Travel advisory · NicaraguaSome governments advise against travel to parts of Nicaragua.Advice depends on your passport. Read your own government's advice before you book.Official advice

Areas with warnings

Also named by one government: Bluefields and immediate surroundings (France)

Government	Advice	Updated	Read the advice
United Kingdom (FCDO)	No specific advice against travel to the whole country	–	Read the advice
United States (State Dept)	Reconsider Travel	May 14, 2026	Read the advice
Canada (Global Affairs)	Exercise a high degree of caution	–	Read the advice
Germany (Auswärtiges Amt)	No travel warning; only general safety advice	Oct 13, 2026	Read the advice
New Zealand (SafeTravel)	Exercise increased caution	–	Read the advice
Ireland (Department of Foreign Affairs)	High Degree of Caution	–	Read the advice
France (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs)	Vigilance renforcée pour le reste du pays (regional advisories)	–	Read the advice

Checked daily from the governments' published advice; last checked Nov 2, 2026. RoamLedger summarises official advice; it is not advice from any government.

a view of a city with a church in the background

Central America

Nicaragua

Nicaragua is a Central American country of lakes and volcanoes. Go for the colonial streets of Granada and León, volcano climbs on Ometepe and Pacific beaches at San Juan del Sur.

Start with the essentials Where to stay Plan a trip to Nicaragua

Nicaragua covers more land than any other Central American country, and Managua is its capital and largest city. Lake Nicaragua, known as Cocibolca, is the biggest freshwater lake in Central America, and Ometepe Island sits in it, a boat ride of roughly an hour from Granada. Three broad zones make up the country: hot Pacific lowlands, cooler north-central highlands and humid Caribbean lowlands.

Granada and León were both founded in 1524, and their colonial streets and buildings draw history-minded visitors. Volcanoes are the other main draw: several can be climbed, some have crater lakes for swimming, and Cerro Negro near León is used for sand skiing down its slopes. The Pacific side has a dry season from November to April, while the highlands stay cooler. San Juan del Sur on the Pacific coast is a beach town with plenty of tourist services. Since the 2018 protests, the government has cracked down on dissent, and journalists have faced arrests, so check your government's current travel advice before booking. Overland travel is often difficult, so leave extra days between regions.

Five things to know before Nicaragua

Read the UK travel advice before you book
There is no resident British diplomatic mission in Nicaragua, so UK help comes from the embassy in Costa Rica, and replacement travel documents can take up to 4 weeks longer. Read the advice again before you fly. UK travel advice
Check the entry rule and fee for your passport
UK advice puts the arrival tax at 10 US dollars in cash and warns of refusal without an onward ticket; German advice gives 13 US dollars at land borders such as Peñas Blancas. Carry small US bills. Visa checker
Count your CA-4 days
British citizens can stay up to 90 days, shared with Guatemala and El Salvador under the CA-4 agreement, and the count does not reset at borders. British nationals need a visa for Honduras, so that country sits outside the 90 days. Guatemala guide
Keep politics, drones and vapes out of the trip
Foreigners can be arrested, detained or deported for political activity; German advice adds that entry can be refused over past social media posts. Law 1230 requires drones to be handed in, and e-cigarettes are banned. UK safety advice
Use Managua as a gateway, in daylight
Most routes start at Managua airport. Book a daytime transfer to Granada or León: UK advice says the main highways lack street lighting and to avoid driving at night. Managua to Granada and León

Nicaragua travel guides

Practical guides from writers who live there.

Managua

The airport city: where to stay, a two-day plan and the road to Granada.

Read the guide Visa checker

Stay lengths and arrival fees by passport.

Read the guide Visas and entry

The CA-4 stay and the onward-ticket check.

Read the guide Travel insurance

Check cover given your government's advice level.

Read the guide Getting around

Shuttles, daylight transfers and the ferry to Ometepe.

Read the guide Money

Córdobas, US dollars and ATMs outside the cities.

