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From a vigorous hike up Mombacho Volcano, to a lazy morning
fishing for Tarpon on the Río San Juan, there are plenty of
pastimes in Nicaragua to keep you healthy of mind and body.
Granada and Managua have numerous new gyms and workout
centers, although most of them are still relatively primitive; free-
weights as opposed to treadmills. Think Chuck Norris, not Billy
Blanks.
But Nicaragua's near-perfect year-round weather make this an
ideal country for outdoor activity, both aerobic and anaerobic.
Hiking, swimming, jogging and biking are good activities to get
the heart pumping. People who want to take it slower can go
bird watching in the countryside, or just amble the colonial
streets of Granada.
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a relatively new concept in Nicaragua, but it is
catching on fast. Nicaragua's ecotourism sector received a strong
international boost in 2004, when Matagalpa's Finca Esperanza


Verde was named by Smithsonian Magazine as the World's best
conservation project by an ecolodge.
Nicaragua has an abundance of nature reserves, parks and lodges
throughout the country.
Mombacho Volcano Nature Reserve (Granada). This 1,344
meter volcano is one of the only cloud forests on the Pacific
coast. From the base of the volcano, an Ecomovil (old army
truck) makes the steep trek to the top three times a day (11am,
1pm, 3pm) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (cost $7). At the
top is a biological station and nature trails around the crater, with
impressive views of Granada and Lake Nicaragua below.
Domitila Private Jungle Reserve (30 km from Granada). This
reserve and simple lodge is home to 65 species of mammals,
including Howler monkeys and wild cats. Paths and horseback
riding is a good way to check out the 125 bird species.
Excursions to Zapatera Island.
Membership is reasonable for those
who want to join a private country club.


Jungle Reserve La Flor (San Juan del Sur). This coastal reserve
is nesting site for thousands of turtles in July and January.
Masaya Volcano National Park (Masaya). Look down into the
smoldering volcanic crater, 500 meters in diameter. Explore
nature trails and caves.
El Chocoyero/El Brujo Nature Reserve (Managua). Located
in the hills 28km from the capital city, this 184-hectare reserve
and camping site is home to white-faced monkeys, birds and
reptiles.
Montibelli Private Reserve (Ticuantepe- near Managua). A dry
forest home to 86 species of birds, coffee plantations, butterfly
festivals and a visitors center.
La Maquina Jungle Reserve (Carazo-40 mins from Managua).
Hiking paths lead to a 10-meter waterfall and natural pool. Good
bird watching.
Los Cardones Ecolodge (km 49 on highway to Masachapa).
Ecolodge home to turtles, caiman, iguanas, birds, horseback
riding, nature trails and archeological sites.
Isla Juan Venado Nature Reserve (León). A 2,934-hectare
costal reserve is a turtle nesting site that is home to 109 species
of birds. Visitors can explore the mangroves in a kayak, swim in
the ocean or surf the waves.
Tisey/Estanzuela Nature Reserve (Estelí). The only pine forest
in Nicaragua, this 9,344-hectare reserve is home to 100 species
of fauna, orchids and El Salto, one of the biggest waterfalls in the
country.


Estero Padre Ramos Nature Reserve (Chinandega). A 9,157-
hectare reserve home to turtles and migratory birds. A place for
swimming and boat tours.
Cosigüina Volcano Nature Reserve (Chinandega). A 872-
meter Volcano reaching out of a 13,168 hectare nature reserve
offers panoramic views of Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador.
San Cristóbal Volcano Nature Reserve (Chinandega). A
1,785-meter high volcano in a 16,900-hectare reserve.
Finca Esperanza Verde (Matagalpa). Award winning ecolodge
on a coffee plantation in the mountains of Matagalpa
(http://www.fincaesperanzaverde.org).
Cerro Musún Nature Reserve (Matagalpa). Called the
"Mountain of Water" by the Sumus Indians, this 4,778-hectare
rainforest is home to jaguars, tapirs and Quetzals. Complete with
camping ground, this reserve is the source of 12 rivers and
panoramic views.
Miraflor Natural Reserves (Jinotega). One of the most
biological reserves in Nicaragua, this reserve is home to Quetzals
and other endangered species. Nature trails, caves and a simple
lodge.
Sábalos Lodge (Rio San Juan). One of the nicest ecolodges
around. On the banks of the Rio San Juan, this lodge is a must-
see (http://www.sabaloslodge.com, tel. (505) 278-1405).
Beaches
Nicaragua is home to some wonderfully secluded, white-sand
beaches. It also has several party beaches. So whether your idea
of fun at the beach is sitting quietly with a book under a palm


