Discover Nicaragua

Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America by area and the third most populous, with some 7.1 million people, and it is built in three bands: the Pacific lowlands, the fertile valleys the Spanish settled, where the two largest freshwater lakes in Central America sit under a chain of active volcanoes; the Amerrisque highlands of the north and centre, coffee country; and the Mosquito Coast on the Caribbean, where people speak their own languages and English and where the Corn Islands lie 70 kilometres offshore. Spanish is the official language, and the Pacific band is where nearly every visitor goes.

Granada, named in 1524 and arguably the first European city on the American mainland, and León, its Liberal rival with the largest cathedral in Central America, are the two colonial towns; between and around them are Lake Nicaragua -- 8,264 square kilometres, with sharks in it -- and its island Ometepe, two volcanoes joined by an isthmus; Masaya, the country's first national park, with a crater that never stops venting; Cerro Negro, the youngest volcano in Central America; and the surf coast at San Juan del Sur. Tourism is the country's second-largest industry, and passed a million visitors for the first time in 2010.

The politics are the thing to understand before going. Nicaragua has been under Daniel Ortega since 2006, with what the encyclopaedia calls democratic backsliding since 2007, protests in April 2018 answered with violence, and hundreds of deaths and detentions since; it is illegal for foreigners to take part in any political activity, drones are banned, and the British and Canadian governments both tell their citizens to take care. The country is cheap, extraordinary and, for a visitor who keeps out of its politics, open.

Is it safe to visit?

The Canadian advisory says to exercise a high degree of caution for the political situation, potential unrest and crime; the practical rules are to stay out of politics entirely, use radio-dispatched taxis, and keep windows up in traffic. Most visits to the Pacific circuit pass without incident.

Do I need a visa?

British citizens can visit for up to 90 days without one; a passport valid six months beyond arrival and an onward ticket may be required, and there is an arrival tax of 10 US dollars in cash plus a departure tax. Other nationalities should check with a Nicaraguan embassy; the migration service's site does not answer scripted requests.

What money should I bring?

US dollars in cash: they are the only foreign currency freely exchangeable and are accepted widely; ATMs give dollars or córdobas and may be absent outside the cities.

How do I get to Ometepe and the Corn Islands?

Ometepe by ferry or lancha from San Jorge near Rivas, several times a day; Great Corn Island by La Costeña, two flights a day from Managua or Bluefields.

Can I fly a drone?

No. Possession and use are prohibited under Law 1230.

When is the best time?

The dry season, December to April; the hurricane season runs through the wet months to November, hardest in September and October.