Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Bus terminals, often huge, chaotic lots next to markets, may seem difficult to navigate, particularly if
you don't speak much Spanish. Fear not! If you can pronounce your destination, the guys yelling will
help you find your bus - just make sure they put you on an expreso and not an ordinario or you'll be
spending more time on the road than you planned.
NICARAGUA'S TRAVELING TRADERS
Who said travelling by bus is boring? In Nicaragua not only do you have awe-inspiring volcanic
landscapes to gaze at through the windows, inside the bus is a whole world of entertainment.
And we're not talking about the soft-rock soundtrack or classic Steven Seagal marathon on the
tiny TV. The real entertainment on Nicaragua's battle-scarred school buses comes from the trav-
eling salesman, particularly those hawking cut-priced medicines and ointments.
Need to get smarter before arriving in Rivas? No problem. Hair loss issues? There's an elixir
for that too. And you probably didn't even know that in addition to your backpack, you were car-
rying around all those parasites on the unnecessarily graphic images on the full-color poster.
While they are not doctors, not even pharmacists, these 'medicine men' must be on to
something as they always do a brisk trade, although they seem to not yet have cracked the travel-
er market. Perhaps the lack of a hangover cure has something to do with it.
Costs & Classes
Buses cost about US$1 per hour, 30km to 40km, a bit more for expreso buses, sometimes called direc-
tos, which only stop in major destinations. Ordinarios or ruteados stop everywhere and for everyone.
Faster microbuses cost about 25% more, and service most major routes, with vans leaving when full.
Many rural destinations connected to large cities by really bad roads use covered military trucks with
bench seats which cost about the same as a regular bus.
Shuttle buses are privately owned minibuses that zip between major tourist destinations. They're OK
value if you're traveling alone and can't handle another public bus, but if there are two (or more) of
you, a taxi often works out to be cheaper and more convenient.
Car & Motorcycle
Driving is a wonderful way to see Pacific and central Nicaragua, but it's best to use public transport on
the Caribbean side as roads are, for the most part, terrible.
Fuel & Spare Parts
Gas stations are generally located on the outskirts of major towns and cities and can be rare in rural
locations. The availability of spare parts depends on the make of your car. Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai
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