Girls trip with teen in Nicaragua
Jul 2nd, 2007, 10:19 AM
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Girls trip with teen in Nicaragua
Nicaragua has been on my to go to list for a couple of years now. I have saved articles from magizines and have done a bit of research. Here's my question.. I would love to take my niece and a couple of friends but I wonder about the safety of Nicaragua and also the ease of travel. ( I also have a two year old at home and my husband worries about some of the places I choose) so what do you think? I have traveled a bit and we all went to Costa Rica on an earlier trip and it went well.How does Nicaragua compare to Costa Rica. I imagine it being much more laid back, less touristy and perhaps a bit more difficult to get around. Thanks for all of your help.
Jul 2nd, 2007, 04:10 PM
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When are you going? I am going by myself the last week of October. I speak only a little Spanish (will try to brush up by then) and have done CR by myself for the last 4 years. From my research so far, it seems pretty easy to get around, at least to & from the more popular spots. I will tell you how it goes!
Jul 2nd, 2007, 06:21 PM
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Tully,
I was hoping that you would reply as I have noticed that you post alot.. I am thinking.(just thinking) that I would like to go in Sept. Airfare is very reasonable and from what I have been reading almost anytime is a good time to go. I would probably go to the most popular places as well and would only go for a week as I don't like to be away from my son for too long. Let me know what your itinery is so far if you wouldn't mind.. My trip to Costarica was my third and I had gone to Pamana the year before which was so easy. Do you travel a lot? Thanks in advance for your help.
I was hoping that you would reply as I have noticed that you post alot.. I am thinking.(just thinking) that I would like to go in Sept. Airfare is very reasonable and from what I have been reading almost anytime is a good time to go. I would probably go to the most popular places as well and would only go for a week as I don't like to be away from my son for too long. Let me know what your itinery is so far if you wouldn't mind.. My trip to Costarica was my third and I had gone to Pamana the year before which was so easy. Do you travel a lot? Thanks in advance for your help.
Jul 2nd, 2007, 07:30 PM
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ttraveler - I think with a teen Granada surely would be appealing, and it seems great place for day trips as well - Mombacho, Masaya, the isletas, etc. I believe Sept & Oct are the last 2 months of the rainy season, but as far as what that means I don't know....I've always gone to CR in the green season and seen very little rain, so I've just decided if it rains, it rains.
Right now the only thing I have nailed down is Morgan's Rock, Oct 28th-Nov 1st. That'll give me 2 nights in Granada at the start and 1 night in Managua at the end. As soon as I get my air lined up I may try to get that to 3 nights in Granada and skip Managua, we'll see. Air is running about $540 now so I'm trying to wait a little to see if it'll drop.
I've been googling a lot and so far have come across 2 tour companies that I like, Oro Travel and Tierra Tours. They seem to have good reviews (of the few I've come across) and handle what I need (transfers, day tours etc). Were you thinking of Granada as well? It looks like such a lovely town.
I came across an interesting blog btw, it is http://ourman.typepad.com/omig/ He has some incredible photos there as well as interesting commentary.
Has your niece traveled to Central America or Mexico before?
Right now the only thing I have nailed down is Morgan's Rock, Oct 28th-Nov 1st. That'll give me 2 nights in Granada at the start and 1 night in Managua at the end. As soon as I get my air lined up I may try to get that to 3 nights in Granada and skip Managua, we'll see. Air is running about $540 now so I'm trying to wait a little to see if it'll drop.
I've been googling a lot and so far have come across 2 tour companies that I like, Oro Travel and Tierra Tours. They seem to have good reviews (of the few I've come across) and handle what I need (transfers, day tours etc). Were you thinking of Granada as well? It looks like such a lovely town.
I came across an interesting blog btw, it is http://ourman.typepad.com/omig/ He has some incredible photos there as well as interesting commentary.
Has your niece traveled to Central America or Mexico before?
