Things to See
This is a country of rich heritage so there is a lot to see and do. Much greater detail is provided under each of the locations in other sections of this website. This section essentially covers the more significant sights and sites you might want to see or do.
Nicaragua has traditionally attracted the adventuresome and a lot of backpackers come to visit. This is changing as more tourists are discovering Nicaragua and more people are moving and retiring here. Some people come to surf and trek into volcanoes while others come to just view the beautiful colonial homes and structures. For some it is a chance to learn a new culture while others want to explore places few people have seen before. It is a country to see lush tropical rainforests, rumbling active volcanoes, beautiful empty beaches and some of the best fishing in the world. There are so many things to do in Nicaragua that you could explore the country for a month and barely sample what it has to offer.
Following are just a few of the things you can do:
Colonial Architecture
See colonial buildings, churches and homes that are hundreds of years old. Granada and León have the most to see but many of the small villages have beautiful structures also. To find the main church of the city or village, just find the central park and there you will the largest church.
Surfing
Nicaragua is becoming well-known for its excellent surfing. Here this means fewer people and empty beaches to enjoy your sport. For these reasons, you may have to take a boat to get there because roads to all beaches do not yet exist.
Volunteer
Nicaragua is a poor country but there are many organizations trying to help. Learn Spanish while helping to build a community library or already know Spanish, teach at a local school. We have a lot of community projects as well. See the section on "Helping Nicaragua".
Family Stay
If you really want to learn another culture, live with a local family and see Nicaragua life as it really is. In Granada Aqua & Tierra allows you to work with the locals for a day. Try fishing with a net or work with a farmer in his fields.
Fishing
We have fantastic salt-water fishing, fresh-water fishing and fly fishing. Charter a boat or just throw in a line from the side of a river. Have the locals cook it up for you.
Mountain & Road Bike
With endless kilometers of pristine beaches, dirt roads, paved roads you can make it as easy or hard as you wish. For those of you wishing less work in their enjoyment, rent a 4WD vehicle and see the country.
Horseback Riding
Did you know Nicaragua is a mecca of horse farms and that some of the largest festivals are Hípicas (horse parades). Horses are available for all skill levels.
The Volcanoes
There are live ones, dormant ones and some are extinct though several have beautiful crater lakes. Visit them, hike them or para-sail over them.
Kayaking, Sailing
Do it in the ocean, off one of the islands or in the 10th largest fresh-water lake in the world. Make a day of sailing along with fishing or just relax with a lunch at an isolated beach. You may see whales, sea turtles and dolphins.
A Day at the Beach
Perhaps the main reason Nicaragua tourism is on the rise is because of the variety of beautiful beaches along the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. And the Caribbean coast has yet to be fully explored. Some of the beaches feature gentle waves that are perfect for a day of swimming and fishing, while other beaches have a strong tide that surfers prefer. Go to a beach a little further away and you may not see anyone all day.
Bird Watching
There are mountains, rain forests, coastal waters and hardwood forests where you can see over 698 species. Will that keep you busy enough with your binoculars?
Good Eating
Everything is not beans and rice here. We have phenomenal steaks, lobster, fish and the best chicken in the world and all at very reasonable prices. On the side are the freshest vegetables and fruits. Vendors bring them to our door every day.
Montelimar
Montelimar Beach is an all inclusive resort community on the unspoiled beaches of the Pacific Coast. There are so many things to do in Montelimar. Visitors can go to the zoo, go shopping in one of the resort's gift shops, or snorkel, scuba dive, and surf on the beach. Montelimar Beach is one of the best tourist attractions in Nicaragua for people who simply want to relax and prefer not to worry about arranging the details of their vacation. And it used to be the summer home of a past dictator.
Corn Islands
These tropical islands feature plenty of things to do such as deep sea fishing, taking a trek through rocky Nicaragua trails, and learning more about the species that inhabit the island, such as howler monkeys. You won't find any modern hotels or cell phones on these primitive islands. In fact, the Corn Islands haven't changed much throughout history but are gradually becoming favorite Nicaragua attractions.
Bosawas Biosphere Reserve
The Bosawas Biosphere Reserve is an important rainforest located in the northern part of Nicaragua and the southern part of Honduras. The million acre reserve is composed of thousands of animal species and plants. Out of all tourist attractions in Nicaragua, the reserve is the one that is least visited by tourists.
Granada
There are many Nicaragua attractions in the historical city of Granada. A Granada vacation is perfect for seeing colorful colonial style churches. There are several other historical buildings in Granada that all the way back to the 1500's. Granada also has an active nightlife as well as many festivals that occur all year round. Many good restaurants and hotels as well as the largest expat population in Nicaragua.
Volcano Boarding
Yup, like snowboarding but down the side of a volcano near León at Cerro Negro. How many of your friends have done that?
Ometepe Islands
Located in the middle of Lake Nicaragua you explore the world’s largest volcanic island in a fresh water lake. Enjoy a one hour ferry ride to the Ometepe Islands. Life is a little slower here. Trek up the volcano, there are two.
Rio San Juan
Visit the grand river made famous by Mark Twain that connects Lake Nicaragua to the Caribbean on the east coast. It’s another world of rain forests and people living on the river. This was the first choice for the canal that was eventually built in Panama. There is still talk of building a canal here.
National Zoo
No, it does not compete against the national zoos of the states or Europe but it is a nice small zoo and butterfly farm located just outside of Managua. It houses more than six hundred animal species, with the majority of them being wild animals and some of them pets, in addition to some exotic species from remote locations like Africa and Asia. Also has a butterfly and orchid garden. Located at Kilometer 16 of the Managua-Masaya road.
