The town of El Castillo itself is tranquil and interesting. Several times a day, the locals go out on the river in their canoes and fish with nets. There’s a lovely hotel in town constructed of indigenous woods. It was sponsored by the Spanish government and is a surprising sight in such a remote area.

You get to El Castillo by taking a river trip. Catch the boat in the town of San Carlos, on Lake Nicaragua (make arrangements ahead of time, as the service only operates on certain days). From there, the boat follows the Rio San Juan to El Castillo, passing through areas that have suffered a lot of deforestation in recent years. To the east of El Castillo, the scenery is more pristine. The Indio Maiz Biological Reserve is a rain-forest preserve located at the confluence of Rio San Juan and Rio Bartola. It incorporates 8,685 sq mi/22,500 sq km of forest that is home to monkeys, tapirs, coatis and many other species. It’s possible to take guided hikes into the area (inquire about the language skills of the guides—some don’t speak English). The Hotel Bartola, located on the edge of the biological reserve, makes a convenient base for those visiting the area. El Castillo is 155 mi/250 km southeast of Managua.