Nicaragua was one of those destinations that had always intrigued me, but took me a group trip pitch to make it happen. But honestly? It ended up being one of my favourite trips – and one of the most underrated countries in Central America with lots of excursions to do. Active volcanoes, colonial cities, stunning coastline, and some of the friendliest people I’ve encountered. If you’re sleeping on Nicaragua, wake up.
Here’s how I split almost 10 days across the country: 1 day for travel, 2 days in Leon, 3 days in Granada, and 4 days in San Juan del Sur.
Table of Contents
- Airport Tip
- Where We Stayed
- Getting Around
- General Tips
- Leon
- Granada
- San Juan del Sur
Airport Tip
This is genuinely one of the most useful things I can tell you: the immigration customs line in Managua is brutal. We waited 1 to 1.5 hours when we landed. However, there is a VIP lounge option that gets you through a much faster immigration line. You need to book it in advance and it’s open until 10PM. You get access to the lounge, a drink while you wait for luggage, and bypass that painful line. Totally worth it if your flight lands at night and you have a long transfer ahead. More info and booking here
Where We Stayed
We used a mix of hotels and Airbnb across the three cities:
- Leon: Hotel El Convento – A former convent turned art museum turned boutique hotel. One of the most unique stays I’ve had. The building is stunning, the rooms are gorgeous, and the history of the place makes it so much more interesting than your average hotel.
- Granada: Bloom Villa – 17 beds, a pool, and AC. Great for a group.
- San Juan del Sur: Villa Solstice – Sits up in the hills of El Cristo, not the most convenient location (more on that below), but a very nice stay.
Getting Around
City to city: We booked all of our private transfers through Yasmil Transportation. I did the research and compared prices with the hotels, Airbnbs, Bookaway, and Daytrip – Yasmil came in cheapest for a group of 7. If you’re travelling in a group, this is the move.
Within Leon and Granada: We stayed right downtown both times, so we walked everywhere. Both cities are super walkable.
San Juan del Sur: We relied on taxis. Our Airbnb was in the hills, so we called taxis back and forth to town. You can walk it, but it’s a steep 40-minute hill – doable, just not after a long day or a night out.
General Tips
- Currency is USD or Nicaraguan córdobas – most tourists will be fine with USD
- Most places took credit card (with a few cash-only exceptions – I’ll flag them)
- Mosquitoes are no joke. Bring a good repellent. I’d recommend packing Sawyer Picaridin spray – it’s effective without being as harsh as DEET
Day 0: Travel Day
We flew with Avianca from Toronto (YYZ).
- Depart YYZ 4:00 PM → Arrive SAL (El Salvador) 8:15 PM
- Depart SAL 10:05 PM → Arrive MGA (Managua) 11:05 PM
We skipped Managua entirely – there’s not much to see there – and took a private transfer directly to Leon. Between the late landing and immigration wait, we didn’t arrive at the hotel until close to 2AM. This is exactly why I’d recommend the VIP lounge if you’re coming in late.
Day 1: Leon – City Tour
Leon immediately surprised me. It’s grittier than Granada but it has this raw, layered energy that I loved – colonial architecture, street murals, and a real local vibe that hasn’t been too polished for tourists yet.
Mañana Mañana Café for coffee to start the day
- Walk around Parque Central de León – the main square is a great orientation point
- Lunch: El Sesteo – right beside the Parque Central, solid local food
- Continue to Mercado Central, Fray de Valdivieso Park, and the famous Cancha 23 de Julio – an iconic basketball court covered in historic murals that tell Nicaragua’s story
Bar El Mirador for a drink break – great patio overlooking the basketball court
- Free Walking Tour León “The Original” – message them on WhatsApp to get the schedule and meeting point. It’s tips-based; we gave $10 USD each. The tour genuinely changed how I saw the city and taught us so much about Nicaraguan history. Highly recommend doing this early in your stay.
Dinner: El Barbaro Restaurante – honest admission: we went here because they had big TVs and we wanted to watch the Bad Bunny halftime show. More of a bar than a restaurant, but it worked for the night.
Day 2: Leon – Cathedral & Cerro Negro Volcano Boarding
This was one of the best days of the entire trip.
- Morning: Climb to the top of Leon Cathedral – completely painted white, picturesque views of the city. It’s a bucket list photo moment.
Lunch: Libelula for coffee and wraps
- Volcano Boarding at Cerro Negro with NicaupTravel – $35 USD including transport
This experience is something else. The hike up Cerro Negro alone is worth it – you’re hiking up an active black-sand volcano with panoramic views of the whole country. At the summit, you suit up in an orange jumpsuit and a wooden board and ride down the side of a volcano into the sunset. The adrenaline absolutely hits you and you just keep thinking I am riding down a volcano right now. We stayed at the summit to watch the sunset before heading back. Absolutely do this.
- Dinner: Fiera – fancier side, great cocktails and food. A nice reward after the day.
Nightlife: Bar La Fabrica then wandered the streets
Day 3: Granada – City Tour
Granada is the prettier, more polished counterpart to Leon. Think cobblestone streets, colourful colonial architecture, and a great food and coffee scene.
Before leaving Leon: quick stop at Casa del Café – one of the biggest coffee chains in Nicaragua and genuinely good
- Lunch: Garden Café – one of the best spots of the whole trip. Part outdoor garden, part indoor library. The drinks and food are excellent.
