According to localcollegeexplorer, Nicaragua is a country in North America bordering Honduras and Costa Rica. Nicaragua has been independent from the United States of Central America since 1838. The capital of Nicaragua is Managua. A number of major cities in Nicaragua are: Corinto, Granada, San Carlos and Masaya. Nicaragua also owns a few islands. These lie off the coast and fall under the so-called Corn Islands.
Nicaragua is a country known for its nature, colonial cities with colorful buildings and folklore. In terms of nature, the country has a lot to offer. In addition to a multitude of volcanoes, the country also has a large freshwater lake, mangrove forests, tropical rainforest, plantations (banana/coffee/pineapple) and rock formations. The east coast consists of white sandy beaches with clear blue water. The west coast is less impressive but is also characterized by a wide coastline. The water on the coast is ideal for diving to various coral reefs and various fish species. The Corn Islands are also part of the country off the coast of Nicaragua. These islands are known as a tropical destination with everything that goes with it: deserted white beaches, clear blue water and palm trees. See 3rjewelry for other cities and countries as well as geography in Central America.
Where is Nicaragua located?
Travel information of Nicaragua
Official name: Republic of Nicaragua
Continent: North America
Area: 130,000 km²
Capital: Managua
Country code: NI, NIC
Population: 6,203,441 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 2,107 m (Mogotón)
Distance (Amsterdam – Managua): 9,028 km
Flight time: approximately 11 hours and 45 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: All non-essential travel to certain areas in Nicaragua is discouraged.
Current color code: Yellow and orange.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in Nicaragua that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Nicaragua, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Nicaragua. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Nicaragua?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, guided tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Nicaragua at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Nicaragua has a tropical climate. Temperatures are around 25 to 30 degrees all year round. In the higher areas (above 1600 meters) the temperatures are around 20 to 25 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Nicaragua can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Nicaragua can be found at Climate info.
Best time
January, February, March, November and December are the best months to travel to Nicaragua. This avoids the rainy season and the months with mostly muggy weather.
Language
Spanish is the official language in Nicaragua. In addition, English is also spoken in the larger cities.
Would you like to translate from or into Spanish for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon arrival in Nicaragua.
A visa is not necessary if you stay in Nicaragua for less than 90 days.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Costa Rica (also for Nicaragua):
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulate in Nicaragua: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Nicaragua in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
Consulate of Nicaragua in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
It is advisable to get one or more vaccinations before visiting Nicaragua.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria
Malaria occurs in Nicaragua. Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In Nicaragua people pay with the Nicaraguan córdoba oro (NIO).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Nicaragua can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Nicaragua are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -30% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (61% cheaper), food (13% cheaper), imported beer in catering (47% cheaper), cigarettes (73% cheaper) and public transport (87% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Nicaragua it is customary to tip. If no service costs have been calculated yet, a tip of approximately 10% is given.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 8 hours earlier in Nicaragua.
During our winter time it is 7 hours earlier in Nicaragua.
Nicaragua has no difference between winter time and summer time.
Find the local time, date and time zone for Nicaragua on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Nicaragua you have to drive on the right.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Nicaragua.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Nicaragua.
Electricity
In Nicaragua you need a travel plug. In addition, in some cases you need an inverter.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Nicaragua can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 118
– Fire: 118
– Ambulance: 118
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Nicaragua can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Nicaragua can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Nicaragua end in.ni.
Official websites of Nicaragua: intur.gob.ni and visitnicaragua.us.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Nicaragua is 00505 or +505.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Nicaragua? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Company details can be found in Nicaragua’s Yellow Pages.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Nicaragua.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Nicaragua.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Nicaragua can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Nicaragua, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Nicaragua?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Nicaragua. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and World Heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Nicaragua can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Nicaragua can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Nicaragua? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you intend to do business in or do business with Nicaragua, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Nicaragua, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Nicaragua.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 19.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.8.
– Tobacco: Buy from the age of 18, smoking at all ages.
– Smoking ban: Unknown
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…almost 50% of the population is under 19 years old?
…In 1972 almost 90% of the capital was destroyed in an earthquake?
… Nicaragua is known for its good rum?
…Baseball is Nicaragua’s national sport?
… Nicaragua has no street names?
…Do freshwater sharks live in Nicaragua?
Our verdict on Nicaragua as a travel destination
Nicaragua is unknown but certainly not unloved. In recent years, Nicaragua has been referred to as the new Costa Rica. Compared to Costa Rica, tourism in Nicaragua is still quite small-scale, while it has the same advantages as Costa Rica to offer. In Nicaragua you will find colorful colonial cities, white bounty beaches, a multitude of volcanoes and beautiful rainforests. You can completely relax in Nicaragua or be active. The country is therefore ideally suited for swimmers, hikers and surfers. Tours through Nicaragua are often combined with Costa Rica and/or Panama.