Read the guide

Top places to visit in Nicaragua

See all attractions in Nicaragua

Church · ManaguaParroquia San Francisco de Asís Bolonia

a large building with two towers on top of it

Sight · ManaguaBarrio Acahualinca

Monument · ManaguaEstatua de Montoya

Sight · ManaguaNational Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN)

Destinations in Nicaragua

CityManaguaExplore

CitySan Juan del SurExplore

Where to stay in Nicaragua

Neighborhood first, hotel second.

All stay guides

green grass field with trees under blue sky and white clouds during daytime

ManaguaWhere to stay in Managua: four bases for a short stay

Itineraries

2 daysManagua in 2 days, plus a layover versionA two-day Managua plan: old center, Tiscapa hill, the theater and lakefront by taxi, a Masaya volcano option and a layover version, with UK safety advice.

When to go

Rainy days

Best

JanuaryPartly cloudy4 rainy daysHigh32°Low22°Dry, breezy
FebruaryClear4 rainy daysHigh33°Low23°Dry
MarchClear3 rainy daysHigh35°Low23°Dry, hot
AprilClear6 rainy daysHigh35°Low25°Hottest
MayRain20 rainy daysHigh34°Low26°Rains start
JuneRain26 rainy daysHigh31°Low24°Wet
JulyRain20 rainy daysHigh31°Low24°Short dry spell
AugustRain24 rainy daysHigh32°Low24°Wet
SeptemberRain26 rainy daysHigh31°Low24°Wettest
OctoberRain27 rainy daysHigh30°Low23°Wet
NovemberRain17 rainy daysHigh30°Low23°Rains ease
DecemberPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh31°Low23°Dry, green

Average daily high and low in Managua, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to NicaraguaPut the places you like in Nicaragua on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Right now in Nicaragua

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 33°
Humidity: 57%
Wind: 8 km/h
Chance of rain: 86%

Managua

02:05 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT-6

Today34°25°86%Monday: Drizzle. High 34°, Low 25°. Chance of rain 86%.
Tue32°24°86%Tuesday: Thunderstorms. High 32°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 86%.
Wed28°24°89%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 28°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 89%.
Thu26°23°89%Thursday: Thunderstorms. High 26°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 89%.
Fri28°23°86%Friday: Drizzle. High 28°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 86%.
Sat29°23°86%Saturday: Rain. High 29°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 86%.
Sun29°24°89%Sunday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 89%.

Updated 11:29 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 36.86 NIO

Amount

Converted to

NIO · Nicaraguan Córdoba

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

Before you go to Nicaragua

Hotels near the airport or Granada routePlan the first night before the transferCheck availability

Volcano and lake toursGuides are required for volcano hikesCompare tours

eSIM for NicaraguaCheck coverage on OmetepeRead the guide Travel insuranceConfirm cover with current adviceRead the guide

We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.

Rules for Nicaragua, checked

You may be refused entry without an onward ticket; British citizens can stay up to 90 days, and an arrival tax of 10 US dollars is payable in cash.Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Read more It is illegal for foreigners to take part in political activity, including protests; offenders can be arrested, detained or deported.Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Read more Law 1230 of December 2024 requires people holding drones to hand them in to the authorities, so do not bring one.Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Read more

Nicaragua FAQ

Do I need a visa for Nicaragua?

British, Canadian, Australian, German and Spanish passport holders can visit for up to 90 days without a visa, according to their governments. Expect a cash arrival fee and carry an onward ticket. Check the visa checker for your passport.

Is it safe to travel to Nicaragua right now?

Read your government's current advice before you go, since it can change quickly. Foreigners can be detained or deported for political activity, so stay well away from protests, and use radio-dispatched or authorized taxis in the cities.

How do I get to Ometepe?

Ferries and smaller boats cross from San Jorge near Rivas to Moyogalpa in about an hour. Check the day's timetable, especially if the lake is rough.

Granada or León?

Granada sits on Lake Nicaragua with colorful colonial streets and boat trips to the isletas. León is hotter and more of a university city, close to volcano boarding on Cerro Negro. Both are reached from Managua.

When is the dry season in Nicaragua?

About December to April on the Pacific side, where most visitors go. The hurricane season normally runs from June to November, and the rains are heavier on the Caribbean coast.