tree, or swilling cheap rum and doing the limbo to blaring
Reggaetón music, you can find a beach that fits your wants.
On the Pacific coast, San Juan del Sur is the one of the most
important tourism beaches and ports in Nicaragua, attracting
backpackers, well-to-do investors and a dozen cruise ships a year.
The beach is enormously popular during vacation weeks, such as
Easter Week (Semana Santa) and has new hotels, restaurants and
bars popping up all the time. The beach itself is pretty nasty; the
water smells like gasoline and swimming there is not
recommended. The nice swimming beaches are to the north or
south.
You can catch a water taxi from down town San Juan del Sur to
Playa Marsella, a beautiful white sand cove, for $8 roundtrip.
Twelve kilometers away, Playa Maderas is a hot spot for surfing
and camping. Playa de Chacocente y La Flor (20 km south of
San Juan) is a turtle-nesting spot in the months of July-January,
and nearby Parque Maritimo El Coco is one of the nicest
San Juan del Sur is one of Nicaragua's beautiful beaches.


swimming and sunning beaches in Nicaragua, with white sands
and a restaurant overlooking the beach. Rancho Santa Ana is an
exclusive residential area on the beach.
Farther north, Montelimar (50 km from Managua) is home to
white sands and the all-inclusive Barcelo Resort. Nearby
Pochomil is one of the most popular weekend beaches for
Managuenses, with several small bars/restaurants and hotels. La
Boquita, in Carazo, has its own tourism center, and Casares is
another beach near Managua. In León, Poneloya (15 km from
the city) has good seafood and rents boats to take you over to
Juan Venado Island.
In Lake Nicaragua, Ometepe Island's best beach is on the Istian
Peninsula, on the northeast side of the island. In the shadows of
two volcanoes, this white-sand beach is a nice place to relax and
take a dip in the freshwater lake. You can walk about 100 meters
off shore and still touch the sandy bottom,
On the Caribbean side, the beaches on Big and Little Corn
Islands are the most accessible (flights leave daily from
Managua). Southwest Bay and Long Bay are the nicest beaches
on Big Corn Island, and pretty much all of Little Corn Island is
white-sand beaches. More remote are the Miskito Islands and
the Pearl Islands, whose white sands and palm trees are virtually
undiscovered.
Adventure Sports
Snorkeling & Diving
While many beach hotels and Norome Resort on Laguna de
Apoyo offer snorkeling equipment, diving is only offered on
Little Corn Island and San Juan del Sur.
*
Dive Little Corn Island Iguana


*
Hotel Delfines, Little Corn Island tel 505-285-5239
*
Dive Nicaragua, San Juan del Sur tel. 505-458-2505
Canopy Tours
*
El Laurel (tel. 505-279-9884)
*
Nicarao Canopy Tour (tel. 505-266-1694)
*
Canopy de la "Hacienda Cutirre" (tel. 505-552-4528)
Balooning
*
Globoadventuras, León, for a spectacular volcano tour
(tel. 505-277-4000)
Golf
*
Nejapa Country Club, Managua (18 holes)
(Tel. 505-270-0188)
Kayaking
*
Islands Kayaks, Granada (tel. 505-552-4528)
*
Isla La Ceiba, Granada (tel. 505-266-1694)
Sport Fishing
Expats can get into shape at Granada's Gimnasio Zeus.


