The Absolute Best Places to Go in Nicaragua (2024)

Where to Go in Nicaragua: Top Spots to Visit

This is the guide to the best places to go in Nicaragua, something we wish we had when planning our travels! In addition to the amazing destinations, we also include top tourist attractions. Nicaragua has an incredible diverse set of places to go – from volcanoes to relaxing white sand beaches to rich history – so every type of traveler can enjoy their time here.

One of the best things about Nicaragua is that it’s super easy to get around by bus (or rental car or shuttle if those are more your vibe), so you won’t have to worry about that when planning your trip! So buckle up, practice some basic Spanish, read about the best places to go in Nicaragua, and get ready for the vacation of a lifetime!

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The 11 Best Places to Go in Nicaragua

1. Granada: An Amazing Colonial Town

Granada is an absolute gem. Its beautiful church definitely steals the spotlight, but the cobblestone streets lined with colorful pastel buildings and their magnificent courtyards will convince you you’re in Spain! Granada is close to some of the best tourist attractions in Nicaragua, including Lake Apoyo, Mombacho Volcano, Masaya Volcano, and the Granada islets. This, among many other things, makes Granada a must-visit place in your Nicaragua itinerary.

Check out the most amazing things to do in Granada!

2. Ometepe: An Island Formed By Volcanoes

Ometepe is a beautiful island on Lake Nicaragua, largely covered by two massive volcanoes. While the economy of the island is largely dependent on tourism infrastructure, it is by no means overcrowded. Some of the best attractions here are doing the 7-8 hour hikes up the volcanoes, exploring the wildlife, and cooling off in the Ojo de Agua natural springs. While hiking the Ometepe volcanoes are some of the top tourist attractions in Nicaragua, simply renting a moped and driving around the beautiful island is a magical way to spend a few hours in Ometepe!

Read our article on the amazing things to do in Ometepe!

3. San Juan del Sur/Playa Maderas: A Surfer’s Paradise

Whether you’re an avid surfer or not, San Juan del Sur is the place to be. Enjoy San Juan del Sur’s nightlife, its vast beaches, and amazing lookout point! If you are into surfing, head over to Playa Maderas for the best surfing in Nicaragua. If you’re craving a beach vacation, this area is one of the best places to go in Nicaragua!

Best Places to go in Nicaragua: San Juan del Sur

4. The Corn Islands: Nicaragua’s Tropical Getaway

The Corn Islands are Nicaragua’s very own tropical paradise. While they’re slightly harder to get to from Nicaragua’s other top travel destinations, they are absolutely worth going to. Big Corn has better beaches and is easier to get to while Little Corn is better for diving and has a more diverse cuisine scene. Both are worth a visit! Bask in the hot sun, cool off in the beautiful Caribbean Sea and scuba dive or snorkel to see all the amazing marine life!

Read about the best things to do on the Corn Islands!

Best Places to go in Nicaragua: Corn Islands

5. León: Rich in History and Adventure

León is the place to go in Nicaragua if you’re a history buff! Enjoy its museums such as the revolution museum, the museum of legends and traditions, and learn about the history of Spanish colonization. In addition to its history, it has an impressive cathedral as well as volcano boarding, which in our opinion is the best thing to do in Nicaragua!

Check out the best things to do in León!

6. Popoyo: A Small Beach Town

Popoyo is a very small surf town on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. If you want to escape the sometimes-touristy and urban vibe of San Juan del Sur, Popoyo is the place to go in Nicaragua! If you don’t have time to stay here, this can be done as a day trip from San Juan del Sur!

7. Miraflor: The Beautiful Cloud Forest

Miraflor Cloud Forest is the perfect place to escape Nicaragua’s oppressive heat, enjoy some peaceful ambiance, and learn about the amazing nature. You can go horseback riding, go on a jungle walk, tour a coffee farm, do some agritourism, birdwatch, and hike. We recommend staying at Finca Lindos Ojos as they can provide horseback riding tours, jungle walks, and more!

Read about how to spend the perfect day in Miraflor Cloud Forest!

