Discover Nicaragua before the hordes come

Though it’s been peaceful for nearly three decades and possesses numerous tourist attactions, Nicaragua remains one of the least-visited countries in the region. That’s surprising as it’s a land of spectacular rainforests, lakes and volcanoes, with deserted beaches, colourful unspoilt colonial cities, a growing ecotourism scene and incredible wildlife.

Things are changing rapidly, though: a 2014 analysis of the World Travel and Tourism Council’s growth figures, by lovehomeswap.com revealed Nicaragua to be an emerging holiday hotspot, with annual  projected growth in tourism of 5.8 per cent between now and 2024. Although more recent actual figures from the Nicaraguan Tourist Board were slightly less – a 5.2 per cent increase in 2015 compared to 2014 – that’s still a very impressive increase.

The Central Bank of Nicaragua’s annual report, published in March 2017, noted that in 2016 the average duration of tourist visits was 9 per cent higher and the daily expenditure of tourists was up 8 per cent, compared to the previous year. Having just visited the country, how those visitors spent more money is slightly puzzling considering Nicaragua is such a cheap place to visit: indeed living costs are generally half those of its neighbour, Costa Rica.

New roads are emerging

Infrastructure is fast-improving: new roads are emerging, including one greatly reducing the drive time from Managua to San Carlos, there’s an improved boat trip service to El Castillo, and an airport opened recently on Ometepe island, a Unesco biosphere reserve known for its twin volcanoes. A bridge has been built over the San Juan river, connecting Nicaragua with Costa Rica, and work has started on a canal cutting through Lake Nicaragua on a 173-mile journey between the Caribbean and the Pacific, although completion of this massive project is currently not known.

There’s been a boom in luxury hotel openings, including large hotel chains like Holiday Inn and Radisson, and one of the latest being the 5-star Mukul Beach, Golf and Spa in Rivas on the Emerald Coast. Other recently opened properties include the Yemaya Island Hideaway & Spa on Little Corn Island, the Elements Hotel Boutique in Managua, the Hyatt Place in Managua and the Pacaya Lodge & Spa at  Laguna de Apoyo. There are now 1,657 (and growing) registered hotels in all categories, ranging from hostels to five-star resorts.

Despite all these changes, still being little visited means that Nicaragua blessedly retains an ‘off-the-beaten-track’ feel – at least for now.

The lowest crime rate in Latin America

One reason Nicaragua has been comparatively untroubled by touristic visits has perhaps been a common perception that it is unsafe. However, Interpol and various other sources have ranked the country as having the lowest crime rate in Latin America.

When I visited the country a couple of weeks ago I was struck by how unspoilt the country is. It possesses the greatest amount of  coastline (both Caribbean & Pacific) in Central America, and has pristine beaches featuring world-class surfing. It has the largest tropical rainforest north of the Amazon, the Bosawas Reserve is the biggest biosphere reserve in Central America.

It’s lovely to be able to stroll around the colourful colonial cities of Leon and Granada and not feel that they have been taken over by tourism, they haven’t been ‘Disneyfied’ or turned into inauthentic touristic resorts.

In just a few days we visited a coffee plantation, a rum distillery, a beautiful waterfall, had a taste of the vibrant new cuisine scene, made our own cigars and chocolate bars, hiked a couple of volcanoes and took a boat trip along the glorious coastline. All these attractions were within easy travelling distance and just a fraction of what Nicaragua has to offer: it really is a destination waiting to be discovered.