Jul 3rd, 2007, 08:22 AM
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Tully,
Thanks for your quick reply. Sounds like you are planning a great trip.I took my neice to Costa Rica in Feb. I was impressed with how well she did considering it was her first trip out of the country. She loved it.We like to keep very active with day trips. I think I would like to completly ship Managua and head to Granada. We could take some day trips from there and I would also love to go to Morgans Rock for a couple of nights. I have been longing to go there for sooo long. I keep seeing articles in magazines...I am going to look up the sites for the tours. How long are you going for.. just a week? S
Thanks for your quick reply. Sounds like you are planning a great trip.I took my neice to Costa Rica in Feb. I was impressed with how well she did considering it was her first trip out of the country. She loved it.We like to keep very active with day trips. I think I would like to completly ship Managua and head to Granada. We could take some day trips from there and I would also love to go to Morgans Rock for a couple of nights. I have been longing to go there for sooo long. I keep seeing articles in magazines...I am going to look up the sites for the tours. How long are you going for.. just a week? S
Jul 4th, 2007, 05:48 AM
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ttraveler - yes sadly only for a week, I just ate up 2 weeks in CR in May so the week in Nic is all I'll have...at least til 2008! Think it's great your neice has gone to CR, I think that would help a lot in terms of going to Nicaragua - I know many people (including some of my adult co-workers!) consider the history and the poverty and automatically assume it is a place they would never go, which is sad.
Yes, Morgan's Rock....I posted here on fodors eons ago right when it opened saying look at this place, I want to go and well it tool me a couple years but finally making it. They seem to have a good amount of howler monkeys there, and being my favourite animal, well, I could sit there for hours and watch them.
Keep me updated on any good info you come across or ideas....other than the time at MR everything else is still fluid right now - trying to get the most out of my little time there.
Yes, Morgan's Rock....I posted here on fodors eons ago right when it opened saying look at this place, I want to go and well it tool me a couple years but finally making it. They seem to have a good amount of howler monkeys there, and being my favourite animal, well, I could sit there for hours and watch them.
Keep me updated on any good info you come across or ideas....other than the time at MR everything else is still fluid right now - trying to get the most out of my little time there.
Jul 6th, 2007, 11:25 AM
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Tully,
I checked out Oro tours as well as Tiera. Have you been able to locate any pricing for either of these companies? Have you e-mailed them? also, wondering how you are planning on getting to Granada. I also speak very very limited spanish. I guess if I do get a chance to go I had better brush up as well.
I checked out Oro tours as well as Tiera. Have you been able to locate any pricing for either of these companies? Have you e-mailed them? also, wondering how you are planning on getting to Granada. I also speak very very limited spanish. I guess if I do get a chance to go I had better brush up as well.
Jul 8th, 2007, 05:29 AM
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Tierra has pricing on their site, Oro doesn't but I'm assuming all of them would be very similiar. There are 2 others I've looked at as well, just to get an idea of pricing http://www.mombotour.com/rates.html and http://www.tropicaldiscovery.com/tou.../vacations.php I'm thinking I may have to pay a little more or double if I want a tour when they have no other clients but hope not.
I've seen Oro mentioned a couple times for transfers, though they don't list their rates I did find this: http://centralamerica.com/nicaragua/...ctransfers.htm which I'm assuming uses Oro to contract out their transfers so at least that gives an idea of pricing. Also, one of the hotels I'm thinking of staying at, Casa San Francisco, has transfer rates on their website and they seem to all run about the same. There is also http://www.paxeos.com/ which seems similiar to Interbus in CR but their site seems only updated in Spanish.
Yes, I'm definitely committed to improving my Spanish, even if only a little.
As soon as I form up the rest of my trip I'll probably email Tierra or Oro. I'm still waiting to get my airfare (hoping for a drop soon!) and thinking maybe I might leave to Nica on a Thursday instead of a Friday to get one more day in Granada. Or, I was also thinking my next to last day will somewhat be a wash - just a transfer from MR to Managua hotel, so I'm thinking of maybe seeing if I can arrange a trip to the Masaya volcano & market on the way.
I'm also going to find out if there are certain school supplies I can bring and whom to take them to. I just read an article the average teacher in Nica makes an average of $1350 a year
Keep me updated on your trip & thoughts....Nicaragua posts here are in short supply, lol.
I've seen Oro mentioned a couple times for transfers, though they don't list their rates I did find this: http://centralamerica.com/nicaragua/...ctransfers.htm which I'm assuming uses Oro to contract out their transfers so at least that gives an idea of pricing. Also, one of the hotels I'm thinking of staying at, Casa San Francisco, has transfer rates on their website and they seem to all run about the same. There is also http://www.paxeos.com/ which seems similiar to Interbus in CR but their site seems only updated in Spanish.