Tuesday-Sunday, from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (closed on Mondays)
(505) 279 8806 - (505) 279 8782 sacasamarina1@yahoo.com
Nicaragua Museums
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_in_Nicaragua
Nicaragua has traditionally attracted the adventuresome and a lot of backpackers come to visit. This is changing as more tourists are discovering Nicaragua and more people are moving and retiring here. Some people come to surf and trek into volcanoes while others come to just view the beautiful colonial homes and structures. For some it is a chance to learn a new culture while others want to explore places few people have seen before. It is a country to see lush tropical rainforests, rumbling active volcanoes, beautiful empty beaches and some of the best fishing in the world. There are so many things to do in Nicaragua that you could explore the country for a month and barely sample what it has to offer.
Following are just a few of the things you can do:
Colonial Architecture
See colonial buildings, churches and homes that are hundreds of years old. Granada and León have the most to see but many of the small villages have beautiful structures also. To find the main church of the city or village, just find the central park and there you will the largest church.
Surfing
Nicaragua is becoming well-known for its excellent surfing. Here this means fewer people and empty beaches to enjoy your sport. For these reasons, you may have to take a boat to get there because roads to all beaches do not yet exist.
Volunteer
Nicaragua is a poor country but there are many organizations trying to help. Learn Spanish while helping to build a community library or already know Spanish, teach at a local school. We have a lot of community projects as well. See the section on "Helping Nicaragua".
Family Stay
If you really want to learn another culture, live with a local family and see Nicaragua life as it really is. In Granada Aqua & Tierra allows you to work with the locals for a day. Try fishing with a net or work with a farmer in his fields.
Fishing
We have fantastic salt-water fishing, fresh-water fishing and fly fishing. Charter a boat or just throw in a line from the side of a river. Have the locals cook it up for you.
Mountain & Road Bike
With endless kilometers of pristine beaches, dirt roads, paved roads you can make it as easy or hard as you wish. For those of you wishing less work in their enjoyment, rent a 4WD vehicle and see the country.
Horseback Riding
Did you know Nicaragua is a mecca of horse farms and that some of the largest festivals are Hípicas (horse parades). Horses are available for all skill levels.
The Volcanoes
There are live ones, dormant ones and some are extinct though several have beautiful crater lakes. Visit them, hike them or para-sail over them.
Kayaking, Sailing
Do it in the ocean, off one of the islands or in the 10th largest fresh-water lake in the world. Make a day of sailing along with fishing or just relax with a lunch at an isolated beach. You may see whales, sea turtles and dolphins.
A Day at the Beach
Perhaps the main reason Nicaragua tourism is on the rise is because of the variety of beautiful beaches along the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. And the Caribbean coast has yet to be fully explored. Some of the beaches feature gentle waves that are perfect for a day of swimming and fishing, while other beaches have a strong tide that surfers prefer. Go to a beach a little further away and you may not see anyone all day.
Bird Watching
There are mountains, rain forests, coastal waters and hardwood forests where you can see over 698 species. Will that keep you busy enough with your binoculars?
Good Eating
Everything is not beans and rice here. We have phenomenal steaks, lobster, fish and the best chicken in the world and all at very reasonable prices. On the side are the freshest vegetables and fruits. Vendors bring them to our door every day.
Montelimar
Montelimar Beach is an all inclusive resort community on the unspoiled beaches of the Pacific Coast. There are so many things to do in Montelimar. Visitors can go to the zoo, go shopping in one of the resort's gift shops, or snorkel, scuba dive, and surf on the beach. Montelimar Beach is one of the best tourist attractions in Nicaragua for people who simply want to relax and prefer not to worry about arranging the details of their vacation. And it used to be the summer home of a past dictator.
Corn Islands
These tropical islands feature plenty of things to do such as deep sea fishing, taking a trek through rocky Nicaragua trails, and learning more about the species that inhabit the island, such as howler monkeys. You won't find any modern hotels or cell phones on these primitive islands. In fact, the Corn Islands haven't changed much throughout history but are gradually becoming favorite Nicaragua attractions.
Bosawas Biosphere Reserve
The Bosawas Biosphere Reserve is an important rainforest located in the northern part of Nicaragua and the southern part of Honduras. The million acre reserve is composed of thousands of animal species and plants. Out of all tourist attractions in Nicaragua, the reserve is the one that is least visited by tourists.
Granada
There are many Nicaragua attractions in the historical city of Granada. A Granada vacation is perfect for seeing colorful colonial style churches. There are several other historical buildings in Granada that all the way back to the 1500's. Granada also has an active nightlife as well as many festivals that occur all year round. Many good restaurants and hotels as well as the largest expat population in Nicaragua.
Volcano Boarding
Yup, like snowboarding but down the side of a volcano near León at Cerro Negro. How many of your friends have done that?
Ometepe Islands
Located in the middle of Lake Nicaragua you explore the world’s largest volcanic island in a fresh water lake. Enjoy a one hour ferry ride to the Ometepe Islands. Life is a little slower here. Trek up the volcano, there are two.
Rio San Juan
Visit the grand river made famous by Mark Twain that connects Lake Nicaragua to the Caribbean on the east coast. It’s another world of rain forests and people living on the river. This was the first choice for the canal that was eventually built in Panama. There is still talk of building a canal here.
National Zoo
No, it does not compete against the national zoos of the states or Europe but it is a nice small zoo and butterfly farm located just outside of Managua. It houses more than six hundred animal species, with the majority of them being wild animals and some of them pets, in addition to some exotic species from remote locations like Africa and Asia. Also has a butterfly and orchid garden. Located at Kilometer 16 of the Managua-Masaya road.
Tuesday-Sunday, from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (closed on Mondays)
(505) 279 8806 - (505) 279 8782 sacasamarina1@yahoo.com
Nicaragua Museums
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_in_Nicaragua
