Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Welcome to
Nicaragua
Affable Nicaragua embraces travelers with offerings of volcanic
landscapes, colonial architecture, sensational beaches and pristine
forests that range from breathtaking to downright incredible.
Beaches
Whether it's dipping your toes into the crystalline Caribbean or paddling out to the crashing
waves of the pounding Pacific, Nicaragua's beaches always deliver the goods. The big bar-
rels of Rivas are revered in surfing circles while the clear waters of the Corn Islands are su-
perb for snorkeling. More sedentary beach bums can choose between accessible slices of
sand lined with fine restaurants and happening bars or natural affairs backed by a wall of
rainforest. Even the best beaches in the country are refreshingly free of development, so
you can experience them just as nature intended.
Outdoor Adventures
Looking for the ultimate rush? Nicaragua's diverse geography, intense energy and
anything-goes attitude is perfect for exhilarating outdoor adventures. Get ready to check a
whole gamut of new experiences off your list including: surfing down an active volcano,
diving through underwater caves, canoeing through alligator-infested wetlands, swimming
across sea channels between tiny white-sand islands and landing a 90-plus-kg tarpon be-
neath a Spanish fortress in the middle of the jungle. There's no signs, no crowds and no
holding back.
Colonial Splendor
Nicaragua's colonial splendor comes in two distinct, but equally appealing, flavors. The el-
egant streetscapes of Granada have been entrancing travelers for centuries with their archi-
tectural grace. It's Nicaragua's best-preserved colonial town and boasts a meticulously re-
stored cathedral, well-groomed plaza and perfectly maintained mansions that shelter lush
internal courtyards. Far less polished, working-class León offers a different colonial experi-
ence where your crumbling 300-year-old houses come interspersed with revolutionary mur-
