Nicaragua TIP

Capital: Managua
International Airport: (MGA) International Airport of Managua
Airlines: American, Continental, Delta, Grupo Taca, Iberia
Entrance Tax: 100 cordobas or $5 USD
Exit Tax: ~600 cordobas or $32USD (often automatically added to your airline ticket – please double check)
Location: largest country in Central America – bordering Honduras to the north and Costa Rica in the south – east by the Caribbean Sea and west by the Pacific Ocean
Country Telephone Code: 505.xxx.xxxx
Emergency: 128
Police: 118
Fire Brigade: 115
Electricity: 110V AC, 60Hz (same as USA)
Language: Spanish (official), English
Currency: Cordoba (C) – divided into 100 centavos
-Bills:� -10; 20; 50; 100; 500
-Coins – 25, 50 centavos and 1 and 5 cordoba denominations
Gratuity: Tip all guides!� In restaurants, a 10% - 15% gratuity is often added to the bill.� Housekeepers should be paid 20 cordobas or $1 USD / day and bellhops 10 cordobas or .50 cents USD per bag.
Currency Converter: www.oanda.com/convert/classic
Time: GMT minus 6 hours; no daylight savings time
Temperature: Celsisus
To convert from ºC —› ºF [( x * 9) /5 + 32]
To convert from ºF —› ºC [(x – 32) * 5 / 9]
Visas and Documents: Visitors to Nicaragua must have at least 6 months of validity remaining on their passport and a return flight ticket to country of origin. Visas are not required for citizens of European Union countries, the USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand.

Embassy: www.cancilleria.gob.ni
Climate: Dry season: December to May; Rainy season: June to November
High Season: December
Health Information: wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationNicaragua.aspx

Hospitals in Nicaragua:
Hospital Privado Salud Integral - www.hospitalsaludintegral.com.ni

Internatinoal Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers: www.iamat.org
World Health Organization: www.who.int/countries/nic/en

Media: La Prensa – www.laprensa.com.ni
Nica Times – www.nicatimes.net
Surf Report: www.wavewatch.com

Consular Information Sheet: www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_985.html

Travel Insurance: www.insuremytrip.com
www.accessamerica.com

Weather:

Aviation: www.fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/usmap.jsp
Satellite: www.ghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/GOES/
US Weather: www.nws.noaa.gov/
World Weather: www.weather.com/common/welcomepage/world.html?from=globalnav
Tropical: www.nhc.noaa.gov/
Waves: www.fnmoc.navy.mil/PUBLIC/WW3/index.html

Recommended Gear:
-2 photocopies of your passport; 2 extra passport photos; copy of travel insurance and travel insurance telephone number; emergency contact phone list of friends and family back home
-waterproof sunscreen
-mosquito repellant (should contain at least 30% DEET)
-small umbrella
-sunglasses – polarized – if possible
-competitive style bikini
-camera + extra batteries + extra film/ extra memory card – (waterproof casing/ or waterproof cameras work best!)
-flashlight/headlamp + extra batteries
-journal + ballpoint pen
-rain jacket
-1 warm jacket (when at altitude near the volcanoes)
-binoculars
-1 nice outfit
-1 pair of trail or running shoes
-flip flops or sandals
-activity appropriate clothes
-bikini for competitive style for surfing
-1 towel
-1 trash bag (to keep items dry)
-2 compression straps (if you bring your surfboard)

First Aid Kit:
-small first aid kit (make certain your prescription medication [i.e.EPIPEN] is NOT expired!)
-feminine hygiene (tampons, pads)