ULTIMATE Nicaragua Travel Guide - Things to do, Tips, Visas, & More! (2024)

This blog may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy for more info.

This is a complete Nicaragua travel guide that includes lots of relevant and helpful information such as the best time to visit, the top places to see, and amazing things to do in Nicaragua. I also explain things like the CA-4 visa, how much things cost, and a few different budgets to accommodate all types of travelers!

Nicaragua is one of Central America’s most visited destinations. Famous for sprawling beaches, huge volcanos, and a laid-back lifestyle most could only dream of, Nicaragua is a must-visit!

During my visit, Nicaragua never stopped blowing my mind. One minute I was surfing at a beautiful beach and the next I was hiking through rainforests spotting monkeys and searching for waterfalls. From the moment I crossed its southern border from Costa Rica, Nicaragua opened up its arms and drew me in.

To put it simply, I was hooked!

To help you prepare for a trip likely to be as memorable as mine, I’ve compiled all the things I learned about traveling Nicaragua in this one guide.

In this Nicaragua travel guide, I dive into everything you need to know before you go and also how to have the most amazing experience you can imagine!

Visa and Entry Requirements

Getting into Nicaragua is the first step to having an amazing time there, and as such, it is the first topic of our Nicaragua Travel Guide! Travelers planning to enter Nicaragua will fall into one of the four categories below:

No visa required

The European Union, Australia, Canada, USA, and New Zealand citizens, as well as a huge list of other citizens, can enter Nicaragua with a valid passport for 90 days without a visa.

The entry fee for these countries not requiring a visa is $10 USD, paid at the border upon entry. You will need proof of onward travel and at least 6 months left until your passport expires.

If you wish to extend your stay you can do so by applying at any Nicaraguan immigration office or you could simply leave the country for 3 days and then re-enter within another 90 days. However, you cannot do a visa run to Honduras or El Salvador as they are part of the CA-4 agreement, and instead, you must head to Costa Rica if you plan to do your visa run by land.

A full list of countries that require/doesn’t require a visa can be found on this website.

Visa on arrival

Citizens of certain countries do not need to get a visa before coming to Nicaragua and instead are given one on arrival. This includes countries such as Colombia, Peru, most of Asia, and Africa.

The visa on arrival will cost $50 USD and can last for up to 90 days.

Visa Required

There is, however, a list of counties that do require a holiday visa in advance and these include China, India, and many more African and middle eastern nations. This visa can take between 4 to 6 weeks to process and is typically only granted for 30 days.

For countries that do need a visa, you will, in fact, get a visa to Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua when you apply. This is because of the agreement between the 4 countries (C-4 Agreement.)

Nicaragua does impose fines on tourists who overstay their visas, however, they are minimal. The fine is $8 USD and another $2 USD per day you overstay.

CA-4 agreement

The CA-4 agreement is an agreement between Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador that allows free movement between the countries.

With this agreement, the 90 days you get in any one of these countries applies to all of them. Meaning that if you spend 30 days in Nicaragua then you only have 60 days left in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala.

Please note, that you will still need to pay entrance and exit fees to other CA-4 countries. In some countries like Guatemala, you can renew the 90 days in the country, however El Salvador and Nicaragua require you to leave the region altogether for a minimum of 3 days.

Currency and ATMs in Nicaragua

Currency

The currency in Nicaragua is called the Cordoba. This currency is used throughout Nicaragua and for most locals, is the preferred currency.

With that said, USD is also widely excepted and many international businesses, like hostels and tour companies, prefer it. This is largely due to the volatility of the Cordoba and Nicaragua’s lack of financial stability.

At the time of writing this, 1 USD is worth 27 Cordoba (updated as of February 2023).

Banks

Banks are widespread in Nicaragua. Banks can be used to transfer money or change the currency in a safe and secure location.

Western Union is also available in Nicaragua, but their fees are high and should only be used in an emergency. Western Union is also more likely to change over damaged USD bills but at a poor exchange rate.

ATMs

Throughout Nicaragua, you can find many ATMs without a hassle. The only exception to this is on the east coast where it is recommended to carry some emergency cash.

Eftpos (debit/credit card) is not widely excepted in Nicaragua and are only available at larger establishments. Most of these placescharge a 5% surcharge (at least) to use credit or debit cards.

