Nicaragua Travel Guide

Social Conventions

Dress is informal.

Photography: Avoid photographing military sites or personnel.

International Travel

Getting There By Air

TACA (www.taca.com) flies from Miami to Managua. Atlantic Airlines (www.atlanticairlinesint.com) operates flights between Managua and several destinations in Honduras, as well as a service from Gran Cayman.

Departure Tax

Included in the air fare. Transit passengers and children under two years of age are exempt.

Main Airports

Augusto C Sandino International Airport (MGA) (Managua) (www.eaai.com.ni) is 12km (7 miles) north of the city (journey time – 15 minutes). To/from the airport: Bus and taxi services run to the city. Facilities: Banks, ATM, café, post office, souvenir shops, duty-free shops and car hire.

Getting There By Water

Main ports: Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas and Puerto Sandino, which are served by shipping lines from Nicaragua, as well as Central American, North American and European countries.

Getting There By Road

The Pan-American Highway runs through Nicaragua via Esteli and Managua.

Bus: There are daily bus services between Managua and Tegucigalpa (Honduras), San Salvador (El Salvador) and San José (Costa Rica) (journey time – 9 hours). Services are provided by King Quality, Nicabus, Ticabus (tel: 222 6094; www.ticabus.com) and Transnica (tel: 270 3133; www.transnica.com).

Duty Free

Overview

The following items can be imported into Nicaragua without incurring customs duty:

• 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 500 prepared sheaves of tobacco.
• 5L of alcoholic beverage.
• Clothing, personal items and medicines for personal use.
• A camera or video recorder.
• A portable audio recorder and player.
• A portable computer.
• Goods up to the value of US$500.

Restricted Items
Canned or uncanned meats, leather and dairy products. A license is required for firearms.

Prohibited Exports

Archaeological items, artifacts of historical or monetary value, and gold.

Internal Travel

Getting Around By Air

Given the relative size of the country and the difficulty of some ground travel routes, internal flights are worth considering. La Costeña (www.tacaregional.com) and Atlantic Airlines (www.atlanticairlinesint.com) cover a wide range of internal routes.

Note: Managua International Airport charges an airport management fee of US$1.50 or local equivalent for travelers on domestic routes.

Getting Around By Water

A twice-weekly boat service runs between Bluefields and the Corn Islands. It is also possible to visit the 300 or so islands on Lake Nicaragua, which are very beautiful.

Getting Around By Rail

There is no passenger rail service at present.

Getting Around By Road

Traffic drives on the right. Lack of road safety is probably the biggest single hazard to travelers in Nicaragua. Some main roads connecting major towns and cities are paved and in a reasonable state, but in general, road conditions are poor. In the wet season especially, driving can be problematic. It is advised not to drive at night.

Bus: There is a service to most large towns. Booking seats in Managua in advance is advisable. Most buses are former American school buses.

Taxi: Available at the airport or in Managua. Prices should be agreed before departure. A map of each area in the city determines taxi prices. No tip is expected.

Car hire: Available in Managua or at the airport from local and international companies. Cars with drivers can be hired.

Regulations: Speed limits vary according to the type of road, but these are rarely enforced.

Documentation: National licenses are only valid for 30 days. Insurance is essential.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

The bus and minibus services in Managua are cheap, but they can be both crowded and confusing. Authorised taxis have red license plates.

Journey Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Managua to other major cities/towns in Nicaragua.

	Road
Granada	1.00
Esteli	2.15
Matagalpa	1.45
Rivas	1.30