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Nicaragua is a small country, but pretty diverse. It’s got lakes, mountains, volcanoes, jungles, surfing beaches on the Pacific, and snorkeling beaches on the Caribbean side. This list of the best places to visit in Nicaragua also covers a broader area for each location, making it suitable for daily trips.
Regarding COVID-19, As of Dec. 8th, U.S. & EU travelers are allowed to enter Nicaragua; however, a negative COVID-19 test result is required. Travelers should also be prepared for additional health screenings.
Set your Base & Go Offbeat!
1. Leon
This cute city is filled with historic buildings from the colonial era. It’s surrounded by volcanoes and located close to fun Pacific beaches.
Our Lady of Grace Cathedral – It’s the most popular historic building in Leon. For just $3, you can climb up to the roof and enjoy some cool views of the city. Other popular churches in the city center are: Iglesia El Calvario, San Francisco, and San Felipe
Day Trips from Leon
Cerro Negro
Every single hotel and hostel is connecting their guests with the agencies organizing this trip. It is tricky to get to this volcano independently (no public transport and too far to walk), but agencies offer affordable deals. Part of the trip is boarding down the volcano. I suggest choosing a package that also offers a hike from Cerro Negro to Volcan del Hoyo.
Las Penitas
The closest beach access is only a 30-minute ride from Leon. I highly suggest walking along the beach to the more authentic beach village of Poneloya!
Leon Viejo
This town’s ruins are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Leon Viejo is one of the oldest Spanish Colonial Settlements, which was founded in 1524. It got destroyed by the Momotombo volcano. It’s located on Lake Xolotian, 1 hour away from the city of Leon.
Telica
This less-touristy volcano than Cerro Negro, you can actually manage on your own!
A more adventurous option would be to get off the bus earlier at Santa Teresa (this town is not on Google Maps; however, it’s the first stop just outside Telica town). From there, follow the trail to Teilca, around Volcán Santa Clara, and come back to San Jacinto.
San Cristobal volcano
Ok, this one may be a bit too ambitious for a day trip from Leon. The San Cristobal volcano can be hiked from the city of Chinandega, which is 1 hour away from Leon. You can easily spend the night there and come back to Leon the following day if you wish.
Check out my Photo Gallery from Nicaragua!
2. Granada
Another adorable walking-friendly colonial city, located by Lake Nicaragua, surrounded by the interesting wonders of nature.
In town sites
Calle la Calzada – popular downtown walking zone
Parque Central – the main city plaza covered with trees
Churches – Iglesia Merced (one of the oldest churches in Central America), Iglesia Guadeloupe, and Iglesia Merced (for a spectacular view over the city)
Small streets in the Old Town
Day Trips from Granada
Apoyo lagoon
Besides the Pacific coast and the Caribbean Sea, you can swim and enjoy the beaches and hikes around this scenic Nature Reserve.
Mombacho volcano
If you wanna do it independently, take the local bus to Santa Rosa, from where you can start your 7km hike.
Aseses pennincula (Granada’s Islets)
This exotic peninsula is surrounded by ponds, mangroves, farmlands, dense forests, and bohemian bars. Tourists usually go there by guided transport or a taxi. Most of the bays at the peninsula offer boat taxi rides around the islets.
For an adventurous experience, I would recommend walking (12km), hitchhiking (I got picked up by an old farmer in a horse cart, without even asking for it!), or, even better, rent a bike!
Masaya volcano
Masya town is located between Managua and Granada. It’s situated by the lake and the mighty volcano!
3. Managua
If you’ve already done some research on Nicaragua (or visited), you might be wondering what this dirty, noisy, chaotic, and hostile city is doing on my list of best places to visit in Nicaragua?
Let me clarify: It’s not dirty everywhere, noise and chaos are part of the traveling experience, and if you don’t go to bad neighborhoods and don’t wander around at night, you should be safe! This is one of my travelling theories: If you wanna experience the country, you must visit the largest city!
Bottom Line: if it’s not on your way, then don’t worry about it, but if it is, there’s no need to detour or run away from it!
The most popular sites in Managua: Revolution Square, Puerto Salvador Allende (port), and Parque de la Paz
Also, you wanna check out some of the street art, music festivals, parties, street food, and street markets (they’re everywhere).
Day Trips from Managua
Chiltepe Peninsula Natural Reserve – It’s popular for swimming and hiking.
For further adventure, there’s Volcán Apoyeque. This one is tricky to get to. No public transport anywhere nearby to drop you off, and walking to get there could be monotonous.
Masaya volcano– Also accessible from Grenada.
If you’re still hesitant about staying in Managua, no worries… choose Masaya instead. Prices will be higher, though.
4. Esteli
This city offers a more authentic Nicaraguan experience. The climate is more pleasant than in the rest of the country (at an elevation of 844 m). The coolest spot in town is Parque Central, home to the Cathedral. The city’s got easy access to popular nature reserves:
Day Trips from Esteli
Tisey-La Estanzuela
This mountain rainforest is great for nature and rural tourism. To get here, take a 6:30 am bus to La Tejera (from the South Station in Esteli).
