Tica Bus Pickup in Liberia, Costa Rica

Pulmitan Station in Liberia, Costa Rica

As we wrote previously, we were surprised how simple it was to buy our Tica Bus tickets online. The next step of course was using them.

In communication with Tica Bus we confirmed that the location for pickup had changed since the last time we had travelled this route. With the construction of the overpass, the new pickup spot was at the Pulmitan Bus Terminal. The rep from Tica Bus wasn’t able to give me the direction for the terminal but confidently told me that all the taxis know where it’s located. Not being one to leave such an important detail to chance I was able to get a Google map to show the location of the terminal by using the website: http://thebusschedule.com/cr/index.php. We tried to get information about what time the Tica Bus would arrive from the ticket & information booths inside the Pulmitan station, but they weren’t helpful at all and of course spoke no English.

Interior of Pulmitan Terminal

Our tickets were booked on the 6:00 am bus out of San Jose which meant that it arrived in Liberia between 10:00-10:30 am. Our bus pulled right into the terminal, but we know that at times when the bays are full it will pull into the lot across the street from the terminal and load the bus from there. There wasn’t an assistant on the bus for our trip who usually would collect the border fees, which meant that when we arrived at the border the bus driver arranged for a woman to take us to where we had to pay our exit tax. 

There are new ex-ray machines to examine your luggage which modernized the process, but we were still about 1 ½ hours at the border before getting on our way into Nicaragua.

We arrived in Granada about 3 pm and there were taxis at the drop off point to take us to the hotel. Our taxi driver wanted $10.00 US to take us to where we were staying, but we knew that this was way overpriced.  We had checked beforehand and had been told that the fare for the taxi is 10 Córdoba’s per person. Quite often they will charge for your luggage which should still have only cost us 50 cords. We agreed on 60 cords and in no time at all we were settling into our accommodations.

Pulmitan Terminal - Liberia, Costa Rica

Maleku Tours - Liberia, Costa Rica

Tempisque River Boat Tours

When we originally booked our tickets through Air Miles we were scheduled to fly on Sunday, December 11th and transfer to Nicaragua by bus on the following day. However, Air Canada contacted us to inform us that they had cancelled our flight and we had the choice of leaving Halifax on Friday, December 9th or the following week on the 15th. Since we had already booked our Tica Bus tickets we opted to leave sooner, rather than later. With leaving two days earlier it meant that we had time to book a tour and enjoy what Costa Rica has to offer.  We decided on the Palo Verde Jungle Tour.

Iguana

We contacted Maleku Tours for airport pickup and also to take the Palo Verde Jungle Tour. Since we have used them before for transfers to the Riu Guanacaste we were not surprised when they responded quickly to our email request and all our arrangements were in place in no time at all.

Airport pickup went smoothly as they were waiting for us as we exited the airport. We were surprised to have personalized service with Eugenia and chatted all the way to the hotel catching up on what has been happening in the area over the last few years.

The following day Eugenia met us at 7:30 for our day tour to Palo Verde followed by lunch at Rancho Los Coyotes. All arrangements went smoothly. We had exceptional wildlife viewing on the Tempisque River with iguanas, crocodiles and birds galore.

After the boat tour, Eugenia located Howler monkeys for us and stopped for us to take pictures of them. By chance, the location that she stopped the van was along the route that the troupe used to cross the road and we were able to take some amazing shots of a mama howler and her baby.

 

Lunch at Rancho Los Coyotes was delicious and was ready as soon as we arrived. Before we left the Rancho some local artisans showed us how they make pottery - truly beautiful works of art that can be purchased right on site.

If you are in the Liberia area, we highly recommend using Maleku Tours – you will truly receive excellent service. https://www.malekutours.com/

A trip to the beautiful Pearl Cays

One of the Pearl Cays - Nicaragua

When tourists come to Pearl Lagoon one day trip on their agenda is a visit to the Pearl Cays. What are the Pearl Cays?  Vianica describes them this way:  ‘The group of islands called the Pearl Cays is located in the Caribbean Sea, about 35 kilometers from the town of Pearl Lagoon. The secluded islands offer a great place for a relaxing day-trip’

 Unfortunately, for us, we haven't been able to get out to them, but some friends of ours had a wonderful day trip and shared their day with us.

