Tour Guide, Granada, Nicaragua
| 5 mins read
Staying safe in Nicaragua.
Nicaragua is a fantastic place to travel around as well as the safest city in Central America but is always wise to follow some rules and common sense to have a really nice trip in this Land of Lakes and Volcanoes.
Follow these tips in order to stay safe in Nicaragua:
• Avoid political demonstrations as they can become violent.
• Some areas such as Managua can be dangerous, so if you’re travelling on your own, or arriving at night, you’ll need to have your destination set.
• Never drive on rural roads at night or better don’t drive at night at all, Most of the roads don´t have road lights so they are really dark and many horses or cows can be on the road. If you must, stay on major highways and carry a cell phone, cell phones ($15 to $20) can be purchase at any gas station.
• Do not resist a robbery attempt, as many robbers carry weapons and they are never alone.
• Carry all important documents on an underclothes money belt.
• Avoid carrying expensive jewelry and large cameras dangling from your shoulder, better around the neck. These items will only attract undue attention. When going out at night bring a digital camera instead of the expensive digital one.
• Bring as few valuables as possible, and if you have to carry expensive items, get travel insurance.
• Where possible, withdraw cash from inside a bank or well lit areas. Avoid help from strangers, count your money and put it away before leaving, always be alert of your surrounding. Whenever you can go with a friend do it.
• This apply for Managua: Make sure your taxi is authorized, look for the driver’s I.D on the right hand side of the front mirror and license plate that have red/White/red, at night time the light has to be on, but is always better to arrange a taxi back from bars and restaurants to your hotel before leaving your hotel, buy a cheap cell phone to carry around, And agree a price before you get in is always to carry Local currency (Cordobas) At the moment 06/05/13 the exchange rate is about 1US$ to 24.5 C$ Cordobas. For the rest of the country taxis also will have a red/White/red license plate but no Id on the mirrors and fare are fix center of the city US$1 a bit outside or after 10:00pm US$2 out of city agree the price before getting into the cab.
• Cover up, it’s fine to wear tiny shorts to the beach, but make sure you dress respectably in large towns and cities, In Nicaragua we have laws that protect women and kids but is better not to attract unwanted attention
• Hikers should have appropriate dress, footwear, and sufficient consumables for any trek undertaken. Individuals who travel to remote areas are encouraged to hire a trusted local guide familiar with the terrain and area. Individuals hiking Volcan Maderas or Volcan Concepcion on Ometepe Island are by law required to hire a local guide.
• Don’t leave valuables in your backpack. You’re usually asked to leave your backpack under the bus or on top of the bus on long journeys so carry valuables with you. Don´t put your bag under the seat as it can be taken (or cut open).
• If need a orientation or consult a map go to a public place get your paper map not the Map on your iphone or ipad and ask to a police officer or go to the closes church and ask the name of it, all of the cities in Nicaragua the highest point will be the churches and are a reference area on the city that you will visit.
• If you moving around is fine to bring with you a copy of your passport and the entry stamp.
• If you leaving your room make sure all of your valuables are lock on the safe but if the hotel does not have a safe on the rooms and only at the reception count your money and valuables in front of the receptionist or person in charge put it into and envelope and wrote on the envelope what you are leaving.
• On Restaurants specially on La Calzada street on Granada don´t hang bags or purses on the back of the chair and always keep your belongings with supervision even if you are only standing to ask something do not leave valuables on the table.
• If hiring a guide or tour operator always ask to carry a license to see if it has accreditation from the minister of tourism of Nicaragua as many people as been robe or given a really bad service by not authorize tour guides and companies even companies or people recommended on TA ( As The Nicaraguan blog and Maria Jose from Masaya or some others ) if something like this happened you are welcome to call 25526858 or write to inturgranada@gmail.com
• While in Nicaragua if you suffer from petty theft or something else please call to 118 or if you are in Granada call officer Amaruck (84640122) as he is in charge of the police tourist department. And for emergencies all around Nicaragua 119 and 115.
For all of those People travelling to NICARAGUA by bus trough TICA BUS, TRANSNICA, ETC. the taxi ride in Cities as Granada is about C$ 10 cordobas = US$ 0.50 cents around the main areas in day light, at night time is the double and for luggage the same amount so please be careful what you get ask while getting a taxis in this bus terminal, as many people as been over charge big time.