Nicaragua

This is the Granada chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nicaragua guidebook.

Nicaragua’s oldest town is also its most beguiling and photogenic, and many travelers use it as a base. Just out of town, adventures take you to an evocative archipelago waterworld at Las Isletas and fun beaches at the Peninsula de Asese.

• check out gorgeous, centuries-old churches and feast on some of Nicaragua’s most innova-tive cuisine in Granada
• maps
• paddle your kayak at dawn among the fishermen and ample birdlife in Las Isletas de Grana-da, and relax on a private island
• transport
• hike below the imposing summit of Volcán Mombacho and taste locally produced coffee
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Sights, Activities, Courses, Tours, Sleeping, Eating, Drinking & Nightlife, Entertainment, Shopping, Around Granada, Volcán Mombacho, Reserva Nat-ural Laguna de Apoyo, Isla Zapatera, Isletas de Granada.

This is the Caribbean Coast chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nicaragua guide-book.

Travel in the Nicaraguan Caribbean is challenging and exciting, and the rewards – including superb scuba diving, epic treks through dense rainforest, wildlife watching and fishing in the man-groves – are huge.

• dive, swim and sunbathe on wonderful, car-free Little Corn Island, a slice of the old Caribbe-an
• maps
• experience true Caribbean food and culture in laid-back Pearl Lagoon, surrounded by thick jungle and mangrove forests
• transport
• charter a speedboat to visit tiny snow-white Pearl Keys and snorkel with magnificent sea tur-tles in their cerulean waters
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Bilwi (Puerto Cabezas) & Around, Miskito Keys, Waspám & the Río Coco, Managua–El Rama Road, El Rama, Bluefields, Pearl Lagoon & Around, Pearl Keys, Corn Islands, Las Minas.

This is the León & Northwestern Nicaragua chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nicaragua guidebook.

León has nourished some of Nicaragua’s most important political and artistic moments. Less polished but somehow more authentic than its age-old rival Granada, the city is beloved for its grand cathedral, breathtaking art museum, hopping nightlife and spirited revolutionary air.

• mix with the university crowd and take in some politically charged street art in vibrant Le-ón
• maps
• climb spectacular volcanic peaks in the Maribios Chain, then enjoy the thrill of sand-boarding down its slopes
• transport
• catch one of Nicaragua’s world-class waves at Playa Aserradores, then chill out in a surf camp
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: León & Around, San Jacinto, El Sauce, Chinandega & Around, Cosigüina Peninsula Beaches, Reserva Natural Volcán Cosigüina.

This is the Managua chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nicaragua guidebook.

Aside from diving into the spirited whirl of sprawling markets, improbable electric trees, re-markable street art and impressive monuments, Managua also gives you easy access to nearby lagoons, the nature reserve of Chocoyero-El Brujo, plus a smattering of fun beaches like Pochom-il.

• take in views over the city while standing in Sandino’s shadow on a volcano’s rim in Parque Histórico Nacional Loma de Tiscapa
• maps
• explore the newly revamped waterfront, Paseo Salvador Allende, and eat, drink and dance with the locals at sunset
• transport
• marvel at the crumbling colonial grandeur of Plaza de la Revolución and enjoy the sight of promenading Managuans, particularly on weekends
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Sights, Activities, Courses, Tours, Festivals & Events, Sleeping, Eating, Drinking & Nightlife, Entertainment, Shopping, Around Managuaï, Masachapa & Pochomil, Reserva Natural Chocoyero-El Brujo, San Diego.

This is the Masaya & Los Pueblos Blancos chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nicaragua guidebook.

Nicaragua’s Central Valley offers a picturesque patchwork of la-goons, volcanic peaks and sleepy colonial villages. However, at the time of writing, political unrest in the country had turned Masaya, a popular destination known for its artisan market and aficiona-dos of traditional craftsmanship, into the center of political strife and violence.

• watch history in action as the local artists continue the centuries-old craft of ceramics produc-tion (with a contemporary twist) in San Juan de Oriente
• maps
• peer into the magnificent Laguna de Apoyo from the spectacular Catarina lookout
• transport
• drive to the gates of hell – up Volcán Masaya – and watch the bubbling lava in the Santiago crater
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Masaya, Parque Nacional Volcán Masaya, Nindirí, Los Pueblos Blancos, Catarina, San Juan de Oriente, Diriá & Diriomo, Niquinohomo, Masatepe, Carazo Towns, Diriamba, Jinotepe, Reserva Ecólogica La Maquina, La Boquita, Casares.

This is the Northern Highlands chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nicaragua guide-book.

