Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Buses to Chinandega (US$1, 1½ hours) leave at 6am, 7:30am, 9:30am, 1:15pm and
3:30pm, returning from the Chinandega Mercadito at 6:30am, 10am, 11:30am, 3pm and
4:30pm.
Reserva Natural Estero Padre Ramos
A few minutes north of Los Zorros is the community of Padre Ramos, one of 16 small
towns inside the federally protected wetlands of Reserva Natural Estero Padre Ramos.
The river delta is part of the largest remaining mangrove forests in Central America, and
is key in the proposed Reserva Biologica Golfo de Fonseca (Gulf of Fonseca Biological
Corridor), a wetlands conservation agreement between Nicaragua, Honduras and El Sal-
vador.
There is a
visitors center
(Los Zorros, 500m E of Y-Junction)
in the community of Los Zor-
ros, next to Finca Ecolólica Trinchera with some basic info.
Finca Ecológica Trinchera
and
Jiquilillo hostels offer boat tours (US$35 to US$40), two-hour birding tours (US$10) and
an interesting nightime shrimping tour (US$10 to US$20) where locals show you both the
commercial and ecological sides of the reserve. Boat tour prices vary according to the
type of boat, running from US$30 for a motorized canoe to US$90 for a plush 10-person
lancha
(small boat). Bargain hard. There are collective boats (US$2) from Padre Ramos to
Venecia and other inland villages on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday only.
The ranger station in Padre Ramos offers access to a boats-only system. Rent boats with
local guides or DIY in a dugout canoe, and explore these 88 sq km of mangroves inhab-
ited by alligators, ocelots, all manner of birds and an epic number of mosquitoes. You can
visit Isleta Champerico; Isla La Tigre, with swimming beaches; or La Loma Chichihualte-
pec, a good spot for bird-watching.
Olive ridleys and other sea turtles lay their eggs here between July and December,
peaking in October and November, when Selva arranges turtle tours and accepts volun-
teers. It also offers package tours of Estero Padre Ramos year-round, including comfort-
able bamboo huts with real beds (and mosquito nets!) in paradise, all transportation and
food. Huts are in three picturesque spots: Padre Ramos, where the bus drops you off;
Mechapa, with bus access from Chinandega; and Venecia, with boat access only. Packages
run US$90 for two days, including food, transportation and guides, or you can just show
up and stay at any of its outposts for US$10 per person, with meals available for US$3 to
US$5 each.