The best way to pay for things in Nicaragua is with cash. I recommend withdrawing Cordobas from ATMs as you need them and always keeping a small stash of USD for emergencies (broken ATMs, card malfunction or loss, etc.)

During my stay in Nicaragua, I did not find an ATM that would allow me to withdraw money for free with my Australian card. That said, I met travelers from the USA who were able to, so it’s worth looking around or asking other travelers for advice.

Related Read: Should Granada be your first stop once landing in Nicaragua? Read our blog on the best things to do in Granada and I won’t be surprised if it makes its way onto your itinerary.

Weather in Nicaragua

Nicaragua, like all Central American countries, has two distinct seasons, the wet and the dry season.

The wet season is during the northern hemisphere’s summerbut tends to last a lot longer and is typically from June to October. During these months, Nicaragua is subject to torrential downpours, but this is mostly in the later months of August, September, and October.

Heavy rainfall in Nicaragua can last for several days. October is by far the wettest month on Nicaragua’s west coast and August on the east coast. With this weather comes large swells from ocean currents – so this time is also a great time to surf!

The dry season is pretty much the rest of the year (November to May).During these months Nicaragua can receive little to no rain. During the later months of the dry season is when temperatures peak in Nicaragua and strangely enough, the start of the dry season (December, January, and February) are the coolest months.

Weather warnings

Nicaragua is subject to hurricanes.June to November is the official hurricane season, although they are most common from August to October.

During my stay, there were several warnings and just after my visit, large rains caused by these hurricanes produced flooding that damaged many popular tourist towns including San Juan del Sur. This is definitely something to think about when booking your trip.

The best time to visit Nicaragua

To most tourists, the best time for you to visit would be from December to April when the rains and humidity are low. During these months you can relax on the beaches and explore the countryside without the worry of hurricanes or torrential downpours.

If you like surfing then visiting during the wetter months is more likely to impress you as large swells that come from the south hit Nicaragua’s west coast!

Safety in Nicaragua

Nicaragua would have to be one of Central America’s safest countries. Thousands of tourists visit their shores every day and most leave without any hassles. With that said, Nicaragua is not immune to petty theft, pickpocketing, and other scams.

Some of the most common scams I found during my visit were with taxis. At most destinations, taxi drivers would straight out lie about bus times and their availability just to get a fare. This seems obvious, but I found this very prominent in Nicaragua as opposed to other countries in Latin America.

If you need information about specific destinations and travel routes check out our other posts on Nicaragua so you don’t get scammed!

Like all Latin American countries, general safety precautions should be taken in Nicaragua as well. Check out our blog on safety tips for more information!

What Things Cost in Nicaragua

Nicaragua is Central America’s poorest country and therefore is extremely cheap. You could argue all day about whether it is the cheapest or not, but one thing is for sure, Nicaragua won’t break your budget!

The prices mentioned in this Nicaragua travel guide are averages from my time there.

Accommodation

A dorm bed at a hostel ranges from $7-$11 USD depending on the city you’re in. Typically speaking, accommodation in San Juan del Sur will be more expensive than say, Granada.

For a private room, you would expect to pay $20-$30 USD for a shared bathroom and $35 USD for a private bathroom. These prices are more inflated in San Juan del Sur where a private room will cost $50 USD and above.

Every place I stayed at included free wifi and many did offer a free continental breakfast. In most hostels, basic kitchens were available to use.

Food

Common street food like hamburgers, quesadillas, and hotdogs typically only cost around $1.5-$2 USD. At a local restaurant, youcan get a meal for $3-$4 USD and this would include rice, beans, salad, and meat.

At a nicer restaurant in a tourist area, you would expect to pay $8+ USD for a nice local dish or pizza. Beers are really cheap and will only set you back around $1.50 USD for 1 liter at a local store.

Local markets are extremely cheap and buying fresh, local produce is a great way to save money (and eat a little healthier!)

Transport

Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America but with a well-defined backpacker trail, it’s rather easy and cheap to travel around.

The local transport is known as chicken buses. This is the cheapest way to go. These chicken buses are essentially just old-school buses that run from town to town. They tend not to travel large distances, so it is often required to take more than one bus to reach your destination.

If you can stand the overcrowded, hot, chicken buses then you will save a ton of money. I found that a bus from one town to the next would only set me back $1 USD – and that was a tourist price! To get from Granada to Leon it only costs $3 USD the whole way.

