Has any1 here been to Nicaragua??

Question

im going for the summer. i would like to know somw good spots and some activities por favor :)

Answer 1

I went to Nicaragua for a few weeks last summer and had a blast!  

I would recommend Granada for sure...it was beautiful and I absolutely fell in love with the city.  Stay in the Bearded Monkey if you are doing hostels...you'll meet some awesome people and have a great time.  Also, there is a small bar in Granada called Cafe Nuit that has awesome live music on Friday and Saturday Nights with a great mix of gringos and locals.  From Granada, you should also make a few day trips:  

Laguna de Apoyo - awesome crater lake that is amazing to swim in and relax next to.

Volcan Mombacho - don't miss the canopy tour.  

You also can't miss Masaya for both their smoking volcano (the gateway to h**l) and their artisan market but I recommend going there towards the end of the trip so you don't have to cart everything around.

I didn't visit Ometepe due to time restraints but I heard it was amazing.  Definitely a must see if you have the time.

San Juan del Sur was a fun little Beach town where you can surf, snorkel, fish, etc.  I took surf lessons at Nica Surf and they were amazing.  An ex-pat named Dario (?) owns the shop and he's really cool.  He even gave us a ride out to the playa maderas and hooked it up with a second day of surfing for free.  Don't miss happy hour at the pelican eyes on the hill - expensive but worth it.

I also highly recommend Leon that is about two hours north of Managua.  Awesome college town with great night life and great culture.  I want to move there eventually.

I didn't make it to the east side of the country but I plan on making the trip because I heard it was amazing - especially the Corn Islands and Bluefields.  Someday!

Answer 2

nicaragua is awesome.  

the lake nicaragua and the isla olmopetepe is cool  check out the "petroglyphs" (rock carvings).  

masaya is the artisan capital of the country.  on weekdays you can check out some of the neighborhoods and watch local artisans inside their homes make wood, leather and metal items. i went on sundays when most houses were closed, but we did see traditional shoemakers and wooden coat hanger makers.  then shop masaya for your gifts.

granada is way cool.  very colonial, beautiful (if in disrepair) buildings.  very poor city, but well lived in.  it is on the lake managua. very very quirky city...my favorite place maybe.

i said maybe because i did not spend enough time in matagalpa.  a beautiful mountainous green place that is cooler (temp wise) than the other places....near that is jutigalpa.  these places were very active in the war, and you may learn a lot about what went on during the late 70s and early 80s.

leon is very very hot, and is another cool colonial city.  it is a bit more clean and "anticeptic" so to speak.  many people love this city, but i preferred grenada way more.

a freiend of mine recommended corn island.  

bluefields is also supposed to be cool.  english is the language in bluefields and on the corn islands

you may also meet some smiths, sullivans, and potters, in matagalpa.  

see the big church in rivas on the way to the isla omopetepe.  you will be taking a boat to get to the worlds largest island on a lake.

have fun