E-mail me at boylesw@yahoo.com, & I will shoot you my WELCOME WAGON.
H2O 212F

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Check out some of the facebook pages and follow them for a while.

Search this site and you will see buku requests for information that don't include the persons interests or reason for considering Nic. so it makes it hard to give answers or suggestions.

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What information are you seeking here BrianShea?

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As you say this is your 'exploratory' visit, do just that; explore the different cities and beaches. Nicragua is very diverse in its regions and local cultural activity levels. Travel light and do not expect much but your own 'feeling most comfortable'. Later come back and investigate in depth how you might fit in. e looking for your own place, Remember being an expat can be successful if you find your own life independent on others making it for you; it is not a club membership.

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Thanks for your thoughtful reflection. Looks like good advice. Expectations low first visit.

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Choosing an expat health insurance provider is an important decision. Get a quote from our trusted expat health insurance partner, CIGNA. With Cigna Global Health Options, you can create an international health insurance plan that's perfectly tailored for the needs of you and your family.

I am looking for suggestions as to cities, adventures. I want to be able to meet some people who are making it work. Looking to see if renting a car makes sense.

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I am making my first visit to check Expat possibilities for myself this next 10 days. I will be in San Juan del Sur. I will post my impressions and eagerly await more from those on this interesting exchange.

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Once settled down, you may not need a car in some places as taxis are cheap and available. But for exploration of the country, I would rent a car and have the freedom of your inquisitiveness. Note that most taxi service and towns shut down at dark. Most hotels can tell you where if any local spots you may meet other travelers or gringos. In 8 years I have only met a few at the supermaket in passing, albeit I am told there is a local bar that is gringo friendly and English is spoken.

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Good suggestions, We are committed. Booking flights. Arriving from Orlando Feb. 21. Returning 3/3.

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I would rent a car.
Get a Toyota Yaris,, it's a goat, goes anywhere.

Use Budget at the airport,, you can reserve and nail down pricing on-line. You leave the lot, turn right on the Carretera Norte to go north to Estelí, and Leon, or left to go to Granada, or SJdS. No need to go through Managua. Save it for last.



The Yaris used to be 3 cylinder here, might be four now.
Pros: Buses run on their schedules,, you will waste much time working your trip around them.
With the car,, you can stop anywhere you wish,, go anywhere you want,, when you want. Many places have very limited bus access.
Safe place to keep your stuff locked up. Store food and water, those wet wipes like baby wipes are a blessing here. You can keep your face and hands clean. Stuff like that you can easily keep in a car, some snacks,,

Cons: Driving takes a bit of getting used to here. Really not as bad as everyone tries to make it out to be. I drive a big Ford F150,,,, everywhere, you just need to take it easy and ignore the horns. They are going to honk anyway. Honking is part of the Nicaragua culture,, they LOVE to honk their horns. Nicaraguans love noise in any form.
Other than that,, driving is a no brainer.
Transito: Don't pass on a solid line (no matter how tempting if you can't see far enough ahead to insure they are not standing by the side of the road). Keep your seat belts fastened. Those are the two biggies,, easy money makers for them.
GET A DUPLICATE DRIVER;s LICENSE BEFORE YOU LEAVE.

Driving is less than issue than finding your way around in the bigger cities. There is close to zero signage,, although it's getting better slowly. GPS doesn't work here. If I were to explore Managua,, for example,, I would park the car and use a taxi.

ALWAYS negotiate pricing BEFORE you get into a taxi.

More Con:
You need to put the car into a secure parking every night. You can't leave it on the street. Any decent hotel will have free parking. But hostels geared to backpackers will not. There are always secure parking areas in any developed town, and if you are in a really small rural area, you will park in some one's front yard and they will watch the car for 20 cords.

In terms of seeing the country quickly, a car is the only way to go.. Buses will quickly wear you out. They tend to be packed, sometimes beyond belief. They are hot,, and during the dry season, dusty. There is no AC. So, your face is covered in sweat with a layer of dirt adhering.

It's difficult to maintain control of your luggage in a bus. With the car, you can just park somewhere busy, lock up and explore. When you're done, move on.

The bottom line is: If you want to maximize your available time here, a car is the only way to go. Once you settle into a big town,, a car may be more hassle than value, but to get the feeling of the country initially, it will make a huge difference.

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Good advice on transport and driving from KWP. One issue in directions....you also turn right out of the airport for Granada and SJDS...then about 8 miles and turn right again at the big intersection with truck stop on the far right corner. Driving is the only way to really explore...busses will get you places, but need to know where you are going...this time you want to wander a bit. Budget rental is good....seems to be much better prices in Granada with them than ay the airport.

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That is a good point on the car rental. I always rent away from the airport if I am going to be keeping the car for a period of time. Prices can be a fraction of the airport price. Airport car rentals in the US are larded with all kinds of opportunistic taxes.

It would be easy to get to Granada,, a great place to start the adventure, and good connections north and south.

I love Granada,, get there as often as I can. I always stay at the Hotel Granada. That place is so huge I don't think that I gave seen it all yet.

DO have to negotiate the price a bit,, I get $70 for a double,,, but they roll over pretty easily. I'm sure that there are other great places in Granada too.