This is what they wrote:

We were meant to leave about 7:30 am but it was raining. Never mind, we were assured that the rain would soon pass and we would have a gorgeous day for our trip. An hour later the rain had eased and we were set to head off. It was a little rainy still and we got soaked, but hey, we were planning to get wet anyway!   It was a little choppy and we were riding against the waves, sometimes it felt like we had liftoff.

First stop was by some local fisherman who were shrimping. Our guides picked up a bucket load of shrimp they had just caught for lunch – and you can’t get fresher than that!

Fishermen at work

Fresh shrimp for lunch

After dropping us off on this tiny island with no name, our tour guides took off in the panga leaving us deserted!! The thought did briefly run through my mind that we could play ‘Survivor’ (wish I had practiced my fire starting skills) but everyone was too nice and I wouldn't know who to vote off the island.

Beach combing - Pearl Cays, Nicaragua

Anyhoo…a while later they came back after having caught us some fish for lunch. While they were preparing lunch we made good use of our time doing a little bit of, well nothing but relaxing!

Unfortunately, this time of year the visibility under water isn't that great. Never mind though, just means we will have to come back in the dry season – what a shame! Here are some of the underwater pics that turned out well…

Starfish - Pearl Cays, Nicaragua

Underwater - Pearl Cays, Nicaragua

Before lunch, we travelled to a larger island where they had the facilities to cook. Lunch was rondon, it was very… fresh. ‘Run-down’ is seafood and ‘bread-like’ vegetables cooked in a coconut broth – what can we say – not quite sure why it’s considered a delicacy!!!

Fresh fish - Pearl Cays, Nicaragua

Rondon - Pearl Cays, Nicaragua

We made up our own table centre piece from the beautiful things we had collected on the beach that day…

Being in such a beautiful place we had to make the most of photo opportunities. It’s amazing how some people fit in so well in island surroundings…

Our table centre piece - Pearl Cays, Nicaragua

Our faces say it all, so relaxed and happy. It was a fantastic day. Before heading home we went by the island where they filmed season 21 of Survivor. It looked very beautiful and lush – I reckon I could live there for 39 days.

Happy faces after a day at the Pearl Cays - Nicaragua

The ride back was a little better than the ride there because we were going in the same direction as the waves. There were a couple of times though, when we overtook a wave and the boat would slam down. Riding in the front, I could see it coming! Was a little rough but good fun. As we travelled home on the open water, the sun was setting and clouds were gathering, the sky looked awesome.

Pearl Cays, Nicaragua

Pearl Cays, Nicaragua

Pearl Cays, Nicaragua

Pearl Cays, Nicaragua

Do you want to travel to the Pearl Cays? It's easy to book your trip once you arrive in Pearl Lagoon through many of the hotels. The trip to the Pearl Cays can be expensive due to the price of gas. When we looked into the price we were told that the cost for the boat would be $200 US - the cost for the food may be additional. Check with a few places and then book with who you feel most comfortable with. Is one day not long enough? It is possible to stay on a Cay overnight - just ask your tour operator.  Please note: There is a Military Checkpoint when you leave Pearl Lagoon - bring your passport!

Restaurant with no name in Pearl Lagoon

Restaurant beside Western Union - Pearl Lagoon, Nicaragua

Imagine - 5 hungry people returning to their favourite dining establishment only to find it locked up tight! No smells of food cooking, no laughter, no music - no nothing.... What to do?

Well, there is always our second choice for the evening - so off we go..... Only to find out that the cook is feeling sick and there won't be any more food coming out of the kitchen this evening..... (glad we hadn't put in our order yet)

Hummm, what to do - where to go? As we strolled along Front Street we came across the "new" restaurant by the Western Union store. There is no sign outside so we've always just called it the "new" one. It has been open since the baseball series in March but we have never eaten there - we had heard that it had become more like a place to have drinks and hang out than a restaurant.

