1) Boat Sailing
Sailing is one of the most popular pastimes people get up to during a vacation in Nicaragua. Whether you’re a pro sailor or newbie, you’ll find various options to suit your needs. For instance, many hotel resorts along the western coast of Nicaragua offer full/half day sailing excursions with an experienced crew.
If you’ve always wanted to learn how to sail, you can also take sailing lessons on Lake Nicaragua with sailing schools such as Velago Nicaragua.
2) Book Organized Tours
Booking an organized tour of Nicaragua is certainly one of the most things people do on a vacation in Nicaragua since it's a great way to see as much of the country in just a few days. Again, with organized tours you can book through independent tour operators such as "Nica Tour" or "Explore Nicaragua", or through the hotel where you’ll be staying at.
Most guided tours of Nicaragua last between 8-10 days, though it mostly depends on the places that you want included in the itinerary. Here it's rough idea of places on a tour of Nicaragua:
1. San Juan del Sur Beach,
2. the towns of Subtiaba and Masaya for souvenir shopping,
3. a visit to colonial cities such as Managua and Leon,
4. the Islets of Granada for a bit of sailing,
5. excursion to the Island of Ometepe to hike the volcanoes,
6. scenic drive along Lake Managua,
7. visit to Mombacho Volcano nature reserve and Masaya Volcano national park for a bit of hiking.
3) Learn Spanish
Many people that travel to Nicaragua on vacation do it with the sole purpose of learning Spanish. You can stay with the host family independently but if you’re new to the country the best way to go about learning Spanish in Nicaragua is though a Spanish school such as Nicaragua Mia Spanish School (Granada), “Spanish Ya” (San Juan del Sur), or Viva Spanish School (Managua).
Going to a Spanish school is definitely the most popular way to learn Spanish because you get to learn how to read and write in Spanish, and also get to participate in fun activities with other international students, and stay with a local Nicaraguan family.
4) Get a Massage
Going to a health center is also one of the most popular things people do on a vacation in Nicaragua. Health Centers in Nicaragua are fairly cheap when compared to the ones in North America but are still high quality and offer things like kickboxing classes and yoga lessons.
As far as massages, you can get a two-hour massage for as little as $50 which also includes your face and feet. Popular places to get a massage in Nicaragua include Pure Natural Health & Fitness Center in Granada, and Spa del Sur in San Juan del Sur.
5) Hit the Waves
Surfing in Nicaragua is without a doubt, one of the top things people do on a vacation in Nicaragua since the county is home to fantastic breaks. The best surfing spots for beginners and intermediate surfers are located along Nicaragua’s Pacific coast and include beach spots such as El Asterillo, Popoyo, Santana Beach and Playa Hermosa, which is just 20 minutes drive south of San Juan del Sur.
There are also a few surf camps in Nicaragua where you can stay such as the Popoyo Surf Lodge, The Surf Sanctuary, and Giant's Foot Surf.
6) Soak into a Hot Spring
Visiting a hot springs (or agua calientes in Spanish) for a good soak is another cool thing to do while on vacation in Nicaragua, especially since Nicaragua boasts many hot springs that haven’t been turned into touristy hot-spring resorts.
Free Places to enjoy hot-spring soaks include:
1) the town of Tititapa (10 minutes drive from Managua) has a small paying hot spring but it only costs $2 to get in
2) Apoyo Lake (15 minutes drive from Masaya)
3) Xiloa lake (20 minutes drive from Managua)
4) Consiguina Lake inside Consiguina volcano natural reserve (north of Leon)
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