Managua is the capital of Nicaragua.

Districts

Understand

Get in

By plane

By car

By bus

There are direct bus routes from all major cities stopping at various points.

Buses from Masaya, Granada, San Marcos and some from Jinotepe come in through the southeastern Carretera Masaya entrance and pass by the Centroamerica rotonda before going to either Huembes or UCA.

Buses from Jinotepe also come in through carretera Sur stopping by 7 Sur, a hub to go to via Carretera Nueva and Vieja Leon and C. Sur.

To go to the mountains in the north, buses leave from El Mayoreo.

By boat

Get around

some important bus lines:

110 goes from mercado israel lewites (buses to leon) to mercado huembes (buses to granada)

if you get off at centroamerica you can take the 119 to UCA

buses to granada, leon, jinotepe, masaya, and chinandega are also available at UCA (universidad centroamericana) several city buses connect through UCA as well (102, 103, 110, 119)

fair cab prices are currently between 20 and 30 cords during the day, and 30-50 at night..

bus fare is currently 3 córds. if you don't know which bus to take you can usually ask someone at the stop. there is no map of managua bus routes so most people just memorize them.

See

There is a lovely fountain at the Ruben Darío Rotonda that is lit up at night and visible from Tiscapa.

There are also canopy rides over the Tiscapa Lagoon. For a fee you can fly across the water in a harness.

Do

If you like to play poker, go to the Pharo's casino. It has black jack and hold'em poker tournaments at night (when there's enough interest); $25 buy-in. Crowne Hotel also has hold'em tournaments on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for $10 buy-in.

There are at least three good pool places if you're in a group, Pool8, and the two Time Off locations. All are downtown. Time Off has excellent snacks.

You can catch good latin american movies some Wednesdays at 7pm at the theatre near Art Cafe (a bar) near the Parque de las Palmas.

Learn

Work

Buy

If you do not have the time to go to Masaya for handicrafts, go to the Mercado Huembes where you will find everything from souvenirs to hammocks, and paintings. Ask anyone how to get there.

Eat

• Los Ranchos: steak house that is so good, it spawned a chain in South Florida. Has been popular with locals for lunch and dinner since the days of Somoza. During that time, the politicos on opposite side of the conflict would run into each other here on a regular basis. Service is impeccable. They serve a churrasco that is hard to beat for flavor and tenderness. Order it with a gin Martini for appetizer. Located about 3 blocks north of statua de Montoya. $$.

A good breakfast is Leche Agria - a homemade yogurt like drink. Look for signs advertising it in store fronts and pulperias. Put a little salt on it.

• Casa del Cafe for good coffee and breakfast. Located in Los Robles.

• Sushi Ito, in case you have a craving. Decent. At least two locations, one in Carretera Masaya about km 11. $$.

• La Cueva del Buso - great seafood freshly caught. Must go if you can afford it $$$.

The bar at UNI (Universidad Nacional de Ingenieria) has excellent hamburgers and banana shakes for 15 and 7 cordobas respectively. UNI is around the corner from UCA downtown.

Drink

• Toro Huaco: outdoor restaurant bar that is comfortable with large groups. Sit under the stars on clear nights. Open mike night on Thursdays for joke telling is good night to get to know the Nicaraguan sense of humor. Owner speaks English fluently. Located in the Zona Rosa across from the Picoteo.

• Music Lounge: Outdoor/indoor music bar that plays a range of music. Nice lighting and atmosphere. Show up with friends. Address is from the Texaco in altamira, two blocks north.

• Hipa Hipa: Discotek on Carretera Masaya. Fanciest in Managua. Entrance can be 150 cordobas, parties wed/fri/sat.

There are tons of bars in the area south of the big BAC building downtown, find an abandoned place called Lacmiel and head east to find this zone.

There are also a few bars and restaurants around ZONA HIPPOS. Woody's has good wings. This area is west of the traffic light at Hilton Princess and La Union supermarket.

Sleep

• Hilton Princess Managua, [1]. 5 miles from the airport and mere steps from some of the best bars & restaurants in town. Great staff.

• Santos Guest House is the most renowned budget place in town -- or at least the cheapest -- $5/night/person. This place might be handy for backpackers. Don't expect too much from the DIY plumbing and electrical wiring, but you will get your own bathroom/shower.

• Bolonia, home of Hotel Santos, contains a host of $5-15/night (negotiable) hostels within a few blocks of the Tica Bus station. Walk around and visit a few before you choose one.

• Hotel Europa has clean, comfortable rooms for about $30.00/night. It is owned by a Spanish guy. Located near the Crowne Plaza (one block al lago, one west, one block al lago).

• Crowne Plaza: This is one of the nicest Crown Plazas around. The service is impeccable, the pool is very nice, and there's marble everywhere. There's a casino and a sushi restaurant, several more restaurants within walking distance, and a small shopping mall across the street. Get a room with lake view and you will see clearly all the way to Teatro Ruben Dario, the old cathedral, and the old and new government buildings. This hotel was the Intercontinental for years until the new Intercontinental was built at Metrocentro. Before the 1972 earthquake that destroyed Managua, this hotel sat on the hill overlooking the whole city right next to the main military base and Somoza's bunker. It's where everyone who was anyone stayed in Nicaragua until the early 1990's. The EEBI (the elite force of the Guardia Nacional during Somoza's time) and the military academy were a short walk away. It's as if the U.S. advisers and politicos had a dorm right next to the Somoza government. Howard Hughes stayed here when he was in Nicaragua in the 1970's. It is said that he rented three floors for weeks and demanded that the staff not rotate. He met with Somoza about some business, but nothing came of it. Rooms go for $90-120 a night.

• Mansion Teolinda has nice rooms with Air Conditioning, cable TV, a pool and a restaurant. It was the well known house of a family until the revolution. It was confiscated and taken by a Sandinista and never given back. They retained the name Teolinda when they turned it into a hotel though because it is so well known. It is located near the Crown Plaza Hotel (two streets south, two blocks west). A double room with breakfast included goes for about $60.00.

• Los Balcones (near the Spanish embassy) in Las Colinas close to Managua is a family run hotel with rooms that start at $25/night. 24 hour security. The owner speaks English, but the rest of the family does not. Breakfast is available. Rooms have air conditioning and cable, including BBC world and Los Angeles and New York network stations. The only downside is the traffic if you're on the street side of the hotel. Big plus is the view from the balconies of downtown Managua. Some mornings are just amazing.

Contact

Los Balcones (near the Spanish embassy) in Las Colinas close to Managua is a family run hotel with rooms that start at $25/night. 24 hour security. The owner speaks English, but the rest of the family and the principals of the staff don't. Breakfast is available. Rooms have air conditioning and cable, Wireles Internet for free, refrigerator, pool, safe parking. The Hotel's slogan is "One Bed - One Bathroom" The only downside is the traffic during the day if you're on the street side of the hotel; luckily not when you are sleeping. A big plus is the view of downtown Managua from the balconies. Some mornings are just amazing. Contact E-Mail losbalcones@cablenet.com.ni or at Phone 505-255-0031, ending 2 and 3. Website www.hotellosbalcones.com

Get out

You can leave through the domestic bus routes or you can leave the country from the major bus line stations like Ticabus, King Quality, Transnica, etc