Vogue’s Insider Guide to Nicaragua
Here’s Why You Should Travel to Nicaragua Now
Nicaragua is known for having many volcanoes (more than 18 active and extinct currently listed). Most of the volcanoes flank Nicaragua’s western coast by the North Pacific Ocean, with each one seemingly beautiful in its own right. While seeing an active volcano is a surreal experience in itself, Nicaragua kicks that up a notch with volcano boarding. The most popular slope to board down is Cerro Negro near Leon in Western Nicaragua, where adventure junkies wear helmets, pads and will grab a thin metal or wooden board and slide down the volcanic ash slopes.
The 25 places you need to travel to in 2019
About this time last year, Nicaragua was well on its way to a tourism renaissance. It was Costa Rica before Costa Rica went all Costa Rica. The long-impoverished people of the rural countryside were welcoming thousands of visitors, drawn by the world-class surfing, unspoiled beaches, and thick, tropical jungles. And they were buying things like houses, cars, and new clothes with the money rolling in.
Then the political unrest of April happened, and the world was effectively scared off. Though most of that trouble was relegated to the capital of Managua, people still stayed away. And just like that, it was back to square one for one of the most beautiful countries in the Western Hemisphere.
Today, the unrest is over for the most part, and regardless of your opinion on the government, the country is as safe as it’s ever been. Hiking through the steep mountains near Rancho Santana on the southern Pacific coast, you’d never know the country was under a tourism warning. Hotels are trying to lure people back with steep discounts, with some resorts offering rooms at literally half of what they were a year ago. For the country’s sake, we hope the world wakes up and realizes it’s safe to go back to Nicaragua. But until that happens, you can visit this country that’s still on the verge of making it big-time, for a steeply discounted price.
Guide to the Beaches: San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Nicaragua is blessed with some of the most beautiful beaches and surfing in the world. Many of which you’ll find in San Juan del Sur.
Here is a guide to our of favorites in the area.
PLAYA MADERAS
With year round waves Playa Maderas is one of San Juan del Sur’s most popular surf beaches. Three restaurants (Tacos Locos, Los Tres Hermanos and Maderas Sunset Bar) offer frosty cervezas and local fare at reasonable prices. Dorm beds, as well as private rooms are available for rent at Los Tres Hermanos. Surf board rentals and lessons are also available here. A 4×4 vehicle is recommended for travel to Playa Maderas, especially in the rainy season.