GETTING THERE

Nica, Nicaragua's national airline, flies to few international destinations, but flights to and from Managua are available with a number of Latin American, European and North American airlines. Be aware that there is an arrival tax of $5 (for a tourist stamp) and a departure tax of US$25. La Costeña, which offers domestic service to and from Nicaragua's Atlantic coast, also offers service to and from Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras.

There are three overland border crossings into Honduras, at Las Manos, El Espino and Guasule, and one into Costa Rica at Sapoá. Tica Bus offers the most reliable and comfortable service to many points in Central America. There is also a river crossing between Nicaragua and Costa Rica at Los Chiles, reachable by boat from San Carlos. Fishing and cargo boats from Bluefields and Puerto Cabezas, both on the Caribbean Coast, are always coming and going; you may be able to hitch a ride to another Central American port or island.