Nicaragua holidays
Nicaragua holidays at a glance
Our Nicaragua holidays take in a mix of volcanic landscapes, colonial history, beaches and wildlife that few countries in the region can match.
It’s the largest country in Central America and far less visited than neighbouring Costa Rica, with lower prices and a slower pace to match.
Fuming volcanoes line the Pacific lowlands, vast Lake Nicaragua dominates the south, and the Caribbean coast is fringed with coral reefs and palm-shaded beaches.
Granada and León are two of the finest colonial cities in the region, layered with history, art and politics, where pastel churches and cobbled streets sit alongside murals of the country’s revolutionary past.
Peaceful Ometepe rises from the lake on two volcanic peaks, and at Masaya you can drive to the crater rim and look straight down into the lava. Inland, the northern highlands around Matagalpa and Jinotega are coffee country, where you can stay on a working farm and follow the process from bean to cup.
Nicaraguan cooking is hearty and unfussy. Gallo pinto, rice and beans fried together, is the national dish, eaten at breakfast and often at lunch too.
Inland you’ll find grilled meats, nacatamales steamed in banana leaves and plenty of tropical fruit, while the Corn Islands bring fresh seafood, coconut bread and róndon, a coconut milk seafood stew. Flor de Caña rum is made here and widely drunk.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday to Nicaragua
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
Spend a full day in Granada, take the ferry to Ometepe and stay at least two nights, then head to León.
When to visit Nicaragua
Nicaragua can be visited year-round, and the best time to go depends on where you’re headed and what you want to do. For turtles nesting near San Juan del Sur, visit between July and January. The coffee harvest in the northern highlands runs from November to February, and the Corn Islands are warm year-round, with the driest months from March to May.
This is the dry season in Nicaragua with warm temperatures, blue skies and sunshine. Areas at higher altitude will however be cooler, particularly at night, and along the Caribbean coast there can be short tropical showers. This is the perfect time to visit but plan in advance for Christmas, New Year and Easter as many Nicaraguans head to the coast to holiday.
The end of May officially marks the start of the wet season but showers are usually short and confined to the afternoons and evenings and in fact this is when the lush countryside looks it’s best. From July onwards it becomes increasingly wet and humid and there is a higher risk of tropical storms.
Places to visit in Nicaragua
Nicaragua is compact enough to combine colonial cities, volcanoes, lake islands and beaches in a single trip. Most holidays start in Granada and work west and south from there. Here’s where we recommend spending your time.
Corn Islands
Beaches shaded by coconut palms, warm clear water and a mellow Afro-Caribbean culture make the Corn Islands Nicaragua’s classic barefoot paradise. There are no malls or glitzy resorts, just quiet beaches, family-run fish restaurants and some of the region’s best snorkelling and diving. They’re a wonderfully relaxed counterpoint to Nicaragua’s colonial cities, lakes and volcanoes.
Granada
One of Central America’s most beautiful colonial cities is on the shores of Lake Nicaragua. Granada is one of the oldest cities in Central America, and it’s still one of our favourite places to send travellers in Nicaragua – colourful streets, cobbled squares and Mombacho Volcano watching over it all.
Leon
León is Nicaragua’s intellectual and cultural capital – grand colonial architecture, revolutionary history and a thriving artistic community make it one of Central America’s most fascinating cities. It’s known for its red-tiled buildings, elegant plazas and the powerful role it’s played in Nicaragua’s political and cultural identity.
Top Things to do in Nicaragua
Two coastlines, a chain of volcanoes and a pair of colonial cities mean there’s plenty to fill a trip, from boarding down a volcano to learning to surf and paddling between lake islands. Here’s what we recommend.
Visit a rainforest reserve known for its extraordinary biodiversity.
Walk to San Ramón waterfall on the slopes of Maderas volcano, admiring the natural landscape and views out over Lake Nicaragua.
Follow the Puma Trail through cloud-forest clinging to the slopes of an active volcano.
Accommodation in Nicaragua
We hand-pick every property for character, location and quality. In Granada, we favour boutique hotels within the historic centre, and in León, small hotels close to the cathedral. On Ometepe, expect eco-lodges with views of the twin volcanoes, while the Corn Islands offer simple beachside guesthouses a few steps from the water. Around San Juan del Sur, characterful surf lodges look out over the Pacific.
Lively Nicaraguan/Canadian-owned hotel offering all you need for a Caribbean beach break.
Friendly and welcoming hotel in the heart of Granada. All profits go towards local schools and social causes.
Quietly elegant hotel within a restored historic mansion, with lovely ornamental gardens and an excellent location.
A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.
Holidays to Nicaragua
From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Escorted Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays to Nicaragua. Use the options below to filter by region, holiday style and duration.
