Settled by the Spanish in the early 1500’s, much of Nicaragua was densely populated by indigenous peoples hundreds, probably thousands of years before their arrival. The Spanish quickly discovered the so called “womb” of Nicaragua: a large lake separated from the Pacific Ocean by only a narrow strip of land. Its umbilical cord: the Rio San Juan snakes its way from the lake all the way across the country to the Caribbean. This interesting quirk of geography meant that Nicaragua was nearly the site of the “Panama” Canal and several countries vied hotly for control of the region. For many years, the British also held interests on Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast, and this area was (many say it still is) the haunt of pirates.

Unfortunately, colonisation by the Spanish led to the subjugation of the local peoples, and much native culture has been lost. Poverty is still endemic in Nicaragua and life is hard for many of its residents. However, prosperity is returning, and today Nicaragua has a lot to offer the inquisitive traveller: beautiful colonial architecture, tropical Caribbean islands, bustling markets, lively music, surfing beaches, a remarkable political history, and if that’s not enough, a whole chain of live volcanoes for added interest. Travelling in Nicaragua can be intensely thought provoking. It has been said that Nicaragua’s volcanoes are similar to the country’s political situation; certainly both have tended to dominate the country’s landscape.

Nicaragua can be roughly divided into two distinct regions: east and west, and currently, no paved roads link the two. If you want to travel between coasts, you have to fly or take a boat. The west coast of Nicaragua, bordered by the Pacific Ocean is the most populated area, containing most of Nicaragua’s major cities: Managua, León and Granada. The people are mostly Spanish speaking mestizos (people of mixed indigenous and Spanish blood). All of the country’s surfing beaches are on this coast. The locals bop to Latino pop, or sizzle on the dance floor to sultry Salsa, and as you sit in a beachside bar sipping mojitos, watching the sun go down, you can sample the local staple: Gallo Pinto (rice and beans).

The Caribbean coast is very different. The tropical “Mosquito” coast is sparsely populated and locals speak English with the most fantastic Caribbean accent. The dress is pure Cuban, the music plays to reggae beat and life is quite laid back, especially on the islands. But despite enormous differences in appearance, language, culture and music, Nicaraguans are proud of their country. And they’re always willing to celebrate something, which is probably all due to the excellent local rum.

If you’ve only got a few days in Nicaragua, don’t spend them all in Managua. There are some great bars in Managua but there are also some very bad parts of town. A great alternate first destination is Granada.
There are several sights worth taking in on the road to Granada. The first is the still active Masaya Volcano. You can drive up close to the crater and after a short walk, you’re staring down into the volcano’s open maw. Interestingly, and somewhat disturbingly, a nearby sign warns you to park with the car facing down hill and to run if you smell choking gases.

Another good stop is the Masaya market. There are actually two markets in this area: the tourist market and the local market and both are worth a look. Buses go direct from Managua to the local market, where you can change to go to Granada, and when you finally roll into Granada, you won’t be disappointed there either.

Granada is the relaxed, old conservative capital and many of the beautiful, colonial buildings are being lovingly restored. There are some great spots to eat out and some funky little bars playing salsa music live. From Granada, it’s only a short bus ride to San Juan del Sur and Nicaragua’s collection of surfing beaches. The water’s clean and the waves are worthy of the serious surfer. What could be better than that?

Omotepe Island makes an excellent next stop. Formed by two volcanoes: one active, one dormant, Omotepe Island lies in Lake Nicaragua (home of the famous, fresh water sharks). Several eco-hotels have sprung up around the island, the mood is relaxed and you can actually climb both volcanoes. The active volcano is the more strenuous, but an interesting hike. Plan to spend a few days and do the hike early, your muscles might need some time to recover afterwards.

León has a very different feel to Granada. León buzzes with energy and is the home of Nicaragua’s more socialist ideals. Political slogans appear everywhere and near the main square is a memorial to those lost in the revolution. Despite this, the town does not feel at all menacing and it’s quite the cultural centre. León was also the birthplace of Rubén Darío, one of Latin America’s most famous poets.

Just out of town is Cerro Negro, another active volcano, the slopes on which the world mountain biking speed record was set. This volcano is easy to climb, easier to descend as you glissade on tiny balls of pumice and there is great bird watching on the road there too.

Having done the west coast, it’s time to pop back to Managua and take a plane flight to the Corn Islands in the Caribbean. The plane lands on Big Corn Island, but take the boat to Little Corn Island which is much nicer.
Be careful in this region: cocaine smuggling is active and theft can be a problem so you need to be sensible.
That aside, Little Corn really is like Paradise lost, it’s stunning. The island is covered with mango trees, banana trees and coconut palms, the beaches are spectacular, the diving is good, and the best thing? There’s hardly anyone else there.

When you’ve finished your intrepid travels in Nicaragua, there’s nothing left but to buy a bottle of the local rum and some salsa CDs to remember your trip by. When you’re back at home and it’s cold outside, make a round of stiff mojitos and pop on the local music. You’ll want to go back.