Another popular form of transport is shuttles. Though I never used these shuttles except to cross into El Salvador, they seemed very affordable and a lot more comfortable. Typically these shuttles cost around $10 USD. For reference, the shuttle from Granada to Leon was $14 USD compared to the $3 USD for the chicken bus.

Tours

Tours in Nicaragua are fairly priced in my opinion. I did not go on many tours, but I did do the most common one, the volcano boarding in Leon. This tour is a half-day tour and it costs around $50 USD. It was super epic flying down a volcano and seeing the volcanic rock flying up in the air. Definitely an experience you can’t put a price on!

Surf lessons started from $10 USD an hour for group lessons and $15 USD for private ones.

Daily Budgets for Traveling Nicaragua

It is important to note that this is an average of all places in Nicaragua as some areas are more expensive than others. These budgets are for one person per day.

Low

$15-25 USD per day – This budget is quite tight, and in towns like San Juan del Sur, doesn’t leave much left over for food. This budget would require you to stay in the most budget of dorm rooms, cook your own food or eat cheap street food, catch only chicken buses, and skip all tours.

Medium

$23-$40 USD per day – This was my budget and a rather nice one for those who don’t mind the backpacker lifestyle. On this budget, I was able to occasionally stay in a private room (with Bailey), eat out at local restaurants, party here and there, and go on some tours. However, I did have to use chicken buses and on many occasions, I cooked my own food.

High

$45-$70 USD per day – On this budget, you could essentially eat out at nice restaurants most nights, take shuttles from city to city, stay in private rooms (with two people), and party. You could spend a lot more than this if you party every night and are staying in private rooms as a solo traveler.

Places to Visit in Nicaragua & Things to do

San Juan del Sur

San Juan del Sur is Nicaragua’s most visited town. This coastal gem is located on the southwest coast and is famous for amazing surf, beautiful beaches, and a cracking nightlife!

San Juan del Sur is an extremely popular place to learn to surf and with many different surf schools in town, it’s not hard finding a place right for you! You simply cannot miss San Juan del Sur on your trip to Nicaragua!

Things to do in San Juan del Sur

Learn to Surf – Surfing in San Juan del Sur is one of the best activities and one of the main reasons this small town has become so popular. There are lots of different surf beaches all around the coast providing waves for advanced surfers and beginners. If you have surfing experience you can rent a board from pretty much anywhere in San Juan or if you’re a beginner you can take surfing lessons. This individual lesson costs $40 USD and lasts 2 hours and will give you background knowledge and skills so you can practice on your own afterward.

Sunday Funday Party – The Sunday Funday party is known as Nicaragua’s craziest party. On every Sunday, the party takes you to 5 bars over the day and night and thousands of travelers come for the event.

Join a yoga retreat – Surfing, partying, and yoga, those three activities seem to always be a hit at beach towns – and San Juan is no different! There are lots of yoga retreats as well as studios in San Juan del Sur and it’s the perfect place to learn!

For more, check out our things to do in San Juan del Sur blog!

Ometepe

Ometepe would have to be my favorite place in Nicaragua. This small island is made entirely of two giant volcanoes and is just waiting to be explored! With small towns and villages scattered around the island, the options of where to stay in Ometepe are practically endless.

Whether you want to go waterfall hunting, hike a volcano, sip great coffee, relax at the natural pools, or just enjoy the amazing sunsets over the volcanos, you can do it all on Ometepe!

Things to do on Ometepe

Climb Conception Volcano – The hike to the summit of Conception Volcano is one of the hardest hikes I have done. We took a guided tour for $49 USD that included round-trip transport and the 8-hour trek took everything I had but the views at the top make it a must-do! The guide on our tour was super helpful in keeping our motivation up!

Visit San Ramon Waterfall – San Ramon Waterfall is a 45-meter-high (148 ft) waterfall surrounded by stunning greenery. The pool at the bottom makes it the perfect place to cool off in the hot Nicaraguan jungle. San Ramon is the most beautiful waterfall in Nicaragua! You can visit on your own or with the help of a guide on a tour like this one. It includes transport to and from town and lunch for $122 USD.

Cool off at Ojo de Agua – Ojo de Agua is a natural spring said to have healing properties. The pool is surrounded by jungle and taking a dip on your visit to Ometepe is a must!

For more ideas, check out our best things to do on Ometepe blog article!

