Traveling Nicaragua Central America 2024

The name Nicaragua may not be very familiar to most Indonesians, which is understandable since it’s not a well-known tourist destination. Currently, I’m traveling in Nicaragua because I’m continuing my studies in neighboring Costa Rica. Follow my Central American adventure in this post.

 

It all started on a KLM flight from Amsterdam to San José (the capital of Costa Rica), when I spontaneously purchased unlimited WiFi for 16 euros to search for New Year’s Eve 2023 destinations. My husband and I purposely booked our tickets for December 30th so we could ring in the New Year on a new continent. After some googling in the air, we decided to celebrate the New Year in Costa Rica and then head to Nicaragua (its neighboring country) after the countdown.

 

I don’t have a Costa Rican visa, but with a US B1/B2 visitor visa, Indonesian passport holders can visit several Central American countries without needing a visitor visa, such as Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, and Honduras. Nicaragua is the only Central American country where Indonesians can enter without a visa, simply by paying a tourist entry fee.

 

At the border, you may be asked how long you plan to stay in Nicaragua and whether you have an onward ticket. If you’re unsure when you’ll leave or which country you’ll go to next, they might inquire further.

 

My husband and I chose to travel to Nicaragua by night bus, as it’s cheaper than flying. The journey to Managua (the capital of Nicaragua) takes around 12 hours. If traveling by car, the trip would be shorter, but border checks prolong the bus journey from San José to Nicaragua.

 

We booked tickets on Ticabus (another option is Nicabus). The price is roughly the same, around $32 one-way. The bus departs at 2 AM (yes, very early in the morning!) from San José. Because of the odd departure time, I took a nap at home beforehand since I knew I wouldn’t easily sleep on the bus. Another option is a 7 AM bus that arrives at 7 PM, but I didn’t want to waste productive hours on the road.

 

At 12:15 AM, my campus friend (who I managed to convince to join the trip) picked me up in front of my house. We arrived at the Ticabus terminal at 12:30 AM and waited in the passenger lounge for the boarding process. Half an hour before departure, we were allowed to board by showing our passports and tickets. The staff also reminded us about the $8 exit fee from Costa Rica, which can be paid online or in cash at the border. It was my first time experiencing a country charging an exit fee.

 

I was prepared with a jacket and socks, as I had read reviews warning that the bus AC would be very cold, and indeed it was! I also brought a sleep mask to at least try to catch some sleep.

 

The bus stopped only once at 4:30 AM at a 24-hour restaurant in northern Costa Rica. I tried rice and red beans with shredded chicken soup, a typical Latin dish, but found it rather bland (unlike Indonesian food, which is rich in spices).

 

The journey across the border passed through areas with lush forests and lots of greenery. We reached the Peñas Blancas border at around 8:30 AM. Exiting Costa Rica was quick, but entering Nicaragua took longer due to baggage checks, random screenings, queues, COVID checks, and passport interviews. The entire process took about 2.5 hours. The fees we paid totaled $14:

 

• $10 for tourist entry
•  $3 for immigration
•  $1 for the municipal tax

 

It’s a good idea to bring cash for these payments. On the bus, there were also women offering currency exchange services cambio to swap US dollars or Costa Rican colones for Nicaraguan córdobas. We decided to exchange a small amount, just in case we needed it at the border.

 

Once in Nicaragua, I honestly felt like I was in rural Indonesia. The scenery was filled with tropical plants, shaded roads, simple wooden and brick houses, and unfortunately, some litter by the roadside.

 

The main city we visited was Granada, which is full of beautiful colonial Spanish-style buildings and sits right on the shore of Lake Nicaragua. This small city was founded in the 16th century and is home to many historic, colorful buildings. The Central American atmosphere was palpable, and at night, the bars played Caribbean and Latin American music.

 

We arrived in Granada at noon. Being further south, it’s closer than Managua. We walked about 10 minutes from the bus stop to our accommodation, Selina Granada, a chain of hotel/coworking spaces across Latin America. The vacation vibe hit us immediately, with colorful houses, oversized doors, and hipster cafes and restaurants.

 

Stay tuned for more about our 5-day adventure in Nicaragua in my next blog! For now, I can say that traveling in Nicaragua isn’t very expensive, as the country’s economy isn’t as developed as its neighbors.