After spending an amazing week in Costa Rica (Article 1: Costa Rica) we decide to try something new. A taste of what Central America had to offer had us hooked and we wanted to continue exploring. We decided on Nicaragua, partly because its border lay 70 km away from our last stop in Costa and more importantly because we kept hearing talk of how great it was, in a hidden gem kind of way. It might not have the fame of its neighbor, but after overcoming prior decades of political infighting and several American intrusions de jour, Nicaragua is quickly building a long list of tourists raving about their experiences. The one sentence version of what’s to come – we loved it; it's beautiful, friendly, full of culture and your own personal places to explore. It has the flavor of Costa, with beautiful landscapes, intimidating volcanos and mesmerizing beaches, but the feel is more personal. It isn’t yet overrun with tourists, you get treated with genuine hospitality and when you leave you really feel like you take some Nica back with you.
Getting to the border is not the ordeal many say it is. We spurred advice of taking the expensive, by local standards, tourist bus and hopped onto a local one from Liberia to Penas Blancas, the Costa Rican side of the border. Among smiling locals who headed to local towns along the way we arrived in no time for less than a $1.50. In Costa Rica, dollars work just as well as Collones because of the convenient exchange rate.
The border itself is made up of two small complexes and it is approximately a 20 minute walk between the two sides up a roadway. You will be offered to buy customs forms outside and while you wait in line but no matter what they say the forms are always free inside. The Nica border is something reminiscent of a G.G. Marques novel; small and casual with orphaned pieces of furniture throughout mixed with heat coming from the countless people passing through. Unlike the ice cold reception at US Customs, our officer was more than happy to set aside his duties and gives us indepth advice for getting to our destination. He called over colleagues and questioned locals waiting in line, more in a way of a café owner rather than a customs official. I don’t recommend trying this with the TSA next time you’re in JFK.
On a hot sunny morning we arrived in San Juan Del Sur, a sleepy port town that once served as origin for the last leg of the trip for Americans seeking a way to the California gold coast. In modern times the area is gaining fame as a top surfing destination. We arrived at the Mango Rosa resort and first made a stop at their splendid bar. Under a high hatch roof is a bar surrounded by couches and hammocks. A strong drink or a delicious meal is always within arm’s reach. You can spend a productive day here contemplating whether you’re finally ready to journey out to the pool or if you need another nap or a cool pina colada. The accommodations are charming bungalows, neatly tucked into surrounding palm trees and wild banana plants. We found our house fully stocked to provide you a home on the beach.
The beach at Playa Madero is pristine and full of surrounding beauty with waves crashing on surrounding high bluffs and jotting rocks. There’s a constant stream of surfers, volleyball games, fresh food and surf hangouts. The waves here are ideal for surfing due to the perpetual offshore winds coming across from the nearby lake. If you surf or want to try, you should be here. Or you can consider dropping everything and making the permanent move here like the friendly owners of the resort did.
The town of San Juan is very charming; full of little cafes on the beach where you can lose a day looking out onto the harbor. There are also plenty of night time spots that can keep you up through the night. Beautiful scenery here is provided by the boats moored in the harbor, framed by cliffs jotting out into the sea. As we looked out from a hanging bridge spanning a local river and took in the landscape we began to see the beauty of this country. To take in more of this country just as it is we decided to travel the rest of the way using only local means.
We headed to the market, grabbed a snack, hopped into a shared taxi with a local family and headed to the local bus station. From there we caught a local bus to Granada, the oldest city in the Americas. Founded in 1524, it was vehemently fought over by pirates in its heyday and built on centuries of culture and history. The snack that we grabbed at the market for under a buck turned out to be delicious. Yuca served in a banana leaf, topped with pickled cabbage and pork, covered in spices. It was fantastic to see the landscape swirl by while having your fingers full of this tasty concoction all the while trading travel stories with back packers from around the world in a crowded ex-school bus.
Granada struck us by its charm the moment we arrived. We knew of its historic and cultural pedigree, but we found ourselves arguing about what Spanish city it most reminded us of. We could only settle that it is the perfect harmony of Spanish flair with something purely local intertwined. The city’s beautiful streets are lined with sculpted colonial houses and churches, all in striking pastel shades. The cobbled streets, fountains, outdoor cafes and countless buildings that make you stop for a second to glance up all make you wonder how this El Dorado arose in the middle of the Nica jungle. We couldn’t wait to explore its treasures, but we had one other surprise in store to complete the colonial feel.