Corn Islands

The Corn Islands are two islands located in the Caribbean off Nicaragua’s east coast. The two islands, named Little Corn and Big Corn, are famous for beautiful white sand beaches and crystal clear water.

Unfortunately, during my visit to Nicaragua, a hurricane was making its way through the Caribbean and therefore, I had to cancel my plans to visit the Corn Islands. So please, if you went there, let me know how it was and if you have any amazing snaps I can use for this blog, comment below!

Go scuba diving – With crystal clear water, colorful corals, and calm bays, the Corn Islands are the perfect place to go scuba diving. Even if you don’t have your scuba diving license, the Corn Islands are the perfect place to learn with PADI-certified dive shops around the islands.

Relax at the beach – The beaches are the highlight of the Corn Islands – the sand is pearly white! Spending most of your days relaxing at the beach is a great way to enjoy the Corn Islands.

Get a massage – What better way to escape the sun than to retreat to a massage parlor. Across both islands, you’ll find plenty of masseuses who can sort those sore muscles out for a great price.

Leon

Leon is one of Nicaragua’s larger cities. Visited mainly by tourists for the volcano boarding (which simply can’t be missed), this city can be a little underwhelming. However, exploring the city can still be a great time with many cool local bars, a beautiful white cathedral, and of course, the volcano boarding! Leon is definitely worth a mention in my Nicaragua travel guide.

Things to do in Leon

Go volcano boarding – Volcano boarding in Leon is one thing you simply can’t miss in Nicaragua! This awesome activity has you sliding down the side of an active volcano. The best thing is that you can go as fast, or as slow as you want, so this activity is definitely for everyone. We booked this half-day tour for just $48 USD and the safety instructions given beforehand made the experience a lot less worrisome!

Visit the Cathedral Basilica – The Cathedral Basilica is one of the largest cathedrals in Latin America. The inside is stunning but the true attraction is the roof. For a small entrance fee, you can wander the roof and enjoy the amazing views as well as the architecture!

Join the city’s free walking tour – With any big city the best way to get to know it is on a free walking tour. In Leon, these will not only show you where things are but also give you some background info on the city’s history. The best part is that it’ll only cost you a tip for the guide! If you want a more personalized experience I recommend this private walking tour instead for $41 USD, it has such great reviews!

For more ideas, check out our blog about the best things to do in Leon, Nicaragua!

Granada

Granada is a beautiful colonial town that is filled with busy markets selling everything from clothes to fresh local fruit and vegetables every day and night!

The town square is beautiful and is surrounded by well-looked-after colonial architecture that has to be seen to be appreciated.

Things to do in Granada

Visit the Masaya Volcano – The most popular thing to do in Granada is visit the Masaya Volcano. The Masaya Volcano is an active volcano that glows red at night as hot lava swirls around its mouth. When you go there, you can actually see the lava in the crater with your own eyes – it’s so cool! The Masaya Volcano is located a short 40-minute drive from Granada. While you can take a taxi there, I definitely wouldn’t miss out on this exact tour! It’s great because you don’t have to worry about trying to find the right spot or waiting around for a taxi at night. On top of that, it only costs $70 USD per person.

Take a day trip to Apoyo Lagoon – Apoyo Lagoon is a crater lake which formed inside a dormant volcano. On a day trip from Granada, you can explore the lake and enjoy a fun day out at the beach. There are also some great hostels (such as this one) on the water serving food, booze, and fun! You can drive yourself or book a tour with transport. This particular tour combines a boat trip on the lagoon with a city tour of the most prevalent attractions in town and at night takes you to see the gushing Masaya Volcano for $120 USD.

Climb the cathedral – The main cathedral in Granada, Mary Cathedral Church, is simply beautiful. However, the best views are from inside the Cathedral, so head on inside and climb the bell tower for an epic view through the round window (pictured above!)

For more ideas, check out our blog about the best things to do in Granada!

Thanks for reading!

To me, Nicaragua was defiantly a highlight during my trip through Latin America. The amazing people, sights, and adventure activities had me loving every day. Nicaragua is truly a special place!

Tanks so much for reading our complete guide to Nicaragua. I really hope this travel blog has helped you plan your upcoming trip there. If you found this blog helpful then be sure to check out our other Nicaragua blogs or these related articles below!

Nicaragua to El Salvador border crossing

Best places to visit in Nicaragua

Amazing places to visit in Costa Rica