Best Places to go in Nicaragua: Miraflor Cloud Forest

8. Lake Apoyo: The Most Relaxing Crater Lake

Lake Apoyo is a crater lake just outside of Granada that is beautiful, peaceful, and a great place to escape the Nicaragua heat. You can go to many of the lookouts for a great view or spend a day or two at one of the many hotels on the Lake. Paradiso is the most popular place to stay, which also has day passes accompanied by all sorts of great activities and free kayak rentals!

9. Las Peñitas: Northern Nicaragua’s Beach Paradise

Las Peñitas is another beautiful beach destination in Nicaragua. This small beach town is best known for its sea turtle releases, which is an amazing experience! The best time to visit Las Peñitas is in between October and January, and it’s best to stay a few days so that you’re more likely to be able to do a turtle release. It’s close to León so if you can’t stay the night, you can definitely do this as a day trip.

10. Nicaragua’s Northern Highlands

Nicaragua’s northern highlands comprise the area straight north of Managua and east of León. This region is full of unique attractions such as the Somoto Canyon, Miraflor Cloud Forest, and Nicaragua’s coffee region (made up of Jinotega, Matagalpa, Selva Negra, and other small towns in the area). You can visit this region using the city of Estelí (the cigar capital of Nicaragua!) as your home base, or stay a night or two in the places that peak your interest!

Check out our articles on the best things to do in Estelí, a Somoto Canyon Day Trip, and Miraflor Cloud Forest!

Best Places to go in Nicaragua: Somoto Canyon

Best Time to Visit Nicaragua

The best time to visit Nicaragua is during the country’s dry season from November to May. This time of year is ideal for warm weather, perfect for exploring cities, volcanoes, and beaches! November through January tend to be a bit cooler than February through May, so if you’re sensitive to hot weather you may want to plan for those months. However, it’s always going to be hot in Nicaragua (especially in the cities), no matter when you visit!

The Best Places to go in Nicaragua FAQs

Is Nicaragua dangerous for tourists?

Nicaragua is not dangerous for tourists, but you should always take precautions to stay safe! Keep an eye on your belongings to avoid pickpockets, try to travel in groups at night, and don’t respond to any catcalling. As the US State Department Website implies, police officers can sometimes pick and choose who they want to fine, which can be a problem when driving in Nicaragua.

What is Nicaragua best known for?

Nicaragua is best known for its many volcanoes, great beaches, and beautiful colonial towns. Nicaragua is a great place to go, no matter what type of traveler you are!

What are the top tourist attractions in Nicaragua?

The top tourist attractions in Nicaragua are volcano boarding down Cerro Negro Volcano, the Granada Cathedral, the volcanoes on Ometepe Island, diving the Corn Islands, Playa Maderas, Somoto Canyon, viewing the lava at Masaya Volcano, surfing in San Juan del Sur, Miraflor Cloud Forest, sunrise and sunset at El Hoyo Volcano, the Granada Islets and hiking Mombacho Volcano.

What is the most beautiful part of Nicaragua?

The most beautiful part of Nicaragua is in and around Granada. Here you have the beautiful colonial buildings, crater lakes, the Granada islets, amazing volcanoes, and cloud forests.

Keep Exploring Nicaragua….

Our Favorite Travel Resources

Accommodations: We use Booking.com for hotels and HostelWorld for hostels. We also use VRBO or TrustedHousesitters for longer stays.

Flights: We recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest and best flights.

Ground Transport: We use 12Go and Omio for buses and private transfers, and rentalcars.com and Discover Cars for rental cars.

Activities: GetYourGuide and Viator are the best websites for booking organized tours.

International Medical Insurance: We highly recommend SafetyWing for Digital Nomads and HeyMondo for those not traveling full-time, or who frequently engage in higher-risk adventure activities.

eSIM: We recommend Airalo or Holafly for getting data internationally.

Check out our Travel Resources Page for more of our favorite travel-related products and services!

The Absolute Best Places to Go in Nicaragua