Transportation and Nicaragua Directions
Addresses in Nicaragua:
Nicaragua has a set of very specific "directions", as opposed to addresses. In this system, there are no street names or numbers! Most "directions/addresses" have a reference point, such as a well known building or business. Some reference points don't even exist anymore, like "where the Pepsi Factory used to be," or "where the big tree used to be." This undoubtedly causes foreigners to get lost, and even Nicaraguans who are unfamiliar with a given area. However, most Nicaraguans are proud to have its own system, and use it without much problem.
How it works
Instead of street names or numbers, Nicaraguans use well know landmarks with which to begin to give directions. There are many famous buildings, businesses, churches and other landmarks, which are used to give an idea of where something is located. To give an address, once you have a reference point, the next step is to indicate the distance (meters, blocks, etc.) between this and the site we try to point
For example: "from the Calvary Church, one block east, and a half a block south."
This is an easy example. The reference point in this case is the Calvary Church, a church well known in the city of León. Just going one block south and then half a block east, and you will reach the desired location.
This sounds easy, but there are other complications. First of all, the words "east" and "west" are not widely used. Instead, the words "up" and "down" are used instead. One might think that this means where the land slopes down and where the land slopes up. However, this is not the case! Up (arriba) means where the sun rises: the east. Down (abajo) means where the sun sets: the west. Sometimes, east (este) and west (o'este) are also used, but arriba and abajo are much more commonly used.
Another interesting word that is used is "lake". This means you have to go toward the lake. This reference is used in cities like Managua (Lake is to the north) and Granada (the lake is to the east). Sometimes, depending on where you are, it may be difficult to find out where the lake is, especially if you are in the middle of an unfamiliar street, in the middle of the city!
Deciphering the directions in Nicaragua.
In Nicaraguan addresses, many other referential words are used, especially when the site location must be specified precisely. For example, the expressions beside, or in front are widely used. Below are some words used in directions that will help you decipher Nicaraguan addresses:
De la Rotonda Gueguense, 2 Cuadras arriba. From the Gueguense Traffic Circle, 2 blocks east
De la Clinica Santa Maria, 1 Cuadras al sur, 20 metros abajo. From the Santa Maria Clinic, 1 block South, 20 meters west
Del Zamaforo Enitel, 30 metros al lago. From the Enitel Traffick Light, 30 meters north
Del Catedral, una Cuadra arriba, 1/2 Cuadra al sur. From the Catholic Cathedral, one block east, 1/2 block south
Donde fue la Casa de los Mejia Godoy, una cuadra al lago. From where the Mejia Godoy House (a restaurant/bar) used to be, 1 block north
Del Reloj, una cuadra abajo, 200 varas el sur. From the Clock (a well known tower clock in Diriamba), 1 block west, 200 yards south. **A vara is about a yard in length
Km 19 carretera a Ticuantepe. At the 19 Kilometer of the highway to Ticuantepe. (while street are not named, most major roads do have Kilometer markings (usuallly cement posts painted white with black numbers).
En frente del Banpro. On the other side of the street, or in front of Banpro (a major bank).
Contiguo (o al lado) to Union Fenosa. Next to or adjacent to Union Fenosa (Electric Company)
Transportation
Nicaragua is a country that contains many beautiful and diverse attractions; some of them are quite popular, whereas others are fairly unknown or even completely unexplored. Nicaragua not only possesses lakes, lagoons, rivers and estuaries, but also volcanoes, mountains, and cliffs. And then there are also cities, towns, and villages, and on the other hand, tropical rain forest, woodlands, and plantations. Arriving at these sites is always possible one way or another, but a little knowledge about how to move around in Nicaragua can be of great help.
Read more below about some useful hints to explore this beautiful, interesting country.
Before continuing with more details, we can start with one very practical tip: if you do not know how to get somewhere, just ask! Only rarely will you not find friendly Nicaraguans who are willing to help. If you are in doubt, be sure to ask somebody on the streets. If possible, try to find more than one person, especially in the rural areas, because although people are very helpful, they also tend to provide you with a mere guess if they do not know the area. In any way, asking directions helps you find places and you will also be surprised how easy it is to get involved in a lively conversation with the friendly Nicaraguans!
There is a large network of roads in Nicaragua, varying in size from three-lane highways to narrow mountain passes, and varying in condition from excellent roads to poorly maintained dirt-roads that appear to be inaccessible. In order to reach the different beautiful locations in Nicaragua, it is not only necessary to know about how to get there, but also to know about the type and condition of the roads that will have to be traveled.
In Nicaragua, there are no high speed, multi-land highways. The most important highway is the Pan-American Highway, which connects many countries in this region. In Nicaragua this highway runs from the border with Honduras in the north, to the border with Costa Rica in the south, and along the way it passes through many towns and cities that offer important tourism attractions.
At several points, the Pan American Highway is widened to several lanes (this happens around important cities), but the largest part of the highway consists of only two lanes. The highway is in good condition, except for some parts that might be undergoing maintenance work. This highway runs through the departments of Madriz, Estelí, Matagalpa, Managua, Carazo, and Rivas.
In general, the roads that connect major cities are in good condition, although it is possible to encounter small segments or alternative routes that could cause significant slowing of traffic because of their poor condition.
Other secondary roads have never been asphalted or paved, but these might be the roads that lead to some of the most interesting destinations like beautiful beaches or excellent natural reserves. Some of these gravel or sand roads are quite well accessible, but others are in very poor conditions (during the raining season, many dirt-roads suffer from the tropical downpours and flash flooding and became impassable. In order to reach many of these beautiful, but more remote destinations of Nicaragua, it may be necessary to use high clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles, in order to pass muddy, slippery roads or steep paths.
