Nicaragua

A land of poetry and revolution, lakes and volcanoes, war and peace.

To the new generation of travelers, Nicaragua represents booming beach breaks, volcano hiking, island paradises and laid-back colonial towns. It seems that the message - 'the civil war finished decades ago people!' - has finally gotten across to a world who had the country pegged as a troublespot.

Yet the iconic images of idealistic young people giving their lives for a dream of liberty endure, and Nicaragua remains a land where people, whatever their beliefs, tend to go beyond cheap chatter. A place of artists and poets, the country's people are an even greater asset than its natural splendor.

Incidents of banditry occur in the remote North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN), particularly around Bonanza, Siuna and along the Honduran border. Travelers should exercise high levels of caution when visiting these remote areas.