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Nicaragua Travel |
Río San Juan NicaraguaThe San Juan River of Nicaragua is one of the finest places in the entire Central American area for ecotourism. It flows from Lake Nicaragua 119 miles all the way to the Caribbean Ocean bordering to Costa Rica most of the time. Most of the San Juan River is surrounded by pure tropical rainforest with a spectacular biodiversity. On a quiet cruise down the San Juan River one can truly experience the feeling of being one with nature and really become a new person. Read more about the San Juan River what to expect when travelling on it. Río San Juan Nicaragua – Nature and wild lifeAlthough completely surrounded by rainforest the most interesting thing one might see is a bunch of monkeys swinging from the trees, it is in the water and in the sky the exciting wildlife is. Both in Lake Nicaragua and in the San Juan River one may find alligators, caimans, tarpon, freshwater sharks, sawfish and swordfish. Although many of these are usually found in salt waters they can find their way upstream the San Juan River and survive without any problems. But do not stare into the water the entire trip, look up and see hundreds of different bird species such as Chestnut Toucans, Harpy Eagles, Boat-billed herons, Great Egrets, Jacanas, Cormorants and many, many parrots. Río San Juan Nicaragua – Solentiname IslandsRight before the mouth of the San Juan River lies the Solentiname Islands which is an archipelago of four larger islands and 32 smaller ones. The Solentiname Islands are of volcanic origin and the highest of them reaches 257 m above sea level. It is well worth to pay the Solantiname Islands a visit since they are as tropical as they can get with a fauna adapted for both wet and dry climates and a huge variety of parrot species. These islands are also a hot spot for a lot of artists, sharing the beaches with the local farmers. With a little luck one can get a hold on some beautiful artworks here so take some time and check it out before entering the San Juan River. Río San Juan Nicaragua – San CarlosRight in the mouth of the San Juan River lays San Carlos, a quiet little community of around 7000 people and still the capital city of the San Juan River Department. It is in San Carlos most San Juan River cruises begin since it is here most of the boats for tourist trips are. San Carlos also has a fort which is the highest spot in town, offering a grand view of both the small community and Lake Nicaragua. For those staying for dinner in San Carlos it is highly recommended that you try one of the fish dishes as it will be brought to you right out of the river, can not get any fresher than that. Río San Juan Nicaragua – Castillo La Inmaculada ConcepciónWhen cruising down the San Juan River one will come across something that does not fit in at all, a fort. Built by the Spanish in 1671 the fort was established to protect the river route between the Atlantic and Lake Nicaragua from pirates and rivalling countries. With its 30 cannons this fort held back an invasion and secured Nicaragua as a Spanish speaking country. Today this fort will luckily not fire on tourists but invite them to enjoy a very informative museum and some great views up from the fort walls. Río San Juan Nicaragua – San Juan del NorteAfter a long way with only nature the cruise down the San Juan River ends up in the Caribbean Ocean in a tiny town known as Greytown. Although once an important settlement with a fort and a customs station it is today nothing more than a ghost town. Bombed, pillaged and burned on several occasions Greytown has been rebuilt on several occasions and therefore has moved around a little. Southeast of the modern Greytown lies the ruins of two older settlements which were destroyed by Americans in 1854 and in a Sandinista-Contra conflict in 1984.
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