Nicaragua Part One

I have recently return from a second trip to Nicaragua. Let me reassure you that Nica is a very safe and comfortable place. Parts of Managua can be sketchy but once you get away from the big city expect situation normal.
Take the usual care when travelling and everything will be just fine.

We travelled and stayed in a very remote area south of San Juan del Sur. This included numerous trips up 4x4 only roads to small villages. We picked up hitchhikers ever time we drove somewhere. (its part of the transportation "system" Never ever, not even for a split second did we ever feel any concern. None!

here is the trip report from the first trip, I have not written up anything for the last trip. Feel free to PM with question.

Coco Beach, San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Feb 5 to Feb 20

Air Travel
Managua is not the easiest place to get to from Vancouver Island. Our outbound flights started at 3:30 pm YYJ-SEA, 5:45 SEA-LAS, 10:40 pm LAS-MIA and finally 10:45 am MIA to Managua. This is a tough itinerary as the 3 hour fast forward in time really makes the red-eye flight a punishment. As a treat I purchased a 30 day American Airlines Admirals Lounge pass for $100.00 that allowed all four of us lounge access in SEA, DFW, MIA. In Miami we found a quiet corner in the lounge to nap, have a few snacks and they even provide shower rooms to freshen up. The lounge pass was well worth the money for four people (member plus spouse and up to 2 children) Just in drinks and snacks alone over the course of the trip the $100 was recouped. Our arrival in Managua was on time. Immigration and customs was easy, just pay your $10 USD entry fee and in you go. We had packed four large bags of baseball gear and clothing to donate and had no hassle at all.
Our return was not so smooth. I received a call from AA the afternoon before our departure ($2.50 per minute on my cell) advising that our DFW-SEA flight was cancelled and rebooking was required. Thanks to a friend I was able to Skype with AA reservations for an hour and 24 mins to set up a new route. Without getting into all the details, it SUCKED - including switching carriers, airports and drastically changing flight times several times. I also couldn’t cancel my hotel in DFW on the return home layover. I was unable to get any straight answers from AA over the phone so I took the rebook and decided to have it out with AA in person once I reached MIA. Once in MIA I was able to reach an AA supervisor that actually listened and we got home MGA – MIA – DFW – YVR – YYJ. It took everything I had to get things done. I am a trained and experience negotiator, I have some idea of airline policy and I understand flight schedules. As a seasoned, battle hardened traveler I can sure see how many people get screwed by the big airlines. The fight continues over compensation as I type this. My opinion of American Airlines will be reserved until we resolve compensation for out of pocket expenses.

...update.............AA came through with reasonable compensation after the fact. It took a far bit of patience, research and digging. Our out of pocket expenses were covered and we received vouchers towards future travel. I am pleased with the outcome but disappointed that it was such a difficult process. Further, I remind everyone that the ONLY way to deal with airlines is with patience and knowledge. I navigated their system because I had solid knowledge and never got upset.

Car
Dollar Rental Car at the MGA Airport. Our reservation was perfect and the Grand Vitari 4X4 SUV was ready to roll. Paperwork was easy but you MUST look the vehicle over well and take pictures. The roads in Nicaragua are punishing on vehicles thus scratches, dents and missing parts are the norm. Our SUV had 22,000 km on it and ran well but it was a little beat up. Driving in Nica is not a lot different that Mexico in the way of road hazards (topes, potholes, cattle, farm tractors) but even in Managua the traffic was lighter and the drivers far less aggressive. As we traveled south out of town the driving conditions were almost relaxing. Signage can be sparse so pay attention to where you are. Also, I had heard a lot of stories about dishonest traffic cops and while it is a problem, we did not encounter it. I did get a traffic fine but it was totally legit, $12.00 for passing on a double solid line on the Pan-American Highway. I recommend that if you plan on staying anywhere off the main paved roads that you rent an SUV or pickup. While 4x4 is not required in the dry season (mandatory in the rainy season) it really makes the ride a lot more comfortable. Many of the roads are dirt and can be a rough ride. Overall, the driving experience was positive and hassle free. (tip, most gas stations sell the best icecream bars for a buck each)
The drive from MGA to SJDS is a full 2 ½ hours no matter how much you think you can Mario Andretti it. The traffic is slow. I giggled at the few aggressive drivers who flew by me then spent the next 5 miles stuck to the bumper of the truck ahead of me.
Out on the dirt roads it is common to pick up hitchhikers. The bus only goes by a couple times a day so rides are always appreciated. (and some folks just can’t afford to ride the bus) Don’t get freaked out if a mom and her kids are waving at you from the side of the road. They just want a ride. Be safe but be considerate. Road conditions could easily make you the next one needing a ride to town to fix a flat tire. If you believe in karma then you will understand.