Well, let me tell you, it is far more than a bar and is well worth putting on your list of "must eats" in Pearl Lagoon. Although the food is a little pricier than other restaurants in town the quality makes it well worth a visit. Also, if it's beer you want, a cold Toña will only set you back 20 cords - less than a dollar a bottle!

Three in our party ordered different fish plates (170 cords a plate) and the other two ordered the Garlic Shrimp (180 cords). All meals were delicious! Each of the fish plates came with a medley of veggies that we haven't seen anywhere else in Pearl Lagoon. The veggie medley included green beans, baby corn, mushroom caps, and broccoli! The meal also had a side of french fries.

Garlic Fish dinner at  Restaurant - Pearl Lagoon, Nicaragua

The Garlic Shrimp was also a treat with a heaping plate full of large shrimp, tostones, rice and a garnish of tomato, onion topped with a slice of jalapeño.

Garlic Shrimp at  Restaurant - Pearl Lagoon, Nicaragua

So, even though this restaurant is still nameless to us, we highly recommend it to you - you won't be disappointed!

You will find the "new" restaurant on Front Street. It is located to the right of the Western Union and will almost be in front of you as you exit the Municipal Wharf.

Nicaragua's National Zoo

Amy Salton and Hayley McKleaine

Guest Post by: Amy Salton (visiting Nicaragua from Victoria, Australia)

Visiting a new country comes with many exciting new sights and experiences; the foods to try, a different culture to experience, the landscape and not to forget new and interesting species of animals you never knew existed. A Zoo affords you the opportunity to see animals that you may never get to see in the wild, so we decided to visit the Nicaragua National Zoo.

The Zoo is privately owned and as such, is always in need of funds to support its operation. They unabashedly charge an admission fee of 15 cords for locals and 100 cords for foreigners. You may balk at this, but putting it into perspective it is still only about $4.00 USD. There’s no zoo back home that I’m aware of that charges less than $15.00. So we were happy to pay for the privilege to enter.

Not too far in from the ticket office is a kiosk selling food, drinks and a few souvenirs, as well as the amenities.  We wandered our way through the Zoo along the mostly cemented pathways, taking the time to watch and enjoy the antics of the unusual creatures we’d not seen before. The layout of the park was quite pretty - there were seats to sit in front of some enclosures and many trees providing shade. There’s also the option of going through a butterfly house enclosure for an extra charge.

The signs on the enclosures describing the animals were all in Spanish. We could understand what most of them were saying but later thought that it would have been nice to have a booklet in English with a map and a translation of the enclosure signs. Since it’s a tourist attraction we would have liked to have seen it be a little more foreigner friendly. After our visit we took a look at their website and seeing that they welcome feedback we made this suggestion.

Overall it’s worth stopping by to have a look at what Nicaragua has to offer in the way of wildlife.

Why don't you come for a visit?

Important Info:

Nicaragua National Zoo is located at Kilometer 16 of the Managua-Masaya road. 

Opening hours: 

Tuesday-Sunday, from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (closed on Mondays)

Phone: 

(505) 279 8806 

(505) 279 8782

Enjoy some animal pictures from our day at the zoo:

(all pictures are courtesy of Amy Salton)

The Comfort Zone - Budget Friendly Accommodations in Pearl Lagoon

Are you looking for a budget friendly place to stay while visiting Pearl Lagoon? There are several options available, one of which is the Comfort Zone. 

The Right Side Guide web site (http://rightsideguide.com) describes the property in the following way: "Comfort Zone – About a block and a half left of the wharf, down a sidewalk that heads toward the water, right hand side about 20 meters from the street. Small establishment but with new rooms with big beds, ensuite bath and televisions. Martha and Dariel are gracious hosts and detail oriented. Budget to Midrange".

When Dariel showed us around the property he told us that they "treat their guests like family" - isn't they way we all like to be treated? Currently, the Comfort Zone has 4 rooms to choose from.  Two rooms have a double bed with private bathroom that rents for only 300 cordobas per night ($12.00 US), and the other two rooms have a double bed, a single bed and private bathroom that rents for a little more - 350 cordobas per night ($14.00). When we inspected the rooms we could see that they were clean and well maintained.

