Nicaragua is the largest country, and the least populated, in Central America. It is bordered on the north by Honduras and on the south by Costa Rica. Its western coastline is on the Pacific Ocean, while the east side of the country is on the Caribbean Sea. Close to 20% of the country's territory is protected as national parks or biological reserves. Geographically made up of three parts; the Pacific Lowlands, the North-Central Mountains and the Atlantic Lowlands, Nicaragua is home to a diverse range of ecosystems that produce an interesting variety of flora and fauna. In the west of the country the Pacific Lowlands are a vast plain that is hot, humid and very fertile. Punctuated by volcanic peaks and freshwater lakes, lined along one side by beautiful beaches and dotted with impressive colonial cities, this area is highly attractive to the traveller.

The Central Highlands have a much cooler climate and about a quarter of the country's agriculture takes place in this region, with coffee grown on the higher slopes. Oaks, pines, mosses, ferns and orchids are abundant in the cloud forests of the region, as are the birds. The Atlantic Lowlands is a large rainforest region with several large rivers running through it. The Caribbean Coast is indented with numerous coves and lagoons. The climate here is predominantly tropical, with high humidity. Around the area's principal city of Bluefields, English is widely spoken along with the official Spanish and the population more closely resembles that found in many typical Caribbean ports than the rest of Nicaragua. Nicaragua's Bosawas Biosphere Reserve is located in the Atlantic lowlands; it protects 1.8 million acres of Mosquitia forest - almost seven percent of the country's area - making it the second largest rainforest north of the Amazon in Brazil.

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The climate of Nicaragua is tropical in the lowlands and cooler in the highlands. The weather during the dry months can be very hot in the Pacific lowlands. The Caribbean Coast sees the occasional hurricane.

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Apart from standard religious holidays such as Christmas, New Year and Easter, Nicaragua also celebrates a number of other holidays. Air Force Day is observed on the 1st February and honours the men of the nation's air force; likewise Army Day is celebrated on the 27th May. Revolution Day, on the 19th July is the anniversary of the day the National Liberation Army declared victory over the Somoze dictatorship. San Jacinto Day is the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto in 1856, that’s celebrated on the 14th September and on the 15th it’s Independence Day, which commemorates the Declaration of Independence of Central America, in 1821.

The international code for calling into Nicaragua is 00505. Most telephone booths will accept Enitel pre-paid cards that you can buy from petrol stations. There are Enitel offices that you can make calls from but if you are calling internationally then it is cheaper to make a web-based call from an Internet café, or call from a Llamadas Heladas call centre, you’ll find these all over the country.

Take out a health insurance policy before you travel and make sure that it covers emergency airlifts. The general healthcare in Nicaragua is of good quality and it’s fairly cheap so you should only need to use your insurance in a real emergency. If you are arriving in Nicaragua from a yellow fever infected country, such as Africa or some places in South America, then you will need to have had the vaccination at least ten days prior to entry. You must have the vaccination certificate with you to show to immigration officials at the border.

Other recommended vaccines are hepatitis A & B, typhoid, tetanus and diphtheria boosters, rabies-if you plan to have close contact with animals or if you are going to an area that has animals but no immediate medical care. Anyone born after 1956 that has only ever had one measles vaccine will need a booster and anyone who has never had chickenpox should get the chickenpox vaccine too.

If you are on any medication then be sure to pack everything in its original packaging, with clear labels, and carry a letter from your doctor explaining you illness. Also, if you are going to need to get hold of prescriptions while you’re away, ask your doctor to write done exactly what you need.

Most international flights will land in Managua and there is a small fee for entering the country. It may be cheaper to fly to San José in Costa Rica and then get a bus into Nicaragua. This bus journey will take about five or six hours.

There are three border crossings from Costa Rica, these are; Peñas Blancas - Sipoá, Los Chiles - San Carlos and Barra - San Juan de Nicaragua. From El Salvador the crossing is from La Union – Potosi and there are four crossings from Honduras; Choluteca – Guasale or Somoto, Tegucigalpa – Ocotal, and the rather more adventurous Puerto Lempira – Waspám. You can get luxury international buses that are extremely comfortable, with reclining seats, toilets, TV and food services. These are a very safe way to travel.

Cheaper and more readily available are the local buses that will take you to the border crossings and then you go across yourself. If you are driving into Nicaragua then you can only cross the Costa Rica border at Peñas Blancas, and the Honduras border at Choluteca or Tegucigalpa. It is possible to hire a private boat in El Salvador and enter Nicaragua across the Golfo de Fonseca but you should check with the immigration office before doing this.

Buses are definitely the main mode of travel within Nicaragua. Most of the buses are old decommissioned yellow US school buses. Expect these buses to be packed full. You have to be very quick to get a seat on them. Another method of travelling across country is by minibus. These are essentially small Japanese minivans, some hold up to 15 people. Minibuses have regular routes between Managua and Granada, and León and Masaya. These cost a little more than the school buses, but are much faster and make fewer stops. As with the school buses, expect these to be packed, as drivers pile in more people than the bus is designed to hold. Most drivers are friendly and helpful, and will help you store your baggage.

Taxis in all the cities are generally fair and well mannered and a nice way to see local scenery. Take care in bargaining, the general fare is per person, not per taxi.

Hitch-hiking is a common way to travel in Nicaragua. Mostly people only ride in the backs of trucks and not inside the vehicles. Occasionally the driver will ask for a small fair, even if they do this is still the cheapest way to travel. Hitching here is considered relatively safe but, as with all possibly dangerous situations, trust your instincts. Internal flights are a great way to travel to the Caribbean Coast and to the Corn Islands. They’re not overly expensive and it’s a much quicker way to travel if you are short of time.

Boat is the only way to get to the islands of Isla Ometepe or to the Solentinames. Be aware that high winds or other bad weather can cause ferries to be cancelled, leaving you stranded. You can also reach the Corn Islands by boat.

If you are leaving Nicaragua through an airport then there is a rather expensive departure tax of US$32 to be paid, either in US dollars or in córdobas. For internal flights the tax is only US$2. If you leave Nicaragua by land or by water the departure tax is only US$2.

Nicaragua was inhabited by Paleo-Indians as far back as 6,000 years ago. The ancient footprints of Acahualinca confirms this, along with other archaeological evidence, mainly ceramics and statues made of volcanic stone like the ones found on the island of Zapatera and the petroglyphs found on Ometepe island. At the end of the 15th century, western Nicaragua was inhabited by several indigenous tribes related by culture and language to the Mayans. The people of eastern Nicaragua appear to have traded with, and been influenced by, the native peoples of the Caribbean, as round thatched huts and canoes, both typical of the Caribbean, were common in eastern Nicaragua.

In the west and highland areas where the Spanish settled, the indigenous population was almost completely wiped out by the rapid spread of new diseases brought by the Spaniards, for which the native population had no immunity, and the virtual enslavement of the remainder of the indigenous people. In the east, where the Europeans did not settle, most indigenous groups survived.

In 1502 Christopher Columbus was the first European known to have reached what is now Nicaragua as he sailed south along the Central American isthmus. On his fourth voyage Columbus sailed alongside and explored the Mosquito Coast to the east of Nicaragua. However, it was not until 1524, that Conquistador Francisco Hernández de Córdoba founded the first permanent Spanish settlements. Settled as a colony of Spain within the kingdom of Guatemala in the1520s, Nicaragua became part of the Mexican Empire, then gained its independence as a part of the United Provinces of Central America in 1821, and as an independent republic in its own right in 1838.