, and the pristine cloud forests of nearby Volcán Mombacho. You’re also striking distance from Laguna de Apoyo, where you can cool your heels in a “bottomless” volcanic lake or enjoy fresh fish at a shoreside restaurant.

Rivas and La Isla de Ometepe
An administrative city with a vibrant colonial history, Rivas will likely be a stop on your way to one of the un-disputed crown jewels of Nicaraguan adventure travel: La Isla de Ometepe. The twin volcanic peaks of Ometepe—one hot and active, one dormant and forested—are irresistible for peak baggers; but if sweating up trails isn’t your cup of island-grown coffee, you’ll still enjoy the myriad swimming holes, lagoons, and waterfalls, or just kicking back at one of several extraordinary hostel getaways, rife with pre-Columbian petroglyphs, barnyard animals, and farm-fresh food.

San Juan del Sur and the Southwest Coast
Nicaragua’s favorite beach town and a frequent stop for northbound travelers anxious to escape the Costa Rican hordes, San Juan del Sur offers a fun, tranquil setting and an increasing number of quality restaurants and accommodations. The Pacific coastline extends over the horizon in both directions from this historic bay, and the adventurous traveler can easily launch excursions to the innumerable beaches and point breaks of the Pacific shore. This is important habitat for some of Nicaragua’s more exotic wildlife, including the Paslama turtle, thousands of which beach themselves once a year to reproduce. Witnessing the hatching, when millions of young turtles crawl out from their eggs and enter the ocean, is breathtaking.

León and the Volcanic Lowlands
Both León and Chinandega are colonial cities in the hot arid lowlands of Nicaragua’s Pacific northwest. Both towns nestle at the feet of the Maribio volcanoes, an uninterrupted chain of hills that defines this corner of the country—both by their presence on the horizon and by their occasional geological burps and shudders. León offers an entirely different energy and attitude than are found in Granada, and its importance as a political and economic center over the past four centuries has bequeathed it a rich history. Stop in at the imposing, baroque cathedral, the largest in Central America, or wander the indigenous Subtiava neighborhood, with a magnificent church of its own. From León and Chinandega, you can climb every one of the varied and unique Maribio volcanoes. In addition to swimming beaches near León, there are a number of remote and rarely visited protected areas throughout the Cosigüina Peninsula, including mangrove swamps, estuaries, and several turtle-nesting beaches. Most travelers stroll León’s streets, maybe walk up Cerro Negro, and move on after only two days in the region, but these passers-through have only seen the tip of the, er, volcano, as there is plenty to occupy an active traveler for a week or more.

Estelí and the Segovias
Nicaragua’s mountainous north is easily accessible by comfortable public transportation, so you don’t have to go too far off the beaten track to find adventure in cowboy country. These peaks are some of the oldest lands in Central America, and they boast a variety of hardwood forests, pine-covered hills, and stony river valleys in an unforgettable landscape of contrasts. Just as exciting are this region’s people, whose hard lifestyle makes them gritty and resilient. Spend a day at Estanzuela’s gorgeous waterfall and wildlife reserve, or head into the hills for a weekend in Miraflor, valuable habitat for some of Nicaragua’s most exotic birdlife and an important orchid-raising area. Press farther northward to the historic towns of the Segovias—dry as dust but alive with local history, legends, and mystery.

The Matagalpa and Jinotega Highlands
This is coffee country, Nicaragua’s rugged interior where traditional “tourist” destinations taper off and the free-spirited traveler finds a land of undeveloped adventure. Countless green valleys and steep mountain peaks define the landscape, and the mountain country’s hard working, sometimes aloof residents define its character. You can find lots of undeveloped hikes here: to peaks, waterfalls, and more. But you can just as easily spend a weekend in an eco-lodge or butterfly farm, tour coffee plantations, or just hang around small towns getting to know the locals; various village guest programs can put you in their very homes. Everyone’s got a war story in these mountains, and hearing some of them will add texture to your travels. Depending on how deep into the wilderness you’re interested in venturing, and how much you will rely on the infrequent transportation, you could spend 3–4 days or more exploring this region.

Boaco, Chontales, and the Road to El Rama
The broad, golden hillsides along the east side of Lake Cocibolca fold upward into the rocky precipices of the Amerrisque mountains, former stomping grounds of the Chontal people during pre-Columbian times. Today, the lowlands run thick with cattle ranches that produce the lion’s share of Nicaragua’s cheese and milk. Uphill from the ranches, the roads dwindle to rutted tracks and Nicaragua’s prehistory comes back to life, in the form of totem-like statues the Chontal left behind. Most travelers pass through this area at 100 kph on buses bound for El Rama and the Atlantic coast, but spending a night in Juigalpa or Boaco is enlightening, and may lead you on to the area’s hot springs, petroglyphs, and horseback treks. From here, you can find guides to take you up into the Amerrisques and beyond, and explore a wild wild west that hasn’t lost its edge.

The Atlantic Coast
The swampy, tropical coast of Nica-ragua’s Atlantic shore is humid year-round and offers up a Caribbean experience like no other. This Caribbean is gritty, muddy, and full of raw, unbridled energy quite different from any Cancún-tainted visions you may harbor. From Bluefields, you can explore the delightful Laguna de Perlas (“Pearl Lagoon”) and the sandy desert islands of the Pearl Cays, but offshore lies buried treasure. Both Corn Island and Little Corn Island are little-visited Caribbean gems as gorgeous below the waterline as above. When you get tired of the kilometers of coral reef that surround the islands, settle in for a deep bowl of crab soup, a steaming lobster, or some grilled fish plucked fresh from the sea. Little Corn has no roads and no vehicles, so the only sound you hear should be the Caribbean wind in the trees. The Atlantic coast, especially the northeast Miskito communities of Bilwi and the Río Coco, could easily be a separate trip because it is culturally and geographically so divergent from the rest of Nicaragua. Those flying out to the Corn Islands will find 3–5 days to be sufficient.

Solentiname and the Río San Juan
Life moves slowly along the broad river that drains the enormous Lake Cocibolca. This gorgeous, verdant lowland is Nicaragua’s wettest, and its remoteness means you’ll spend more time and more money getting around. The Spanish fort at El Castillo has watched over the river traffic since the 17th century and was the stage for an important and dramatic chapter in Nicaragua’s history. Both downstream and along the southern shore of Cocibolca, wildlife reserves and cultural curiosities characterize this region. The Solentiname archipelago isn’t easy to get to, but once there, you’ll be rewarded with an up-close look at the birthplace of liberation theology and a thriving colony of painters whose works have gone on to populate museums around the world. Explore the wilds of Los Guatuzos, important habitat for monkeys, birds, and a whole lot of amphibians. Or set sail downstream for the most forgotten corner in the nation: Greytown, full of the bones of English sailors and home to more ghosts than residents.