Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest Central American country, bordering to Costa Rica in the South and Honduras to the North.
I have spend more than 4 weeks here and loved every single day.
Nicaragua offers amazing beaches, great surfing and gorgeous islands.
My favorite islands are Ometepe island, located on Central America´s biggest lake (Lake Nicaragua), as well as Little Corn Island in the Caribbean Sea.
Nicaragua is home to many volcanoes, including some very unique ones.
I have been sandboarding and camping at Cerro Negro volcano and watched the lava lake at volcano Masaya – both incredible volcanoes.
When I came to Nicaragua after my stay in Costa Rica, I was positively surprised about the prices. You can get meals for 4-5 USD and a beer for 1 USD. Definitely a big difference to Costa Rica!
I highly recommend adding Nicaragua, the land of lakes & volanoes, to your travel bucketlist. It´s a great country for a budget trip!
General Information & Good To Know before visiting Nicaragua
Language:
Spanish is the official language. English is spoken on the Caribbean coast & islands and in the more touristy areas of Nicaragua.
Currency:
Weather:
It is possible to visit throughout the year. Dry season and best time to visit is from November to April. Rainy season lasts from May to October.
Safety:
I felt very safe throughout the country. Nicaragua is definitely less developed than Costa Rica for example, but locals here are very friendly and helpful and I have never been in a bad situation. Nicaragua is also a quite popular backpacker destination, so some parts are quite touristy.
Food:
Most common food in Nicaragua is Gallo Pinto (rice and beans). You get this for basically every meal + eggs, meat or fish. Fried plantains are also really common here.