San Carlos, Nicaragua: A Budget Student's Unexpected Paradise
okay so i landed in san carlos with like $50 to my name and no plan. just a backpack, a half-charged phone, and the kind of optimism that usually gets you in trouble. the airport was basically a shed with a fan, but the humidity hit me like a wet blanket. i just checked and it's 18°C there right now, so bring a light jacket if you're a freeze-baby like me.
first thing i noticed? the lake. cocibolca is massive, like an ocean pretending to be a lake. i rented a kayak for $5 from some guy whose name i never got, and paddled out at sunset. the water was so still it mirrored the sky perfectly. someone told me that's when the freshwater sharks come out to play, but i didn't see any, thankfully.
food here is ridiculously cheap. i survived on gallo pinto and fried plantains from this hole-in-the-wall called soda el cafetal. it's not on yelp but it should be. $2 gets you a plate that could feed two people. the owner, maria, kept trying to feed me more even when i said i was full. "gordito needs energy," she said, patting my stomach. i didn't argue.
i stayed at hospedaje central, which is basically a room with a fan and questionable plumbing, but it was $8 a night. the guy at the front desk, carlos, drew me a map of all the best spots. he circled this place called mirador los angeles and said, "go at 5am. bring coffee." i did, and watched the town wake up from above the clouds. magical.
if you get bored, managua and granada are just a short drive away, but honestly? san carlos has everything you need. slow days, cheaper living, and people who actually look you in the eye when they talk to you.
oh, and the internet? spotty at best. but that's probably why i finally finished reading that book i've been carrying around for months.
here's a map to find your way around:
and because i'm apparently that person now, here are some photos i took (or stole from unsplash, whatever):
random tip: bring cash. like, all the cash you think you'll need in small bills. atms here are as reliable as my ex's apologies.
also, if you're into nature, check out the solentiname islands. i heard from a drunk guy at the hostel that they're like stepping into a national geographic documentary. no wifi, but lots of monkeys.
would i go back? in a heartbeat. san carlos isn't trying to be anything it's not, and that's rare these days.
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