Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Dripping wet and laid-back, one of the Americas' oldest European cities feels like it's on
the edge of the world. There are wide streets but no cars; the restaurants have no signs.
But it's certainly not lazy or joyless. Fishers and boat builders work from morning to
night, and they do not want for food, shelter or activity. How could they, in a town sur-
rounded by rivers teeming with fish, virgin rainforest and jungle-fringed lagoons. They
are cash poor, however, which leads to spotty electricity (carry a flashlight) and water ser-
vice (shower when you can), and the locals dream of a tourism gold rush. Considering the
number of knowledgeable local guides and the nearby adventure-soaked terrain, a future
ecotourism boom is definitely plausible. Today, however, it remains a dream destination
for those comfortable on the edge.
Internet access is available in town at
Telecentro
(per hr US$1;
9am-5pm Mon-Fri)
, a
block inland from the dock.
THE RAMA: GUARDIANS OF THE FOREST
For the indigenous Rama people the low jungle of the eastern Reserva Biológica Indio-Maíz is
sacred. Rama ownership of these lands has been recognized by the Nicaraguan government and
they are the only group permitted to live within the reserve.
Traditionally, tours into the magnificent forests of the Rama ancestral homeland have been run
by
mestizo
tour operators based in San Juan de Nicaragua; however, the Rama are beginning to
organize jungle tours themselves. Whether it proves to be a positive thing or not for the commu-
nity depends on the attitude of their visitors.
You will probably have a more polished, professional experience going with the tour operators
in town. The Rama are new to tourism and still learning the ropes. However, they know this vast
jungle better than any professional guide and spending some time traversing the area with them is
an immense cultural experience.
Whoever you choose to go with, make sure your tour operator obtains the Rama area entry per-
mit (US$20 per person). The fee ensures tourism directly benefits the reserve's original inhabit-
ants - a desperately poor indigenous community that is fighting to survive in modern Nicaragua.
Sights & Activities
San Juan de Nicaragua's traditional tourist attraction is the swampy remains of
Greytown
,
a short boat ride (four people US$85, three to four hours) across the bay. Here you'll find
a few solid building foundations and four very interesting cemeteries: one for the British
(including those members of Horatio Nelson's doomed campaign who were not fed to the
sharks), another for Catholics, a third for North Americans and the last allegedly for Free-
