Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TAXI CAB CONFESSIONS: DANGERS, SCAMS & STAYING SAFE
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Express kidnappings - where a taxi driver holds the passenger hostage by knifepoint and then
takes them to ATMs around town until their bank is depleted - are on the rise in Managua, and
have also been reported in Granada, Masaya, San Juan del Sur and San Jorge. Here's a few top
tips to stay safe.
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Take radio taxis with a bubble on top
There are thousands of illegal cabs in Managua. The
ones with the bubble on the roof and/or red plates are considered safer. There should be a
nametag with the driver's information on the dashboard. These are registered with a company,
and can be ordered by phone.
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Ask your hotel to call you a cab
But don't trust just anybody. There are reports of people be-
ing kidnapped after a friendly stranger on the street helped them hail a cab.
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Take cabs after dark
In the downtown area, you should take cabs after the sun sets. Around
Carretera a Masaya, you should take them after 10pm. A general rule, if women and kids are
walking around, you are probably safe to walk. Don't risk even a short two-block walk at night.
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Know the price
While prices change, at the time of writing it was about US$1 to $1.50 for
short trips less than 5km. For trips between the city center and Carretera a Masaya, you can ex-
pect to pay around US$2 to US$4 depending on the time of day and where you are going.
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Agree to a price before getting in
And ask if you will be going as a
colectivo
(collective that
stops to pick up other passengers) or
privado
(private).
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Make sure the cab takes you where you want to go
Often cabbies will say a certain hotel is
closed just to take you to a spot where they get a commission.
Sleeping
Most hotels are located along the road to Pochomil. To get there cross the river to the
south of Mesachapa, heading east along a dirt road from the gas station.
Hospedaje Flipper
( 2269-6509; Masachapa; r US$17)
Right at the entrance to Mesachapa, this is the cheapest
option in town, with OK cement rooms and cleanish private bathrooms; it caters to
couples on a beach break.
HOTEL
$
Hotel Bahía
( 8396-6254; road to Pochomil; s/d US$30/40; )
Over the river, heading south, fol-
low the signs to this cheerful place, a threadbare but woodsy lot with pretty cabins, plain-
HOTEL
$$
