7 Incredible Things To Do In Nicaragua
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Nicaragua was the country on my Latin America trip that far surpassed my expectations. You’ll find colonial cities, bohemian beach towns, and some very special islands in Nicaragua. The list of adventures to be had in this country is endless. From volcano hiking to watching turtles hatching, you’ll find something to suit your travel style.
Nicaragua has experienced difficult times in recent years. In the last several decades, the country has seen two civil wars, a dictatorship, and a lot of unrest. Similar to some other Latin American countries, the political situation is less than ideal. But don’t let this put you off; it is safe to travel to Nicaragua in 2023.
So you heard it here. It’s time to get out there and explore the beauty of Nicaragua.
Fun Fact -Slightly larger than the state of New York, Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America, measuring 50,451 square miles.
7 Incredible Things to Do in Nicaragua
Explore the Colonial City of Granada
Although the heat of this city is stifling it’s well worth a visit, the recognisable yellow cathedral just off Parque Central is unmissable. Not to mention the city centre is only a 5-minute walk from the shores of Lake Nicaragua, the largest lake in Central America.
Want a sense of city life in Nicaragua head to Calle la Calzada, you’ll find shops selling everything you could desire as well as restaurants, bars, cafes and a lovely bit of Central American chaos, the good kind. After that, you could go kayaking around the Islets of Lake Nicaragua, take a historical tour of this colonial city, or try catching a glimpse of lava at Volcano Masaya.
Read more about what to do in Granada here —>
Tour Ometepe Island on 4 Wheels
Ometepe Island is a striking destination formed by 2 volcanoes, one of which is still active today. Despite Ometepe being an island, you need more than just your two feet to explore the whole island, as it isn’t small.
You’ll find both scooters and quad bikes are available to hire on the island, although I will always recommend 4 wheels over 2. The ferry will take you into the town of Moyogalpa, therefore it likely makes the most sense to hire on arrival. We had a great experience with a quad bike from Green Expedition, find them here.
Simply riding around the island is an activity in itself, the basic roads are lined with dense forest, wildlife, incredible views and small local towns. A few stops to look out for are San Ramon Waterfall, Ojo de Agua, Playa Mango and Chaco Verde. And as the day draws to an end, head to Punta Jesus Maria for sunset.
If you want a big challenge whilst visiting Ometepe you can hike up Volcano Concepcion or Maderas, just be sure to arrange it with a tour guide.
Still curious about Ometepe Island? Read my Ometepe travel guide here —>
Go Volcano Boarding on Cerro Negro
This is certainly one for the adrenaline junkies and also those who just wish to say they went boarding down an active volcano. This trip is most commonly taken from the city of Leon, the capital of Nicaragua.
You can choose from a handful of tour providers in Leon, but all will provide you with the overalls to protect your clothes and the board zoom down on. You can also pay extra to have your board carried up, which I recommend as it’s a windy climb. Be sure not to forget your bandana for this as you can be shooting down the black ash at quite some speed and well, no one wants to eat ash. Don’t be too panicked though you're in full control of your speed, if you want to go fast you can, if you want to be a little slower no problem.
Live Your Best Island Life in the Corn Islands
70km east off Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast, you’ll find a slice of island paradise, the Corn Islands. Big Corn Island is where you will arrive either by ferry or plane, depending on your style. Sometimes overlooked it’s worth adventuring around Big Corn before catching the boat to Little Corn Island.
Life on Little Corn will be very laid back with no cars and limited electricity hours, it’s the ideal destination to disconnect. You’ll find white sand beaches and coral reef waters, so snorkelling and scuba diving are popular activities.
Witness a San Juan del Sur Sunset
The sight of a San Juan del Sur sunset is something I miss terribly. The town itself is a popular stop for tourists looking to surf and chill at the beach. With it being located on the Pacific side of the country you can watch the sun disappear below the ocean horizon and illuminate the night sky with sunset hues.
You’ll find a few viewpoints near San Juan del Sur, like the Cristo de La Misericordia with beautiful views over the bay. Also, the town is home to the popular backpacker's pool/bar crawl known as Sunday Funday. And my last tip is to try the world's best doughnuts at Rocky’s Dough, you'll find the shop in the centre of town. They freshly bake them from home every morning and the flavours change daily, it would be a crime to not try one.
Discover how to get from San Juan del Sur to La Fortuna, Costa Rica ->
Learn to Surf in Popoyo
If you're looking for a spot slightly quieter than the popularity of San Juan del Sur, Popoyo is for you. The main thing to do here is surf, not to worry if you aren't a pro there are plenty of places to take lessons and rent boards. As it tends to go hand in hand with surfing you’ll also find accommodations in Popoyo offering yoga classes and retreats.
Popoyo is also on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua so you can expect magical beach sunsets here too. If wildlife spotting is your thing be sure to come between July and December to catch turtle nesting season.
Unwind on the Shores of Lake Apoyo
Nicaragua is the land of lakes and volcanoes so it may not be too much of a surprise that Lake Apoyo was formed by a volcanic explosion. The volcanic crater is now considered to be a sleeping volcano, but certain activity is still present via a few hot springs within the lake.
You can go scuba diving, kayaking, swimming or even hiking around the lake. Its beautiful jungle surroundings and calm waters make for the perfect place to unwind.
Lake Apoyo is not far from the city of Granada and although it is possible to visit on a day trip, I feel at least an overnight stay is required. Paradiso is an ideal accommodation with both dorm and private rooms based right on the shores of the lake.
Bonus Activity- You can’t visit Nicaragua without trying the local cerveza Toña!
Nicaragua Travel Tips
With a tropical climate, Nicaragua only has two seasons, rainy and dry. In most of Nicaragua, it's hot all year round. May to October is considered the rainy season and November to April is the dry season.
It’s worth noting air con is super expensive in Nicaragua due to high electricity bills. For this reason, many accommodations don’t offer it or require an extra charge for you to use it, especially in hostels or budget options.
The national currency of Nicaragua is Nicaraguan Córdoba (NIO), but many places will accept US dollars. It’s normally a little cheaper to pay in Córdobas.
Talking of currency, when it comes to getting cash out we had a few issues in Nicaragua a lot of ATMs wouldn’t accept our cards (Monzo and Starling). If you have the same problem I recommend looking for the bank called BAC, it worked there.
The plug sockets are type A and B which is the same as the US, so unless you have US chargers you will need a travel adaptor.
Spanish is the primary language of Nicaragua and you will come across situations where it’s helpful to understand and speak a little Spanish. So I would advise looking up a few key phrases before you arrive.
I think Nicaragua is an underrated destination, especially for those on a budget. It’s also super simple to travel around the country, with shared tourist shuttles to the main destinations it doesn’t require much planning.
As always if you have any other questions or want more specific Nicaragua travel advice, leave me a message in the comments.