Safety
The ugly truth of Nicaragua is that it is VERY VERY SAFE. Sorry to burst the bubble of all you ‘fraidy cats out there. I take great care of my wife and daughters when we travel. They need to BE safe and FEEL safe. Not once in two weeks did any one of us feel uncomfortable. We traveled through remote communities, made trips into small villages that didn’t even have connection to the power grid. The farther from ‘civilization’ we were the safer our surroundings. IMHO, the Nica people didn’t think we were anything special, just people like them. Our tourist status was not a target on our backs. I have always felt reasonably secure in Mexico but I have to admit that our experience in southern Nica was far safer, period.
The downside, particularly for those who are getting older, is that medical treatment outside of Managua is not the best. I managed to sustain a pretty nasty cut on my leg from a slip on some rocks. Stitches at the local ‘hospital’ in SJDS…(stomach turn)……not good. Lesson learned, pack you own first aid kit and take the 2 1/2 hour drive to Managua for care. I liken medical care outside of Managua to a MASH unit, keep them alive and ship them out to better facilities. I have seen my doctor here at home and I am perfectly fine but wounds need a great deal of care in the tropics.

Condo
We stayed about 30 mins south of San Juan del Sur (SJDS) in a very upscale condo complex of 20 units. Similar accommodations in Mexico (if you could actually get this close to the beach) would run $300 to $400 per night and we paid 1/3 of that. Our unit was 40 paces off the beach, the pool directly on the sand. Four bedrooms, AC, hot water, complete kitchen, quality furnishings, satellite t.v. and good linens. As power supply was often interrupted, the complex had a solid backup generator. Housekeeping, cooking, driving staff were available for hire at $10-15 per day. (a great wage in Nica) The howler monkeys in the trees outside our unit were a great source of entertainment. The pigs on the beach digging crabs were also a laugh. Two small corner stores provided a few supplies at prices almost too cheap to be true.

Location
Coco Beach is amazing. Perfect sunsets every day, nice breeze to stay cool, quiet, clean, easy surf………breathtaking. Being 30 mins from town was really okay with us. We also toured some of the other beaches and more often than not found ourselves alone. Season 21 and 22 of Survivor we shot here so were had “Survivor” afternoons on the beach. One beach we visited had a private road to it. I asked for passage offering $4.00 right up front. The owner told me the ‘toll’ was only $2.00. The smallest bill I had was $4.00. A fight almost ensued as I insisted no change was required but the local landowner absolutely insisted on finding the right change for me. I was really touched. I found this to be the norm in most of Nicaragua.

There are three restaurants at Coco Beach. Puesta del Sol (?) is on the beach and serves great meals from a great kitchen and really fantastic prices. Further south is Lug’s which has a more beach bar feel to it. Lug’s serves cold drinks and a reasonable meal is available from the kitchen. The owners are Canadian, eh, hence the laid back vibe of the place, eh. Verenara is a B+B type place and they are happy to burn up a take out pizza but you will have to order it in the mid afternoon so the cook can purchase the ingredients off the truck when it comes by. Delivery is available if one of the local kids happens to be going by on his bike, otherwise you will need to pick it up.

Food
Chicken, beans, rice, fruit and vegetables were the staples here. There wasn’t a lot of locally diverse fare available. If we would have been staying in SJDS then a few more restaurant meals may have changed our variety a bit. We were able to buy groceries at the local Mercado and at a supermarket type store. The produce truck also went by most days, or not, and at no particular time. They had some of this and some of that, or not, depending on the day. Prices were cheap in comparison to home.