Traveling around Central America – Nicaragua is awesome!

After traveling quite fast through Costa Rica, I finally got to Nicaragua! Panama and Costa Rica were a lot more expensive than I had thought and now I really was looking forward to this by almost all travelers praised as one of the cheapest countries in Central America.

The trip with two public buses from Playas del Coco to the border crossing Peñas Blancas turned out to be quick and uncomplicated and I also the crossing of the border was unproblematic. The only thing bothering me was the much too high depature tax and I still cannot fully understand their justification. When I left the border building, I was lucky to catch the leaving and already ovecrowded bus for Rivas at the last minute. I had not decided yet which should be my first stops in Nicaragua, but in any case I had to go to Rivas first. From there I could still decide where to go - either to the Pacific coast to San Juan del Sur, to the Isla de Ometepe or even to Granada. Since I had spent the last few days on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and now felt like visiting a city, I decided for the latter.

In Rivas I got into one of the completely overcrowded buses towards Granada and arrived there late in the afternoon. The sun was setting already and quickly it became dark. Since I did not know much about the security situation in Granada but knew that like in every Latin American city you rather be on the safe side as soon as it gets dark and I also was carrying all my luggage and valuables, I hurried to find a suitable hostel. I had already picked out a few hostels in my price range in my travel guide and after I had walked out a little from the centre of the city, I decided to stay at the first one.

Granada is a beautiful little colonial town on Lake Nicaragua and is often compared to Antigua Guatemala. In addition to visiting colonial buildings and ancient churches, strolling the cobblestone streets and enjoying the lakefront views, Granada is also a perfect starting point for countless activities in the surrounding area.

After spending a day exploring Granada and soaking up the city's atmosphere, I booked a tour to the Masaya market and volcano for the next day. Normally I try to explore as much as possible on my own and without guided tours, but the price appears more than justified and it seemed to me the best way to visit these two places.

Shortly after lunch, I was picked up by an air-conditioned shuttle directly from the hostel and after all other people were picked up from their hostels, we made our way to the about one hour away Masaya small town and spent some hours in the beautiful local market. I took the opportunity and bought some souvenirs for family and friends and practiced haggling.

The crafts market in Masaya

Afterwards we went on to the volcano Masaya. Quickly we reached the entrance of the national park and joined the waiting queue of cars. Visitors are only gradually admitted here and also only have permission to spend about 15 minutes at the crater. So you really needed to make good use of your time!

Volcano Masaya -
Definitely visit in the evening when it is already dark.

Still very enthusiastic about the sight of this natural spectacle and a little sad to only be able to spend so little time there, we made our way back to a little later. I spent another day in Granada and used the time to relax and plan my next stopover. Now that I finally had time to properly read my guide, I quickly realized where I wanted to go next - the Isla de Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua should be my next stop!

I had to go all the way back to Rivas and really regretted not to drive first to the Isla de Ometepe and afterwards to Granada. Again the bus was completely overcrowded and the trip to Rivas turned out to be extremely tiring. When I arrived in Rivas, I shared a taxi to the jetty with two Germans and after I had bought a ticket for the ferry, I bridged the waiting time until Departure with a cold beer. The ferry needed about 2 hours for the trip to the island and since the sun was shining and I had not creamed up well, I got a sunburn. In the village of Moyogalpa, the ferry docked and as always I immediately set out to look for a cheap hostel.

Volcano Concepción on Isla de Ometepe

I had considered climbing one of the two volcanoes that make up the island, but after a lengthy conversation with a local who advised me against it due to the current weather conditions, I decided against it. I borrowed a motorcycle for the following day and set off early in the morning to circle the island. As I first wanted to visit the waterfall San Ramón, I made my way to the other side of the island. I enjoyed the ride extensively and even today I enthuse about this motorcycle tour. When I passed the entrance to the Cascada de San Ramón, even with my off-road bike it became a thoroughly demanding affair. The street turned into a steep and stony path and only with difficulty and completely sweaty I reached the parking lot where I parked my motorcycle and made the rest of the way to the waterfall.

Waterfall San Ramón

After the strenuous walk to the waterfall, I really needed to cool down and stayed there for some time. On the way back I saw a variety of animals and insects and the howling of howler monkeys seemed to be ubiquitous.

Howler monkey - mother with its baby

I had overlooked the time a little and had to forego the visit to the famous Ojo de Agua on the way back. But I still had time to make a side trip to Playa Santo Domingo and before I went back to Moyogalpa, I spent some time at Punta Jesús Maria and enjoyed its beautiful views.

The Isla de Ometepe had absolutely inspired me and I was curious what adventures Nicaragua would provide me next. Since I had spent enough time on the beach both in Panama and in Costa Rica and now wanted to do more, I decided not to make a stopover at San Juan del Sur and made my way to León, a city in the northwest of the country.

León is considered the most beautiful city in Nicaragua and is the cultural and intellectual center of the country. Like Granada, León should not be missing on any trip through Nicaragua. The center of the liberal and political left Nicaragua is located here and there is no better place to learn more about the civil war and the guerrilla movement.
I had lodged in a small hostel near the center and spent the days exploring the city, visiting museums, and was quite enthusiastic about León.

Above all, a visit to the white roof of the cathedral on the main square is a must!

Nicaragua continued to inspire me and I still had one last stopover in the highlands ahead of me. Having stayed in Nicaragua much longer than I had planned, I left León after only a few days with a heavy heart. I was taken to the bus station by a Tuc Tuc and got on a bus to Matagalpa. I had a long drive ahead of me, but soon I noticed how the landscape and the climate changed. In the late afternoon, I arrived in Matagalpa and after I had found the center of the city after wandering around for quite a while, I quickly found a cheap hostel.

The city itself does not have much to offer and is in any way really outstanding, but it is located in the beautiful highlands of Nicaragua and therefore perfect for hikes. And also the atmosphere here is something really unique and very different from the touristy places in the rest of the country.

Mirador Apante - amazing view above Matagalpa

A hike to one of the viewpoints and also visiting the waterfall Cascada Blanca I can only recommend. The ride there by public bus is short and fast and the waterfall just beautiful.

Waterfall Cascada Blanca

With a heavy heart I left Nicaragua the next day. I had a wonderful time, had great adventures and can highly recommend this country to everyone.

If you liked this blog, I recommend you y previous post about my trip through Central America:

• Panama City
• Panama’s highlands
• Bocas del Toro
• Costa Rica

All photos were taken by myself. Thank you for reading!
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!steemitworldmap 12.672496 lat -85.253906 long Nicaragua is awesome d3scr