The Plight of the Perpetual Tourist
I used to have to periodically make what we expats affectionately (or not so) refer to as the “border run.” What is a “border run” you ask? Well, before I became a permanent resident of this fine country I was a “perpetual tourist.” In fact, a good percentage of the expats in Costa Rica fall under that category. And it requires that we leave the country every three months for seventy-two hours to renew our “visas”, or permission to remain in Costa Rica, for another 90 days.
My Border Runs North
So off I went, almost always to Nicaragua. To be honest, it isn’t all the bad to have to take a little mini-vacation every three months, especially to a place as beautiful as our neighbor to the north. Nicaragua definitely has a different “look and feel” than does Costa Rica. It’s a poor country, much poorer than Costa Rica. Despite its bounty of natural beauty, the country has not been able to utilize those resources to ignite a tourism boom as has Costa Rica.
Why? I believe the problem is partially perception. After years of war and strife, the country doesn’t have the best reputation among folks in the U.S. While generally peaceful, the people of the country can be as wary about gringos as gringos are to them. The regime in power, the Sandinistas, do as much as possible to foment resentment and distrust towards the “imperialist” U.S. That does not make for the service oriented mindset that is required for tourism. In Nicaragua you are not always greeted with that big warm friendly smile like the ticos will readily show you.
San Juan del Sur
But nevertheless I have thoroughly enjoyed all my visits. I always crossed the border at Peñas Blancas, in the northwestern corner of Costa Rica. My first stop usually is San Juan del Sur, a lovely little beachfront community only about an hour and a half from the border. It is a great place to relax at one of the many restaurants right along the ocean’s edge, eat a fresh pescado entero (whole fried fish) and toss back a few Victorias (Nicaragua’s best beer….and yes it does give my beloved Imperial a run for its money).
Ometepe
The next stop would be Ometepe, an hourglass shaped island in Lake Nicaragua formed by two volcanoes that are joined by a narrow strip of land. One of the volcanoes, Concepción, is active and resembles very much Arenal in Costa Rica (it has almost the identical altitude). The other is named Maderas and it is inactive and covered with lush jungle. There is a great resort on the island named Villa Paraiso where you can stay in a bungalow and catch the cool breeze blowing off the lake. Lake Nicaragua (or Cocibolca as the indigenous of the region named it) is the largest lake in Central America and the 21st largest in the world. It is truly a marvel of nature. The water is the perfect temperature for swimming. However, watch out for the sharks, yes I said sharks! Lake Nicaragua is unique in that its fresh water is inhabited by sharks. They are “bull sharks” that have adapted to the fresh water over thousands of years of evolution.
Granada
From Ometepe I would usually move on the Granada. Granada is one of Nicaragua’s colonial cities and is steeped with history. It reminds me a bit of Charleston, South Carolina with its pastel colored buildings and houses. It is right on the lake and one of my favorite things to do is hire a local to take me out on a small boat (or panga) to the “isletas”, which are a group of small islands where many of the upper classes of Nicaragua and even Hollywood types have purchased small islands on which they have built their ultimate getaways. One of the islas is known as “monkey island” and is inhabited by a family of spider monkeys, who are quite friendly and not a bit afraid of humans. Granada is well developed touristic-ally and there are many great places to stay and superb dining is in ample supply.
More Interesting Spots
There are other great places to visit as well, such as the Masaya Volcano (one of Nicaragua’s most active), the Mercardo de Artesanias (or craft market in downtown Masaya), Leon (the other important colonial city), and even the capital city of Managua.
And if you feel really adventurous hop a domestic charter over to the Corn Islands, which are two pristine islands (Big Corn and Little Corn) with crystal clear waters just off the Caribbean coast.
Nicaragua is a fun place to visit and the people, once you get to know them, are as down to earth, humble and selfless as you will find anywhere. It is a shame that politics seems to sometimes be the constraint that holds Nicaragua back from realizing its true potential. This brand of resentment fomenting politics, which has been labeled by many “Orteguismo” (after the Sandinista rebel and current President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega), only takes power away from the people and places it securely into the hands of the politicians.
For a great Nicaragua Vacation alternative, check out our Costa Rica – Nicaragua combo design.
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