*
Ivette Fishing, San Juan del Sur (tel. 505-458-2104)
*
Pelican Eyes, San Juan del Sur (tel. 505-458-2511)
*
Super Fly Sport Fishing, San Juan del Sur (tel. 505-884-
8444)
*
Rio Indio Lodge, Rio San Juan (505-277-0098)
*
Monte Cristo River Resort, Rio San Juan
(tel. 505-839-7558)
*
La Cabaña del Almirante, Ometepe (tel. 505-278-2930)
*
Hotel Colinal, San Juan del Sur (tel. 505-458-2539)
The following websites provide information about surfing in
Nicaragua. Some provide surf tours.
http://www.easternsurf.com
http://www.hotel-nicaragua.com
http://www.nicasurf.com
http://www.surfnicaragua.com
http://www.surfaricharters.com
http://www.purasolas.com
Museums and Art Galleries
In the Managua area there are a number of museums. The
Museo Nacional de Nicaragua or National Museum (222-
5291, 6886 mailto:mnndc@ibw.com.ni) has historic and
archeological exhibits and is open on weekdays. The Museo
Cortázar (222-4449) offers paintings, sculpture, engravings and
drawings by Latin American artists.
Museo Casa Hacienda San Jacinto (222-6290 or 222-6200)
displays objects from past centuries. Other museums are
Acahaulinca Footprints Museum (Managua), Museum de
Alfabetzación (Managua), Convent San Francisco (Granada),


Museum of Anthropology and History (Rivas) and The
Masaya Volcano Museum (Masaya).
When in the city of León be sure to visit the Museo Rubén
Darío (311-2388). This museum houses a library and a
collection of the poet's manuscripts.
The themes reflected in Nicaraguan art include the country's
natural environment, its geography, and its history, through
which independence is depicted constantly. In Managua can visit
the following galleries: Códice (277-1370), Contil (277-1370)
and Epikentro (266-0959).
Baseball in Nicaragua
Nicaragua's once-proud baseball tradition was revived last year
with the inauguration of the new Nicaraguan Professional
Baseball League (LNBP), the only of it's kind in Central
America.
The LNBP is the first professional baseball league in Nicaragua
since the old Liga Profesional Nicaragüense ­ which once featured
future MLB Hall of Fame pitchers Ferguson Jenkins and Jim
Kaat ­ folded in 1967.
Nicaragua has had several other competitive amateur baseball
leagues over the years, including the Liga Nica, which once
featured teams from Managua, Granada, Estelí, Chinadega,
Masaya, Rivas, Bluefields and León. A lack of funds forced some
of the teams to quite, and when the league folded in 2004, there
were only six teams left.
The new professional league hopes to revive the baseball
tradition. The four-team LNBP features teams from Managua,
León, Masaya and Chinandega. Granada and Estelí did not field


teams during the opening season in 2004; the future of those
franchises is not clear.
The Nicaraguan league, which acts as a "winter league" for
professional players in the United States, fielded the best
Nicaragua has to offer ­ including Nicaraguan Big League
pitcher Vicente Padilla from the Philadelphia Phillies, and pro
players from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Colombia
and one minor leaguer from the St. Louis Cardinals franchise.
Players earn an average salary of $1,000 a month. The 48-game
season runs from October to January, so as not to interfere with
Major League Baseball's 162-game series or spring training
schedule. The amateur-league season, which also features teams
from Esteli and Rivas, starts several weeks after the professional
season ends, but features some of the same players.
The LNBP is a "passive member" of the Caribbean Baseball
Confederation (Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and
Baseball is Nicaragua's most popular sport.


Venezuela). Passive member status means Nicaragua is a trial
member without a vote, but hopes to be admitted into
international league play as soon as this year.
The LNBP hopes that the new league will help Nicaragua's
national team reclaim it past glory of the 1970s, after several
years of very disappointing performances.
Nicaragua's national team hit a new low during the 2003
Mundial de Beisbol
in Cuba, when several of the Nicaragua
players ­ still dressed in uniform ­ were seen getting drunk and
rowdy in the hotel bar the night before their game against
Panama, which proceeded to pound on the hung-over and
groggy Nica team.
Nicaraguans are passionate about their baseball, and catching a
game is a good way to pass an afternoon. Park entrance is
inexpensive, with seats behind home plate selling at the park for
just a couple of dollars. Beer and snacks are available inside the
parks.
For more information on the LNBP and game schedules, visit
http://www.Inbp.net.