Wedge-shaped
Nicaragua may be
the largest country in Central
America, but it is also one of the
least visited. Even after more than
a decade of peace, Nicaragua is
synonymous in the minds of many with
civil war; this reputation, when
coupled with the dilapidated
infrastructure of a country that has
fought its way not only through a
bloody conflict but also an American
economic blockade, scares many off.
Still, many travellers who spend any
time there find - much to their
surprise - that Nicaragua is their
favourite country in the isthmus.
Perhaps because it doesn't yet fully
cater for the tourist experience,
Nicaragua is an incorrigibly vibrant
and individualistic country, with
plenty to offer travellers prepared
to brave Nicaragua's superficial
obstacles of economic chaos, cracked
pavements and crammed public
transport.
Cuba aside, Nicaragua is unique
in Latin America in having pulled
off a bona fide revolution of the
people. The revolution of
1978-79 and the civil war that
followed in the 1980s, while
ravaging the country, has also given
it one of the most dramatic of
recent histories. At times it seems
that every Nicaraguan has both
horrifying and uplifting personal
stories to tell. And even though
Nicaragua's long-suffering people
would rather forget many aspects of
the war, the country's political
past continues to inform every
minute of its present.
During the 1980s Nicaragua was
the destination of choice in Central
America for young, socialist-minded internacionalistas
- foreign volunteer workers who came
to the country to aid the Revolution
by working in the education and
health sectors. From 1996 onwards,
the Alemán government discontinued
many of the programmes that brought
the internacionalistas to
Nicaragua and tourism slumped, which
was bad news for the country's hotel
owners and tour operators. Recent
years, however, have seen tourist
numbers increase as part of the
general upturn in interest in
Central America.
In comparison with the Maya ruins
of Guatemala or the national parks
of Costa Rica, Nicaragua offers few
traditional tourist attractions -
almost no monuments or ancient
temples remain, and earthquakes,
revolution and war have laid waste
to museums, galleries and theatres.
For years the country has suffered
from a chronic lack of funding, and
high inflation and unemployment have
also impoverished Nicaragua's
infrastructure. However, no one
visits Nicaragua and remains immune
to the country's extraordinary landscape
of volcanoes (17 in all), lakes,
mountains and vast plains of rainforest
. A smattering of beaches -
the majority of them on the Pacific
Coast - continues to attract the
budget surfing and
backpacking crowd, while culture and
the arts are very much alive
in Nicaragua, and it is here you can
buy some of the best-value
high-quality crafts in the isthmus.
More than anything, though, the
pleasures and rewards of travelling
in Nicaragua come from interacting
with the inhabitants of the
country's complex society. Its people
are well-spoken, passionate, engaged
and engaging - Nicaraguans tend to
be witty and exceptionally
hospitable. The best thing you can
do to enjoy Nicaragua is to arrive
with an open mind, some patience and
a willingness to practise your
Spanish.