With a little time and commitment you can get pounded by waterfalls; explore Somoto’s canyon; and pay tribute to the pirates, colonists, revolutionaries, artists and poets who were inspired by these fertile mountains and mingled with the open-hearted people who’ve lived here for genera-tions.

• pick coffee beans beneath the towering cloud forest and seeing how locals live and work in Reserva Natural Cerro Datanlí–El Diablo
• maps
• scramble, swim and float along the magnificent Cañon de Somoto
• transport
• ride horses through delightful countryside to secluded swimming holes in Ãrea Protegida Mi-raflor
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Estelí, Ãrea Protegida Miraflor, Condega, Somoto, Ocotal & Around, Dipilto, Jalapa & Around, Estel–Jinotega Road, Jinotega, Reserva Natural Cerro Datanlí–El Diablo, Lago de Apanás, Matagalpa & Around, San Ramón, Reserva Natural Cerro El Arenal, La Dalia & Peñas Blancas.

This chapter contains the Nicaragua’s Top 15, Need to Know, First Time Nicaragua, If You Like..., Month by Month, Itineraries, Nicaragua Outdoors, and Regions at a Glance chapters from Lonely Planet’s Nicaragua guidebook.

Your journey to Nicaragua starts here. You’ll find the tools to plan your adventure: where to go and when, how much to budget, plus in-depth info for first-time visitors.

• tailor-made itineraries, arranged by region, themes and events
• list of highlights and best experiences
• everything you need to know about outdoor activities
• user-friendly country overview ensures you won’t miss a thing

Coverage includes: Nicaragua’s Top 15, Need to Know, First Time Nicara-gua, If You Like: Beaches, Volcanoes, Colonial Architecture, Coffee, Wildlife, Artisan Crafts, Month by Month, Itineraries, Nicaragua Outdoors, and Regions at a Glance.

This is the San Carlos, Islas Solentiname & the Río San Juan chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nicaragua guidebook.

This is perhaps Nicaragua’s best kept secret. With the sweet Archipiélago de Solentiname, a remote group of islands with an artistically minded population, as well as towns and villages along Río San Juan and the spectacular Reserva Biológica Indio-Maíz, it is not to be missed.

• hike, swim and stargaze on the peacefully artistic Islas Solentiname
• maps
• catch up with your reading while swinging in a hammock on a riverside balcony in Boca de Sábalos
• transport
• scale El Castillo, an imposing Spanish fortress with delectable river views, and explore the surrounding jungle
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: San Carlos, San Miguelito, Islas Solentiname, Refugio de Vida Silvestre Los Guatuzos, Río San Juan.

This is the Southwestern Nicaragua chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nicaragua guidebook.

Packed with attractions, the southwest offers up some of Nicaragua’s hallmark vistas and ad-ventures. Surfers have been hitting this coastline for years, drawn by perfect, uncrowded waves and laid-back surfing encampments. No trip would be complete without a few days on Isla de Ometepe.

• climb a volcano, kayak the wetlands or swim in a lagoon – or all three – on Isla de Ometepe
• maps
• hit the excellent restaurants, bars, pool parties and clubs at San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua’s premier party town
• transport
• enjoy the waves, sand and solitude on wild and far-flung Playa Popoyo before grabbing a sunset pizza and beer
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Rivas, San Jorge, Isla de Ometepe, Moyogalpa, Vol-cán Concepción & Around, Altagracia, Playa Santo Domingo & Santa Cruz, Volcán Maderas & Around, Pacific Beaches, Tola & the Tola Beaches, Refugio de Vida Silvestre Río Es-calante-Chacocente, San Juan Del Sur & Around.

This chapter contains the Nicaragua Today, History, Nicaraguan Way of Life, Arts & Architec-ture, Land & Wildlife, Political Unrest & Traveler Safety, Directory A–Z, Transportation, and Lan-guage chapters from Lonely Planet’s Nicaragua guidebook.

All the info you need on everything from history, arts & wildlife to flights, public transport, cli-mate, money, the internet... you name it. Get tips for women travellers, gay and lesbian travellers, travellers with disabilities, and travellers with kids. And get the most out of your conversations with a handy language guide and glossary.

• a rundown on political unrest and traveling safely
• info on Nicaragua’s arts & architecture
• full coverage of the country’s history and life in Nicaragua today
• details on the aw-inspiring landscapes and wildlife

Coverage includes: Nicaragua Today, History, Nicaraguan Way of Life, Arts & Architecture, Land & Wildlife, Political Unrest & Traveler Safety, Directory A–Z, Transporta-tion, and Language.