When we arrived at the Hotel La Bocona our knock was replied to with a massive door swinging open exposing tile marble floors, wooden pillars and a cool air of affluence. Blinded by the midday sun we half expected a Spanish colonial soldier to fill out the scene but instead were greeted by the hotel’s cordial service. The hotel is situated inside a historic colonial villa in the center of town. Each room is a decadent spacious playground of marble, distant ceilings and a huge canopy bed. A perfect way to give you a feel for what life would be like if you had played your cards right a few centuries back.
The original colonial masters of this villa may have gotten to marvel in its beauty but they did not have access to the renowned Balance Spa, which sprouted in a section of their mansion a few centuries later. The Spa offers a full service of treatments in the very capable hands of their head masseuse. Having recently taking up residence in a villa we decided to try a sample of all that was available. The sumptuous massage and acupuncture, with the mild afternoon breeze appearing under the shade of the veranda, really lifts your mind and body into a state of relaxation. When your stomach comes calling for its share of the spoils, Granada has some of the best food, especially churrasco, all served in the historic central area straight from the colossal fire pits.
Granada is not only about having a stately stay. It is located on Lake Nicaragua and nearby is the mighty Mombacho volcano, perfect for a day trip full of beautiful scenery. Located 15 minutes outside the city and easily accessible by hopping on most local buses headed south, the volcano has not erupted in centuries. In this time it has developed a cloud forest on its peak with both plants and animals which are native only to this one volcano. To arrive at the peak you are shuttled up on military trucks and the incline of the road up is staggering. On top we hiked around the dormant craters of the now silenced giant taking in the amazing scenery.
On an early morning we headed toward Lake Nicaragua and the island of Ometepe. After several attempts at learning to pronounce it, every time we would mention it we were met with elation from locals and fellow travelers alike. The island consists of two giant volcanoes arising out of the lake, joined by an isthmus, and together make up the world’s largest fresh-water volcanic island. The island is a treasure trove of ancient history complete with petroglyphs and stone idols, stunning natural splendor and animals who playfully get on with their lives around you.
We crossed over on a ferry to Moyogalpa named Che Guevara with prominently flying Sandinista flags, as a reminder of Nicaragua’s famous past. The island is striking in its simplicity and beauty, flanked by the expanses of the mighty lake and the two giants watching down from their lofty summits. We thought our adventures ended at the Costa border, but with one more leap of faith in our abilities we set ourselves up squarely for another one.
On a Sunday morning we set off to hike up the Concepcion volcano. The previous night’s boxing match (boxing is king in Nica) had left the transportation system of a few taxis and a bus disabled due to severe hangovers. We arrived at the base of our hike in the bed of a passing pick up. The hike to the viewpoint is relatively strenuous, with serious inclines to master. It becomes ever so, as the midday sun more fervently penetrates the jungle canopy, but rewards are aplenty even before you reach the magnificent views off of the peak and on to the potent lake. Birds follow along, sprinting from branch to branch to keep in step. At one point we eerily felt as though we were being observed until the little spy turned out to be a baby monkey taking a lunch break nearby his family. He skirted around to get a better look and in his eyes you saw the inquisitive eyes of child taken to the zoo for the first time to meet his fellow mammals.
The escapade started shortly after we hiked back to the main road in blistering heat expecting to quickly hitch hike a passing car. As we learned the hard way, on Sundays it is better to not stray away from your watering hole of choice. After learning that there was no way to call a taxi, we arrived into the port on the back of two scooters driven by local kids just in time for the last ferry. Once on mainland we learned that the bus service had finished for the day. With precious time ticking away until the border crossing closed we commandeered a car to the border. Passing swiftly the ritual at the border we arrived at the Costa side to a total desolation of all form of transportation. After some hurried fraternization we got seats in a passing microbus and arrived back to our base in Costa reminiscing on our high school days with a group of international exchange students returning from a weekend trip.
The more we were able to taste what Nica had to offer the more we were driven to explore. In all sincerity, we promised to those we met along the way that our first visit would be followed by many more. And the locals, no matter what their background, are proud of their country. They glow like a parent when we told them how much we loved our experience. Nica is for those that like finding their own piece of paradise, whether on the beach riding perfect waves, in historic towns among living history or in the jungle as one of nature's creatures. For those that prefer their food in banana leaves, their stay at a villa and for them to be observed by the monkeys. The only regret we had when we left is how little time we got to spend there.
Written by: Igor Bratnikov and Polina Raygorodskaya
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