FreakAuth_light®

Managua's International Airport, also known as Augusto
Sandino Airport (tel. 233-1539), is a newly remodeled, modern
and safe (Class I) airport, 8 miles outside of Managua. The
airport in Managua is the main entryway into the country, acting
as the hub for most international ­ and domestic ­ flights.
Granada also has a small "international" airport, servicing flights
from Costa Rica on Nature Air three times a week (Sunday,
Wednesday and Friday).
Plans are also in the works to make the airstrip in Bluefields an
international airport in the coming future, although probably not
for another couple of years.
Several major international airlines offer service to Nicaragua,
with most tourists arriving on the Continental flight from
Houston or the American Airlines flight from Miami. Both are
afternoon flight, arriving at dusk. (Tourists arriving on these


flights and heading to Granada should avoid traveling on the old
Tipitapa Highway after dark. (See Section of Personal Safety)
Most airlines offer excursion rates and three-or-four week
packages. Fares are subject to availability, change and restrictions
including advanced purchase requirements, minimum stops or
cancellation penalties. Remember, the main tourist season in
Nicaragua runs from about Thanksgiving to Easter. This period
approximately coincides with local vacations so sometimes it is
hard to find available space at this time of year.
If you are planning to travel to or from Nicaragua during
December you may have to buy a ticket months in advance
because of the Christmas holidays. However, if you get into a
jam you can sometimes find space on a flight via Costa Rica or
Panama.
If you plan to travel or explore South America from Nicaragua
you can usually save money by flying to Miami first and then
buying a round-trip ticket to your final destination. This does
not apply for non-U.S. citizens who need a special travel visa to
pass through the United States.
Tico Travel (800-493-8426) specializes in trips to Nicaragua.
We highly recommend this agency for booking your trip to
Nicaragua or anywhere in Central America.
International Airlines Servicing Nicaragua
American Airlines ................233-1769 (airport), 266-2818
(reservations)
Continental ..........................263-1030 (airport), 278-7033
(reservations)
COPA...................................233-1404 (airport), 267-0045
(reservations)


A Travel Business is Born
By Robert Hodel
So there I was, preparing for the
any new developments that would be of
culmination of three years of law when I
interest to our clients. My brother
realized that sinking feeling just was not
moved to Florida and opened our office.
going to go away.
Within a short amount of time we
That feeling I was referring to was the
became the agency of choice for people
fact that I did not want to spend the rest
that travel frequently to Costa Rica and
of my life, nor even one minute for that
also for the first time visitor.
matter, as a lawyer.
We also found no matter how much we
As soon as I accepted that fact I was in
advertised, that over 80% of our clients
a quandry. What was I to do?
were either clients' referals or repeat
customers, as a testimony to how
It was then I remembered from
important one's reputation is in this part
somewhere that the key to any
of the world.
successful business venture one may
choose is to: 1) do what you like and 2)
I have been told many times that one
do what you know or do well.
could make many times more money
with the same effort if we were in the
With that in mind I pondered my future
United States.
both day and night. Finally, I realized
the thing I liked most to do was travel
That may be so but I have been told
and the place I knew best, other than my
something else by a longtime resident
home town, was Costa Rica.
here,"We are not here for the money, we
are here for the lifestyle."
I knew where was the best place to go
and when. I also knew how to get the
Now we are branching out to
best prices on airfare, rental cars and
Nicaragua. We have just purchased a
hotels. So after a long phone call with
couple of homes in Granada which we
my brother, who was even more
have begun to renovate and will turn
knowledgeable than myself, I had a
into small hotels in anticipation of
plan.
Nicaragua's boom in tourism.
We would start a travel company
See Tico Travel on the Internet at
dedicated primarily to Costa Rica and
http://www.ticotravel.com.They now
we would call it Tico Travel. I would
offer tours to Nicaragua.
move back to Costa Rica and introduce
myself to the hotels, car rental
companies and tour operators that we
wanted to work with plus stay on top of


AVIATECA ..........................266-0872
TACA...................................266-3136 (reservations)
Lacsa (part of Grupo Taca) ...266-3136
Aerocaribbean ......................(flights to Cuba), 277-4850
Nature Air ...........................(Granada-Costa Rica,
http://www.natureair.com), Toll
Free USA/Canada: 800 235-
9272
Japan Airlines .......................266-3588
Domestic Airlines
LA COSTEÑA (http://www.flylacostena.com) with service to:
Bluefields, Bonanza, Corn Island, Managua, Puerto Cabezas,
Rosita, San Carlos, Siuna 263-2142(Managua central)
ATLANTIC AIRLINES (http://www.atlanticairlines.com.ni)
with service to Bluefields, Puerto Cabezas, Corn Island,
Matagalpa, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Belize, El
Salvador and Grand Caiman Island 270-5355 (Managua
central)