Reserva Natural Miraflor
This reserve is famous for its biodiversity and coffee cultivation, and is one of the richest orchid zones in the world.
By car, it takes almost an hour (35 min), and by bus, about 1.5h The bus departs at 6:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 3:45 Pm from Cotran Norte to Yalí, Miraflor.
Somoto Canyon
Ok, this one could be too far away for a daily trip from Esteli. It’s 83km away, 1.5 h by your own car. Luckily, there are some reasonable accommodation options in the town of Somoto.
5. San Juan del Sur
This is the most popular destination on the Pacific coast. It’s famous for beach bars, surfing, and nightlife. However, the city offers much more…
Other than the city beach, other cool things to check out include: Playa Nacascolo, Fortaleza el Vigia & the lighthouse, Christ of the Mercy (viewpoint – $2 fee), and Canopy Tour
Day Trips from San Juan
Playa Maderas – It’s the most popular daily trip, and the most popular beach in the area.
Playa El Coco – If you continue south, along the coast towards Costa Rica, you’ll run across plenty of beautiful beaches & cute beach towns. The one that stands out for me is Playa el Coco
Finca Las Nubes – This small nature preserve is located about 1-2km outside of the city, heading inland. A cool place, off the tourist radar, to hike and find some shade provided by the lush forest.
Pena Rota Beach – If you’re looking for peace & serenity not too far away from the city, you might be able to find it on this tiny, isolated beach.
6. Bluefields
This unusual Caribbean city’s got autonomy due to its unique colonial & indigenous culture. Tourists know it only as a transit point (unfortunately) to some Caribbean treasures: Laguna de Perlas, the Corn Islands, and the Pearl Cays.
Again, one might be wondering, what’s Bluefields doing on this list of the best places to visit in Nicaragua? The city itself doesn’t have much to offer in terms of commercial tourism. It’s the place for wanderers. The city center is located around Parque Reyes and Moravia church. In Bluefields, it’s all aboutwandering aroundand feeling the local vibe. Bottom line: go offbeat = go Bluefields!
Day Trip from Bluefields
El Bluff beach– It’s located on El Bluff Island. There’s no timetable. The boat departs when it’s full!
7. Corn Islands
The Caribbean coast of Nicaragua is underdeveloped, underpopulated, undiscovered, and somewhat isolated. Probably the most forgotten part of Central America. Hence, these two sister islands are not getting enough attention from international travelers. They are not known for surfing. Here, it’s more about exploring marine life (snorkeling, scuba diving).
You can fly from Managua to Big Corn Island with La Costena airline, or you can go by bus to Bluefields (8-9h), then use the boat:
- Bluefields – Big Corn Island – The Rio Escondido boat (departs only on Wednesdays at 9 AM)
- Big Corn to Little Corn – Panga boat
- Departs daily at 10 AM and 4:30 PM
- Return daily at 6:30 AM and 1:30 PM
8. Ometepe Island
This island is located in the middle of Lake Nicaragua and is famous for its twin volcanoes. On the shores are villages, settlements, plantations, and beaches. You can get to Ometepe by the Rivas–Moyagual ferry.
Places to see in Ometepe
Moyogalpa – the largest village where the ferry will drop you off. Here you’ll find the best food & accommodation deals.
Volcan Concepcion – the larger volcano, very challenging to conquer, also very rewarding!
Volcán Maderas – the smaller one, hiking both of them is a MUST!
Playa Bancon – cute green cape with a small pond and the beach
Punta Jesus Maria -another cape/beach great for swimming, chilling, or enjoying the sunset.
Altagracia – laid back local village on the north shore with some food & accommodation facilities
Playa Santo Domingo – the largest beach on the island, stretches all the way to the village of Santa Cruz
In Ometepe, you can go pretty much in any direction and it will be awesome. It’s an island, so you can’t get lost!
9. Bosawas Biosphere Reserve
This UNESCO biosphere reserve is the second-largest rainforest in the Western Hemisphere, after the Amazon in Brazil. It’s generally unexplored and is extremely rich in biodiversity.
Here, Miskito and Sumo indigenous communities live of the land and in cooperation with the authorities practice sustainable agriculture.
The easiest access to the Reserve is from Siuna via the Parque Nacional Saslaya. The Reserve is not well marked on Maps.me or Google Maps. I found a better map on this link. From Siuna, you can either get a guide or gather more information in case you wanna do it independently.
10. El Castillo
This cute historic river town has no car traffic. It’s also known for its fort and access to the magnificent shores of the San Juan River.
Since there are no roads, the only way to get to El Castillo is by boat from San Carlos (a town on Lake Nicaragua) for only $4. Boats depart several times per day. You can buy tickets in advance at San Carlos’ bus terminal.
Check out this Must-read post before your trip:
If you know any other Best places to visit in Nicaragua, feel free to share in the comments below...