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Nicaragua Travel |
Nicaragua TravelsNicaragua travel – Entry requirementsIt is always advisable to consult the Nicaraguan embassy in your home country, since entry requirements for Nicaragua travel differ depending on your nationality. Generally speaking, you must have a valid passport that will not expire within the next 6 months to enter Nicaragua. This is necessary even if you are only passing through Nicaragua on your way to another country. For many nationalities, a VISA will also be required for Nicaragua travel. If your home country is the United States of America, one of the European Union states or one of a few certain Latin American countries, you will not need a VISA. You will instead pay a small fee at the border and receive a tourist card valid for 30 or 90 days. Please note that entry requirements can change from one day to another, so it is always a good idea to consult the Nicaraguan embassy before each visit. The rules that were applicable the last time you visited Nicaragua, or when this article was written, may have changed since then. Nicaragua travel – Time zoneNicaragua is located in the GMT-6 time zone. This is the same time zone as US Central Time. The rules regarding Daylight Saving Time have varied during the last two decades; ask the locals or listen to the radio to find out more. Nicaragua implemented Daylight Saving Time as an energy-saving measure from 1992 to 1994. After 1994, Daylight Saving Time was not used for a decade, before it was implemented again in 2004. In April 2006, the clock was changed one hour to postpone nightfall in an effort to save energy. The clock was then changed back one hour in October. Nicaragua travel – MoneyThe national currency in Nicaragua is the córdoba. 1 córdoba equals 100 Centavos. In Nicaragua, prices are often written as $100, $500 etcetera. When there is a need to distinguish prices given in USD from prices given in córdobas, the letter C is used. C$100 means 100 córdoba, while $100 means 100 USD. A crossed over “c” is used to denote centavos: 50¢ means 50 centavos and so on. In everyday language, the word peso or pesos can be used for money, but it means córdoba and has nothing to do with the Mexican peso. During your Nicaragua travel, you will come across coins as well as banknotes. Higher banknotes, especially the C$500, can be difficult to use in small shops and markets, especially outside major cities. If you get high banknotes from the ATM, try to break them into smaller banknotes while still in the city.
Do not expect to find ATMs in rural parts of Nicaragua or in small townships. If you need to find ATMs that accepts both VISA and MasterCard, you can go to Managua, Leon, Granada, Chinandega, Matagalpa or Rivas. As of now, the ATMs in Estelí and Juigalpa will only accept VISA. The ATM in San Juan del Sur will on the other hand only accept MasterCard. In Nicaragua, ATMs are usually located inside or near banks, or at gas stations.
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