Martha and Dariel also have a small store where you can find any toiletries that you may have forgotten. 

Comfort Zone - Pearl Lagoon, Nicaragua

The Comfort Zone is nothing fancy but is a safe, clean, comfortable option for your visit to Pearl Lagoon. Give them a call at: 8829-7113, 8659-3557 or 8632-1037

Comfort Zone, Pearl Lagoon - room with double bed

Comfort Zone, Pearl Lagoon - room with double and single bed

Grocery Store - Comfort Zone, Pearl Lagoon

Support a local community - Wawashang Store - Bluefields, Nicaragua

Recently, while waiting for the panga to Bluefields we found out about a small store that supports a local community called Wawashang. Actually, we were told that they sell terrific, ground coffee for only C$80 a pound - humm, great coffee for so little? We're in!

The little store has no real signage but we were given good directions so it was easy to find. Unfortunately, they were all out of coffee but we did find some other great products. On the shelf they had a gallon of Coconut Oil for C$380 as well as smaller bottles that would make good gifts (sorry, I didn't look at the price). There was some cocoa powder, pineapple marmalade, plantain flour and some Borojo concentrate (a local fruit).

We were told that the products available are dependent on the season and can change frequently. Here is a list of the products that you can buy from this store:

• Palmito de Pejibaye (Baby Palmetto)
• Aceite de Coco (Coconut Oil)
• Caramelo de Jengibre (Ginger Candy)
• Cacao molido (Ground Cocoa)
• Jalea de Maracuya (Passion Fruit Jam)
• Jalea de Borojo (Borojo Jam)
• Mermelada de Naranja Agria (Sour Orange Marmalade)
• Jengibre en Polvo (Ginger Powder)
• Canela en Polvo (Cinnamon Powder)
• Curcuma en Polvo (Tumeric Powder)
• Chocolates
• Galletas de Jengibre (Ginger Cookies)
• Chilero y Chilero molido (I think this is a Chili sauce or Ground Chili)
• Harina de Banano (Banana Flour)
• Vinagre de Banano (Banana Vinegar)
• Achiote
• Coco de Agua y mas productos (Coconut water)
• Wawashang T-Shirts, mugs

The proceeds from the sale of the items benefit the resident's of Wawashang - so you know your money is going to support a great cause.

How to find the Wawashang store: When you exit the wharf, where the panga comes from Pearl Lagoon, turn left when you get to where the road is a T. Follow this street until you reach the corner seen below - in front of you, on both corners, are "Claro" buildings. If you were to turn left you would enter the Municipal Market. However, at this point you want to turn right. The Wawashang Store is on our left, just a few doors past the corner.

A walk in Central Park - Bluefields, Nicaragua

Central Park-Bluefields, Nicaragua

Every month we spend some time in Bluefields - picking up some money, buying stuff we can't get here in Pearl Lagoon, etc.  Not being real shop-a-holics we are always looking for things to do to while away a few hours until we can return on the panga.  On this last venture into Bluefields, after running around for a couple of hours, we decided it was time to take a break. On a previous visit Pat had discovered a local park and so we headed off to find the Central Park across from the Palacio Municipal.

Although the park isn't very big in terms of size we found it to be a very enjoyable spot to sit and relax with a nice cold pop. There are a couple of small stores where you can buy some treats and take them and sit under a nice shady tree. Speaking of the trees - some of them appear to be very old because their trunks are massive!

Along one side of the park you will find a wall with murals that depict the heritage of the inhabitants of the area - there is also a list of the "founding" mothers and fathers.

Do you have children? Do they need to run off some steam? They will love to play on the swings, slides and climbing equipment.

Swings-Central Park, Bluefields, Nicaragua

Climbing Equipment - Central Park, Bluefields, Nicaragua

Are you looking for a few quiet moments to yourself - maybe to people watch, read a book or just to sit and relax? Find one of the many benches, sit down and enjoy!

Directions: This park is across from the Palacio Municipal. One block north from Tip Top Restaurant.