Nicaragua Country Quickfacts

Area: 30,370 square kilometres/50,336 square miles

Capital: Managua 

Country Code: 505

Country Population: 6,200,000

Entry Information: Citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the European Union require just a passport to enter Nicaragua and may stay for up to 90 days. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of entry. 

Credit Cards: All major credit cards accepted: American Express, Visa, Master Card and Diners Club. Credit cards are accepted at most hotels and restaurants except the very inexpensive ones. Credit cards cannot be used for taxis or at most attractions (museums, parks, etc).

Currency: Cordoba. U.S. dollars are widely accepted in Nicaragua and can be used to pay for taxis, hotels, restaurants, and stores. However, do keep some Cordobas on hand just in case. 

ATMs: ATMs are becoming increasingly available. There are plenty in the main cities such as Managua, Granada, Leon, and Rivas. Many ATMs also accept Visa and MasterCard.

Departure Tax: When leaving Nicaragua, you must pay a C700 airport tax, which must be paid in cash in either U.S. dollars or Nicaraguan Cordobas. this is sometimes included in the price of your airline ticket. There is also a tourist entry fee of C100 that must be paid upon arrival into the country.

Drives on the: Right

Electricity:110 volts, 60 Hz, the same as the United States and Canada. However, three-prong grounded outlets are not universally available. It is helpful to bring a three-to-two-prong adapter. 

Ethnic Groups: The Nicaraguan population is basically mestizo, a mixture of white and Amerindian. Estimates are mestizos 69%, white population 17%; black population 9% and Amerindians 5%.

Location: Nicaragua is sandwiched between Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south in Central America

Official Language(s): Spanish

Religion: Roman Catholic (73%), Protestant and others (27%)

Time Zone: 7 hours behind GMT

Tipping: A 10% tip is expected at cafes and restaurants. This is often added to the bill automatically even though the waiter/waitress may never see it. If you are worried your tip is not getting into the right hands, give a little extra to the waiter directly. You are not obliged to pay the automatic tip if the service was bad.

Nicaragua Travel Information

At Goway we believe that a well-informed traveller is a safer traveller. With this in mind, we have compiled an easy-to-navigate travel information section dedicated to Nicaragua.

Learn about the history and culture of Nicaragua, the must-try food and drink, and what to pack in your suitcase. Read about Nicaragua's nature and wildlife, weather and geography, along with 'Country Quickfacts' compiled by our travel experts. Our globetrotting tips, as well as our visa and health information, will help ensure you're properly prepared for a safe and enjoyable trip. The only way you could possibly learn more is by embarking on your journey and discovering Nicaragua for yourself. Start exploring… book one of our Nicaragua tours today!

Extend Your Trip

After your Nicaragua vacation packages, why not consider another of Goway's Latin America tours? These include a large selection of other exciting countries in Central and South America. We offer Costa Rica vacation packages. Panama, vacation packages, Ecuador vacation packages which include Galapagos cruises and Peru vacation packages which include Machu Picchu tours.  

Book your Nicaragua tour with Goway! 

LATIN AMERICA by Goway is an exclusive division that specializes in planning and organizing Nicaragua tours, vacations and experiences. Choose from a simple city stopover, enjoy a small group tour, a Holiday of a Lifetime, an independent travel module and much more. We want to be your first choice when next you go globetrotting to Nicaragua.