Group Nicaragua Tours
Our group tours follow expertly designed, well-planned routes with an experienced local guide throughout. Prefer to keep it to your own party? Book the same trips privately for four or more.
Alción: Central America Discovery
Places visited: Panama City · Boquete and the Chiriquí Highlands · Caribbean coast · Monteverde and the cloud forest · Ometepe Island · Granada · Leon · Gulf of Fonseca and Eastern El Salvador · Suchitoto · Copan · Antigua and the highlands
22 days from £4,174
Cotinga: Off the beaten track Nicaragua
Places visited: Granada · Ometepe Island · Rio San Juan · Corn Islands · Leon
18 days from £3,737
Tropicbird: Highlights of Central America
Places visited: Granada · Leon · Suchitoto · Antigua and the highlands · Lake Atitlan and villages · Maya mountains and jungle
19 days from £4,804
Tailor-Made Nicaragua Tours
Prefer to travel on your own terms? We’ll build a trip around your dates, your pace and the things you most want to see – whether that’s a first run at Machu Picchu, a family adventure mixing history and wildlife, or a food-focused journey through Lima and the Sacred Valley. Our Travel Experts can help shape it with you.
Self-drive Nicaragua: Adventures by road
Places visited: Matagalpa and the north · Leon · Granada · Ometepe Island · Pacific coast
14 days from £2,350
Signature Nicaragua: Fire, water and revolution
Places visited: Rio San Juan · Granada · Ometepe Island · Pacific coast · Leon
13 days from £3,075
Signature: Best of Costa Rica and Nicaragua
Places visited: San Jose, central highlands and central valleys · Arenal and the north · Rio San Juan · Granada · Ometepe Island
12 days from £3,100
FAQs about visiting Nicaragua
Nicaragua is one of the most popular destinations, and there’s plenty to think about before you go. Here, our specialists share their best advice.
- When is the best time to visit Nicaragua?
Situated well within the tropics, Nicaragua has a typical tropical climate with high temperatures all year round at low altitudes. Temperatures are significantly modified by altitude – higher up it can be very cool at night. May-Nov is rainy season, but places on the eastern coast, the Caribbean side, tend to be rather wetter, and to have a longer rainy season, than those on the Pacific coast to the west. There’s a risk of tropical storms or hurricanes Jun-Nov.
- What is the official language of Nicaragua?
The official language of Nicaragua is Spanish.
- What is the official currency of Nicaragua?
The official currency of Nicaragua is the Córdoba. Notes can be obtained from exchange houses and also from banks which will supply advances on a debit or credit card. There are ATMs in large towns where you can use a UK credit or debit card. You may have to ask your bank to authorise withdrawals before you leave UK, and amounts may be limited. ATMs allow you to choose between dollar or córdoba notes but the latter come in large denominations – try to break them down when you can. There are few ATMs outside of the main cities: bring cash with you for rural areas.
- What is the time difference between the UK and Nicaragua?
The time difference between the UK and Nicaragua is GMT-6 hours.
- Do I need a visa for Nicaragua?
Holders of a full British passport do not require a visa, although passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the trip begins. Anyone with a different nationality should enquire with us or check with the relevant consulate.
If flying to the US, or via the US you will need to fill in your online ESTA application. - What vaccinations do I need for Nicaragua?
Please check Travel Health Pro for information on health recommendations and vaccinations for the destinations you are visiting. Please note that many Latin American countries require proof of vaccination against Yellow Fever if you have recently travelled to another country where Yellow Fever is present.
- What countries does Nicaragua combine well with?
A visit to neighbouring Central America countries, such as tiny, friendly El Salvador and wildlife-rich, slickly organised Costa Rica.
- What are the festivals, cultural and sporting events in Nicaragua?
Semana Santa, (Easter, throughout Nicaragua). Processions inspired by biblical stories. Popular traditions include “the donkey procession,” on Palm Sunday; a procession of pilgrim carts that come from all parts of Nicaragua and gather in Granada; San Lázaro’s pet dog blessing in Masaya; and San Juan del Sur’s beach party celebration.
Fiestas de Masaya, Masaya, end of Sep for 3 months. A celebration on Sundays of parades and tamarindo music. It includes the Fiesta del Toro and Fiesta de los Aguisotes in late Oct and ends with the Procesión de San Jerónimo on the first Sunday of Dec.
International Poetry Festival, Granada, second week of Feb annually. Over 150 poets from all parts of the world congregate at this week-long event to recite their best poetry.
Ready to start planning?
Tell us where you want to go, and we’ll take it from there. No obligation, no sales pitch – just a conversation with someone who knows the region inside out.
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