Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Pearl Lagoon
POP 4900
At last, you've arrived in the real Caribbean. Here are dirt roads and palm trees, reggae
music, and an English-speaking Creole community that fishes the local waters for shrimp,
fish and lobster, and still refers to Spanish-speaking Nicaraguans as 'the Spaniards.' You
can feel the stress roll off your shoulders as soon as you get off the boat from Bluefields.
And the best part is that this town still sees just a few dozen tourists a month - which
means you may well be the only foreigner buzzing through the mangroves and jungle that
surround Pearl Lagoon (the bay), a timeless expanse of black water home to more than a
dozen ethnic fishing villages.
If your Caribbean dream is tinted turquoise, you can easily arrange a tour of the nearby
Pearl Keys, where you'll find sugar-white beaches that double as turtle hatcheries, and
swaying coconut palms that lull you into inner peace. Of course, nothing tops off a day on
the water like cold beer, lobster with coconut sauce and heavy doses of reggae music, all
of which are available among Pearl Lagoon's collection of barefoot restaurants and bars
sprinkled along the dirt roads patrolled by fishers, their families and free-roaming horses.
Sights & Activities
The town is laid out along two main north-south roads: Front Rd, on the water, and anoth-
er road a block inland.
At the southern end of the inland road you'll find the
Moravian Church
, with its charac-
teristic red tin roof. Take the path opposite the church due west and walk through town
until you reach the savannah, a striking flat ecosystem with several freshwater creeks and
interesting birdlife. Keep on the concrete path and after 30 minutes you will reach the
humble Miskito fishing communities of
Raiti Pura
and
Awas
, where the grassy shore is
perfect for a picnic. The water here is shallow and great for swimming.
You can also make the journey by bike; Queen Lobster Tours (
Click here
)
rents bikes
for US$1 per hour.
Tours
Fuel costs make up the lion's share of any boat charter. Plan on paying around US$50 to
US$60 per day for the boat and captain plus fuel. If you're on a budget, look for a captain
with a small engine; it will take longer but you'll save plenty.
