I cannot help but think of Nicaragua and all it has to offer to visitors. On my way to work, I was listening to Enrique Iglesias and Luis Fonsi and began to think about “Nica”. One of the highlights of last April’s trip was a visit to Granada, an old colonial town, founded in 1524. My family and I took a private coach from El Lago de Apoyo to Granada for a day’s visit to this spectacular place. A cheaper way to get to Granada is by going to Tipitapa from Granada and passing through Managua. From there, it is a 45 minute bus ride to Granada or alternatively, you can go to Uca Station and then catch a bus to Granada for only 3 cordobas which is $1.22 Canadian or less than a dollar American.

Once in this antiquated place full of history, we were off to explore the-world -famous church, Guadalupe Church in the centre of Granada. It was a dreamy cathedral with everything you could imagine ranging from frescos, to the virgins in beautiful statuesque form. There is much gold gild and processions to the altar for prayer and worship.

After visiting the church, we ended up at La Frontera Restaurant, a little out of the way eatery that boasts anything from hamburgers to authentic Nicaraguan food reasonably priced and extremely tasty. This restaurant has been positively reviewed on Trip Advisor year after year and has won the Certificate of Excellence from 2017-2019, so this place is a visit not to be missed!

My next blog will talk about West Maui, a place I would love to retire to…..

I had just returned from a trip to Vancouver Island for the Victoria Day long weekend and as I was boarding the ferry to return to Vancouver, the clouds were gloomy and spitting with rain. I found myself reflecting on my time in Nicaragua and the highlights of that trip. My first blog was about accommodation and how to find cheap flights to Managua and this post focuses on a unique, but popular tourist attraction that is a must see!

Masaya Volcano Park is home to a spectacular active volcano and craters, but do not worry, as the last eruption was back in 2008. This park is roughly 20 kilometers south of Managua and can be easily accessed by local transport. There are buses that leave from Granada to Masaya every 30 minutes and the cost of travel is only $1.00. You will be dropped off opposite the entrance to the park and you simply cross the street. Once there, negotiate a ride with a local driver who is always there for explorers. The ride up hill is roughly 635 meters, so you wouldn’t want to be a “superman” and brave the climb. The other alternative for transport is asking the concierge at your hotel to organize a group tour of the volcano including other guests. This way, the cost of transport is split with everyone and the driver takes you to the top of the summit.

If you want to get the best views, you MUST go at night. You will be astounded by the liquid hot magma bubbling out of the volcano. Against the backdrop of darkness, you experience the bright hues of orange and red that fill the sky like fiery rockets. There are many vantage points for taking photos, but please do not sit on the edge of the concrete barrier to get a better view of the volcano. This was what I witnessed with a young adult precariously perched on the edge sitting and enjoying the views. All it would have taken was a ” loosey goose” step and he would have been in an inferno!

Finally, there are Nica treats which locals sell by the bag at the entrance to the park for $1.00. These delightful treats will fill your tummy in anticipation of your upcoming adventure! The food will also help pacify the wait in line up hill which is to be expected when visiting the volcano at night, but it’s worth the wait, believe you me!

My next blog will be on the lovely old town of Grenada, so stay tuned……

Hi everybody,

Having never traveled to Central America before, I decided to take the plunge with family from Ontario to experience an awesome week in this unique Latin American country last April. First off, leaving from Vancouver, there are no direct flights from Canada to Nica, a local term used by those that know this country. Rest assured, if you book a flight 3 to 6 months in advance with West Jet or Air Canada via Mexico City, you can then get a short layover in Mexico and proceed to fly out to Managua Airport with Mexicana Airlines (personally, my favorite airline). My flight was $600 taxes included and the flight with the layover in Mexico to Nicaragua was 8 hours. This is less than the time traveling to western Europe!

Nicaragua is a second/third world country that struggles with poverty. Having said that, the hospitality and friendliness of the locals is beyond exceeded expectations. We flew into Managua Airport and taxied it to an area called El Lago de Apoyo, stopping off for breakfast items at a local food shop. Places to go for food that are reasonably priced include La Colonia and Mexi Pali. When there, a must buy are the pineapples, Nica coffee, and el ron especialidad. If you don’t know by now, Nicaragua is famous, not only, for Flor de Cana rum, but also for a variety of other flavored rums.

Now about accommodations- I encourage anyone staying here to book
Casa Castillo: Million Dollar View Of Lake Apoyo, which can be reserved through Jeff at Airbnb. This is a 3,000 square foot house overlooking Lake Nicaragua. The space boasts a beautiful kitchen, living and dining room as well as 3 bedrooms, two bathrooms and an infinity pool that overlooks the lake. During the day, you see turkey vultures, and iguanas. At night, you see the bats swooping over the infinity pool taking sips of water and hear the owls and howler monkeys calling. This exceptional place can be booked for $200 Canadian a night, which is a steal for those splitting the cost with family or friends per night.

As for weather, Nicaragua is hot!! If you like sun and humidity, you will love it here with average temperatures daily reaching 35 degrees celcius/95 degrees fahreinheit.

It is a sun worshipers paradise and 8 days for flight, accommodation, food and drinks can be easily done for $1,000 Canadian.

Next? Things to do and places to see in Nicaragua.

Let your dreams carry you away to tropical places.

 “Oh the places you’ll go.” -Dr. Seuss