Yes, I'm definitely committed to improving my Spanish, even if only a little.
As soon as I form up the rest of my trip I'll probably email Tierra or Oro. I'm still waiting to get my airfare (hoping for a drop soon!) and thinking maybe I might leave to Nica on a Thursday instead of a Friday to get one more day in Granada. Or, I was also thinking my next to last day will somewhat be a wash - just a transfer from MR to Managua hotel, so I'm thinking of maybe seeing if I can arrange a trip to the Masaya volcano & market on the way.
I'm also going to find out if there are certain school supplies I can bring and whom to take them to. I just read an article the average teacher in Nica makes an average of $1350 a year
Keep me updated on your trip & thoughts....Nicaragua posts here are in short supply, lol.
Jul 22nd, 2007, 06:45 PM
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Tully,
We finally figured out all of our schedules and we booked our trip yesterday. We will be in Nicaragua Oct 21-27th.. I think we will just miss you. We are going to start in Granada. I haven't booked anything yet but will start tomorrow. I am so excited. My niece isn't coming as she will be in school.. maybe next time.
Have you booked your rooms in Granada yet? I think I am leaning towards Casa San Francisco if they have room.
We finally figured out all of our schedules and we booked our trip yesterday. We will be in Nicaragua Oct 21-27th.. I think we will just miss you. We are going to start in Granada. I haven't booked anything yet but will start tomorrow. I am so excited. My niece isn't coming as she will be in school.. maybe next time.
Have you booked your rooms in Granada yet? I think I am leaning towards Casa San Francisco if they have room.
Jul 22nd, 2007, 06:56 PM
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ttraveler - awesome, so glad you got it booked! I will be at the Casa San Francisco, arriving Oct 25th & leaving Oct 28th - does that coincide with you or do we just miss? Still trying to figure out my day trips, now that I have an extra day I have a little more wiggle room but want to leave time to just walk around Granada & soak it up. Do you know where else you're thinking of going besides Granada? I'd love to do a day trip to Leon but not sure if timewise that'll work.
Well at least we don't have too long to go, a mere 3 months of waiting!
Well at least we don't have too long to go, a mere 3 months of waiting!
Jul 23rd, 2007, 07:21 AM
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Tully,
I think we are going to just miss you...
We will be in Granada the 21-24th and then heading down to the San Juan del Sur area.. Really would like to stay at Morgans Rock but I haven't contacted them yet.. I read in one of your posts that you got the last room so I am going to have to get right on that.. I also would like to take a sailing trip one day with Pelican Eyes. Hopefully I will have time later to start planning. I am really excited..
I think we are going to just miss you...
We will be in Granada the 21-24th and then heading down to the San Juan del Sur area.. Really would like to stay at Morgans Rock but I haven't contacted them yet.. I read in one of your posts that you got the last room so I am going to have to get right on that.. I also would like to take a sailing trip one day with Pelican Eyes. Hopefully I will have time later to start planning. I am really excited..
Jul 23rd, 2007, 10:48 AM
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ttraveler yes if you're thinking of MR I would email them right away. They said that was the last cabin, but since a deposit is due right at time of booking, maybe they have had someone cancel, wouldn't hurt to check. Plus I wanted 4 nighgts so maybe they have openings for a shorter time period. Bummer we will just miss! I'll have a drink for ya 
Sep 5th, 2007, 08:51 AM
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I used Paxeos for my transfer from the airport to Granada. Great service. You can reserve in advance, and it is only Us $15 to Granada. Oro Travel and the other tour operators and hotels are close or above US $30, and that is a good service too. For paxeos [email protected] and they are very fluent in English.
Sep 5th, 2007, 02:21 PM
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Gingerly,
Is Paxeos per person? We are a group of four and Casa San Francisco is charging us 45 dollars total. I am using them just for the ease of having them pick us up at the airport and then go right to the hotel. What do you think of that price?
Is Paxeos per person? We are a group of four and Casa San Francisco is charging us 45 dollars total. I am using them just for the ease of having them pick us up at the airport and then go right to the hotel. What do you think of that price?
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