First time Visitor

[brothbart]

I will be traveling to Nicaragua next year for the first time. We will have about 10 days to travel the country.

1. When should we go? January, February, or March? 

2. Where should we go? I was thinking Leon, Grenada, Ometepe Island, Corn Islands.  Is this doable?  I would love to go to a rainforest/jungle.  Any other suggestions?  How should we do this?  I was thinking going from Managua to Leon, leon to Grenada - Ometepe Island - Grenada back to Managua and taking a flight to the Corn Islands from Managua.  Is this the best way?  Could we go from Grenada to the Corn Islands without backtracking?  What will save us the most time?

3. Regarding the Corn Islands - do they have nice beaches or it mainly a place to go fishing and snorkeling? I heard the beaches get a lot of garbage.

4.  When is baseball season and where could I watch a game?

Any other suggestions would be great!  Thanks for your help!

Brian

[Joshua Berman]

Brother Bart -- thanks for writing. Jan and Feb probably nicer than March which can be hot, dry, and dusty. Where? To see Leon, Grenada, Ometepe Island, Corn Islands, as you wrote, you'll need minimum of 2 weeks. How much time do you have?

Corn Islands beaches -- some days nicer than others. You go the Corn Islands more for remoteness and culture than for vast, beautiful beaches. There are a few okay beaches, but it's not the reason you come.

There is baseball played all year round, they keep shifting the pro-season, but you should be able to catch a game during the times you mentioned.

[brothbart]

Joshua,

Thanks for the quick reply, I just picked up the guidebook.  I will probably have about 10 days (this includes traveling arriving and departing, I was thinking of flying in on a Friday and leaving on the following Sunday).  I really want to go to the Corn Islands, so what else would good to include in my itinerary? Grenada over Leon?  Leon over Grenada?  Something else?  Thanks! 

[Randall Wood]

Depends kind of what you're in the mood for.  Granada is way more popular than Leon but some travelers minimize their exposure to Granada for that reason - too popular!  They both serve as base stations for adventure travel; but Leon's attractions tend to be a bit more off the beaten path, like the gateway to Estero Padre Ramos and simillar;  Granada's better suited for day trips.

If you've got 10 days and you are sure you want to hit the islands, why not concentrate your time on the Atlantic coast?  Check out the islands and Pearl Lagoon for example - that could easily take 3-4 days.  Fly back to Managua and do 2-3 days in Granada so you can see Mombacho and Apoyo.  That gives you a couple free days to decide what else interests you.  San Juan del Sur is a good option but if you have had enough beach, you could arrange a camping trip in Chocoyero, for example, or if you really want something different use those last days to get up into the mountains.  Esteli or Matagalpa are both an easy bus ride away.

So in sum, kind of depends on what interests you.

[brothbart]

Okay, so this is what I am thinking

Day 1 Arrive Managua at 11:58 - Fly and take boat to Little Corn Island
Day 2 LCI
Day 3 LCI
Day 4 LCI to BCI
Day 5 BCI to Managua take Bus to Rivas, Taxi to San Jorge and Ferry to Isla de Ometepe
Day 6 Isla de Ometepe
Day 7 Isla de Ometepe to Grenada
Day 8 Grenada - Tour The Mombacho Natural Reserve; Lake Nicaragua and the Islands
Day 9 Grenada - Tour of Volcan Masaya and Masaya markets Forest of Laguna de Apoyo
Day 10 Grenada to Managua to catch flight at 3:40

Any comments?

[Randall Wood]

You'll have to be careful with the flights: if you get an evening flight out of Corn Island you'll wind up in Managua for an evening; likewise if you get to Managua in the morning you won't be on Ometepe until mid-late afternoon, which means you haven't built enough time in for Ometepe. 

You seem to be planning as though all the connections are going to line up American style, which they may not.  I'd recommend leaving a little more time in the Corn-Managua-Rivas-Ometepe leg of your trip, as things happen in Nicaragua at a rather slower pace.  Otherwise, your trip makes sense to me.  Let us know how it all works out!