Afternoon dessert: Chocolate Tour at ChocoMuseo Granada – the highlight is honestly just the chocolate tasting at the end, but it’s a fun 45-minute activity
- Walk down Parque Central de Granada and along Calle La Calzada – the main strip for shopping, restaurants, and soaking in the colonial atmosphere
Dinner: Nectar – fish tacos and fish burritos. Really good.
Day 4: Granada – Las Isletas Kayak Tour
- Lunch: Gaia Forest Café & Bistro – another beautiful café in Granada. They have a theme going here.
- More souvenir shopping in the afternoon
- Las Isletas Kayak Tour with TripNic Travels – $45 CAD including transport, kayak, and guide
Las Isletas is a group of tiny islands scattered across Lake Nicaragua, the largest lake in the country. The two-hour kayak tour takes you past island homes, resident monkeys, and all kinds of birds before ending in a beautiful sunset view. Great arm workout, great sunset, great guide.
Dinner: Boca Baco – we went for the sushi (craving Asian food, it happens), but the food overall was actually really solid.
Day 5: Granada – Active Volcano Hike & Lava Glow
Casa del Café for coffee and an empanada
Lunch: El Garaje – delicious sandwiches run by a Canadian couple. Note: cash only, the only place we encountered this in Granada.
- Masaya Volcano Tour with TripNic Travels – $22 USD (discounted for repeat travellers)
We debated a Laguna day trip, but with San Juan del Sur coming up, we didn’t need another water activity. The Masaya tour was the right call. First stop is the Comalito Trail – a new baby volcano where you can literally watch heat rising from the ground. Perfect for sunset. Then you’re driven to the active Masaya Volcano site where you can see the lava glow deep in the crater. You won’t see actual lava, just the glow – but standing at the edge of an active volcano at night is an experience you don’t forget.
- Dinner: NM Culinary – a Nicaraguan farm-to-table tasting menu for $85 USD. It was a solid experience and worth trying once, though I’d call it “good, not great.” Same owners as Garden Café.
Day 6: San Juan del Sur – Horseback Riding
In the morning we got picked up in Granada and headed south. We asked our driver to stop in Rivas to grab coffee from Casa del Café and fried chicken from Tip Top (it’s basically the KFC of Nicaragua and genuinely good). Rivas is also the closest point to Ometepe Island – the famous island of two volcanoes. We could see it from the road but didn’t have time to visit. If you have an extra day or two, go. It’s supposed to be incredible.
We arrived at our Airbnb in the hills of El Cristo – amazing views, but not convenient. Taxis are a necessity unless you’re up for a steep 40-minute walk into town. The concierge at our villa was super helpful and booked tours for us directly.
- Horseback Riding – $25 USD/person
Two hours on horseback riding along the beach into the sunset. This was so worth it. It came very close to topping Volcano Boarding as my favourite experience of the trip. Watching the sun go down from horseback on a Nicaraguan beach is exactly the kind of thing that makes you question why you don’t travel more.
- Dinner: Tuani’s – massive waterfront bar. Tacos, seafood, great energy.
Dessert: Gelateria Superfrutto
Day 7: San Juan del Sur – Boat Tour
- Woke up for sunrise beside El Cristo – the statue overlooks the whole bay and it’s a genuinely beautiful way to start the day
Brunch: Ikal
- Private Boat Tour – ~$85 USD/person (all-inclusive: open bar + ceviche and snacks)
The boat hugged the Nicaraguan coastline and stopped at a private beach with perfect white sand and clear water. With the open bar and the scenery, this is an easy half-day to justify. Book in advance if you’re going in peak season.
- Dinner: Pho King the Best – skip it. We craved Asian food again, waited way too long, and it wasn’t worth it. We ended up grabbing pizza next door to actually fill up. You’re better off waiting until you’re home.
Day 8: San Juan del Sur – Sunday Funday
Lunch: Indio del Sur Coffee Shop
If you’re in San Juan del Sur on a Sunday, you have to do this. It’s Nicaragua’s most famous party – a bar crawl hitting 4 different bars with pools, from hostel bars to jungle bars to city bars. It includes a shirt, transport between bars, and shots at each stop. We went from 2PM to 10PM and had an absolute blast meeting people from all over the world. Note: many bars only take cash for drinks, so bring some.
We ended the night walking 40 minutes back up the hill (it goes fast after a full day of bar crawling) and swimming in our pool. Perfect ending.
Day 9: San Juan del Sur – Recovery & Last Day
- Brunch delivered to the villa – classic Nicaraguan breakfast: rice and beans, eggs, sausage, and avocado. One heads up: double check the price when you pay. Our delivery driver tried to charge us 150% of the actual amount. Just be aware.
- Walked up to El Cristo for the full panoramic view of San Juan del Sur – do this before you leave
Henry’s Iguana Beach Bar & Restaurant – wings, fries, and juices on the beach. Classic last-day spot.
Ding Repair Café – fresh smoothies while the sun sets. A great chill spot.
Dinner: Alma Café y Restaurant – more of a brunch spot in the evening, they really only had Shakshuka and Ceviche available. Fine, but go earlier in the day if you want more options.
- Ended the night walking the beachfront for one last soak in of everything Nicaragua had to offer.
Final Thoughts
Nicaragua exceeded every expectation I had. It’s affordable, adventurous, and still genuinely off the beaten path compared to Costa Rica or Panama. The combination of volcano boarding, kayaking, horseback riding, a boat tour, and Sunday Funday in under 10 days is hard to beat anywhere. If you’ve been sitting on this one – just go.
VINTURE WITH ME 
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