Alfa Travel Guide

Managua, the Capital of Nicaragua

Managua was once a beautiful city, but was totally destroyed in an earthquake 1972. Downtown was never rebuilt, so the inhabitants sometimes call the city "El Pueblón" which means the big village. Since the international airport is just 11 kms away this will be your first stop and you can also take a look at the city. A good place to get a general view is from the hill behind the Hotel Intercontinental.

Blog: Granada, Las Isletas and Mombacho

Granada, Las Isletas and Mombacho

Granada is situated at the northwest corner of the Nicaragua Lake, the largest lake in Central America and the 10th in the world. Just south of the city there is a wonderful archipelago.

Masaya and Los Pueblos

Masaya is known for its handicraft with hammocks, embroidered blouses, leather, woodcarvings and furniture. You will get the best price at the local market; it is big, noisy, with narrow...

Ometepe, a Green Paradise

Ometepe is a tropical paradise, very green and with abundant animal life. By all means, take a tour up the volcano Maderas, on the slopes you will find coffee plantations surrounded by...

Artistic Solentiname

The archipelago Solentiname is known because the poet Ernesto Cardenal founded a community for artists there in the 1970th. There is still evidence of that. Many artists paint in their...

The gold-diggers rout

From the Nicaragua Lake flows the great river San Juan to the Caribbean Sea. During hundreds of years the pirates took this way to plunder the city of Granada. In the 19th century hundreds...

San Juan del Sur and the Pacific Coast

San Juan del Sur is a sleepy and cozy little fishing village, very popular among tourist that does not like the big luxury facilities. Many small hotels and restaurants have been opened. In...

The Colonial City of Leon

The city of León was until 1851 the capital of the country. They have the biggest cathedral of Central America. The hearsay is that the plans were mixed up in their way from Spain...

Coffee plantations in the mountains

The export product without comparison most important for Nicaragua is coffee. The best coffee is grown at an altitude over 1.000 meters. Therefore the city Matagalpa has become a center for...

Corn Island with Caribbean Feeling

If you want to have the real Caribbean feeling you only have to take a flight from Managua and 1.5 hour later you will come down on Corn Island.

The Spawning and Birth of Turtles

Between six and seven times per year from July to January some 30 thousand Olive Ridley turtles approach the beaches of La Flor and some 40 thousand to the beaches of Chacocente. Each...

Nicaragua Visa Requirements

Your passport must be valid 6 months beyond intended stay in Nicaragua. You need to have a ticket for return or onward travel. Tourist card US$ 5.00 when arriving to Nicaragua and departure...

Nicaragua General Information

Capital: Managua Currency: Cordoba Languages: Spanish 97.5% (official), English- and Amerindian-speaking minorities on Atlantic coast. Climate: Tropical in lowlands, cooler in...