Good introduction to the country,, even if it's not representative of much of the country,, tourists from all over the world. Lots of bathrooms :)

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You won't need a car for your stay in SJDS, which is small enough to walk around. Trips to the surf beaches or the Pali supermarket are done by truck or taxi. On a two week first trip, I'd spend a week on the beach and a week in the mountains, probably Matagalpa in the northern coffee country. But depending on the daily rental rate, and assuming I landed in daylight, I might get a private taxi for $60-$80US from MGA to SJDS, and rent the car when leaving. There's a rental agency there. Your rental car will be almost always parked in San Juan. Taxi rates from the airport will be much higher if you arrive late in the evening. Be advised, too, that light travelers (either metaphysical or not) could do all this on public buses for less than $20US per person, with no angst about wrong turns included. It would be pickpockets you'd be worrying about.

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Very bad advice by novoboy (and not unusual for him to talk without knowing...that is a real "beware" part of this site)...SJDS area is not just the town...the area is down south 30 minutes and up north 2 hours to see a host of beaches/areas to possibly live on the beach and not in SJDS town. Getting to to these without a car is possible, but difficult and costly..and you will see just the main part of each and not be able you poke around.

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If a chicken bus is too much adventure for you: There are various other bus solutions, even with AC, especially from town to town. I hope I may mention a company without being accused of unilateral promotion... TIERRA tours take you from Granada to Managua to Leon and probably other cities, incl. your travel luggage - which is important. Their prices are moderate and they have AC. They have offices in various towns where you can book in advance.

Another one is NICA bus - very comfi, with a toilet and AC. I used it once to go to Costa Rica. And there are others.

The micro buses - for ex. between Leon and Managua - cost only 53CS, but do not offer much space for big luggage. They may have AC or not.

The chicken buses have windows (I prefer this to AC!). Anyway: If you want to avoid the heat in a bus, do not take a window seat where you are grilled by the sun - or get informed on which side the sun will be during your travel. Enjoy your prospection tour!

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I've been on TransNica a few times,, also to CR,, similar to NicaBus, and that is the only bus I've ever been on that had AC. It beats driving if that is what you are doing. TransNica was $54 from Estelí to San Jose.

If you are going great distances, crossing borders,, TicaBus goes from Panama City to Mexico City, this is a great solution. These buses are nice.

The standard buses you will be riding in Nicaragua will generally be old US school buses, re-purposed with some small racks above the seats, and big racks on top of the bus.

If you are tall,, the bus is agony for any great distance,, no room for your knees. People expect to sit three or more across when the bus is full. It's pure misery.

I've never been on a "colectivo" van type vehicle that was AC'd and these are packed like tuna cans too.

You own car gives you your own private space as well as the freedom to come and go as you please, on whatever schedule you desire.

It comes down to,,, I guess, what do you plan to see,, what parts of the country are you going to visit?

If you are just hitting the major towns like SJdS, Granada, Leon, even Estelí and Matagalpa, then you can do it in a bus. If you want to see the country, and this is especially true in the north,, there will be many places you cannot realistically get to in a bus. There will be a bus,, but it will leave in the morning and return in the evening, catering to the locals who leave to go to work in a bigger city,, or who go to shop for the day. No one comes to their town for the day,,, so there is no bus.

Watch you stuff on the bus,, I don't think you have to worry about pickpockets as much as opportunists who will spot you and your luggage and try to get off the bus with it.

Unless you have a seat with your luggage above you, ---and the racks are small, not much fits-- if you are standing,, you will be separated from your stuff as the bus is packed full. I've had bags opened and things taken out. They didn't even bother to re-close the zippers.

If anybody engages you in conversation,, in broken English,, this is when you watch your bags, if you can still see them.

However, the bus ayudante is trustworthy and if the bag is big you can put it in his care. He'll put it on top and keep an eye on it for you. He'll expect a small tip.

It's not as bad as it seems. This is a great country,, but there ARE a lot of petty thieves. There is minimal violence (like armed robbery) outside of Managua and SJdS.

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and Esteli, but the armed robberies are usually aimed at poor Nicas.

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By now you can see why most of us do not want to know other expats! You have been given 'some' good advice and should rent a car and relax. As to theft, just use common sense. It is one of the safest countries I have ever traveled or lived in. Put copies of all your travel documents passport, licences etc. on internet emails to youself, so you can access copies of them if need be. You can also register with the US embassy online that you will be in country, easy to do, just go to their onine site, smart. But what bothers me is your need to 'meet others and find out how they are dealing with being an expat'. I remind you that ', it is not a club.' It is a very individual and isolated issue as to how you deal with culture shock, adaptation to change and learning to find your own life place in a country of 'home grown foreigners'. The who come here with an involvment in the community, ie, missions,education, business, family, seem to be best suited.. Those who see it as a retirement village have less success. You will likely meet, if you keep searching for friendly expats, you will find those who are 'developers' with social nets to 'spider' you into their slow growing, maybe shady or bad investments. Beware. Find your own life for yourself, by yourself or you will never be happy living in a foreign country.

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Some very important points expressed in the above on finding other expats.....this is not an expat driven world for people who come here. If you have experience with other expat communities where there is a good percentage of people who are transferred in with jobs you will see a striking difference here as almost none of those here. That is not a bad thing in itself, but skews the expats towards as he described. Best put...it is really not a retirement place.

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