MORE FACTS
| Visas: Citizens of the UK and the US do not need visas and are given a 90-day tourist card on arrival. Australians and New Zealanders will require either visas or a 30-day tourist card.
Public holidays: Semana Santa (Holy Week) is when all Nicaraguans head to the beach. The festival is accompanied by the traditionally flamboyant penitence in which Latin countries specialise. Each town also has its own patron saint and marks the saint's day with a carnival atmosphere. Good buys : There are financial benefits to getting off the beaten track: Masaya in particular has some of the best-value arts and crafts in Central America. Local dishes: Food is centred around meat, beef, pork or chicken, which is invariably served with either beans or rice. Outside fruit season, vegetarians may find themselves limited to the classic Nicaraguan dish of gallo pinto (fried rice and beans). There is good seafood to be found on the coasts and freshwater fish around Lago de Nicaragua. Good reading: The Jaguar smile Salman Rushdie. |