Nicaragua

Here are some tips where to go…

Bluefields
Bluefields is no beauty; the town's prim Victorian charm was blown away in 1988 by monster Hurricane Juana. It was rebuilt with little thought for aesthetics, but its nice hotels, great restaurants and multi-ethnic party scene make it a good base for visiting the glorious rainforest reserves nearby.

Corn Islands
Big and Little Corn Islands (Islas del Maíz) are veritable tropical paradises in an isolated corner of the Caribbean. Both islands boast clear turquoise water, white sandy beaches fringed with coconut palms, excellent fishing, phenomenal coral reefs to explore and an unhurried, peaceful pace.

Granada
Granada, nicknamed 'La Gran Sultana' (The Great Sultan) in reference to its Moorish namesake in Spain, is Nicaragua's oldest Spanish city, and a colonial gem. Founded in 1524 by conquistadores, it's set against the imposing backdrop of Volcán Mombacho on the northwest shore of Lake Nicaragua.

Isla de Omepete
It's the sort of place that belongs in a fairytale; an island formed by twin volcanoes rising from a lake. This ecological jewel sees plenty of visitors but remains happily unspoiled: rough-and-ready but relaxing, whether you plan to lounge on the beach, chat to plantain pickers or climb a volcano.

León
León provides what many frustrated visitors look for in Managua: a cultural center with mind-blowing churches, thriving universities, fabulous art collections and historic sites. Its colonial architecture may still bear bullet holes from the 1970s, but its appeal is undeniable.

Managua
An admittedly unlovely urban expanse of unsigned boulevards and uninspired modern monoliths, Managua is beloved with a proud ferocity by its 1.4 million inhabitants. Though not super-popular with travelers, its volcanic skyline and cosmopolitan charms have inspired a library's worth of poems.

San Juan del Sur
Set on a horseshoe-shaped bay framed by picturesque cliffs, San Juan del Sur is Nicaragua's main beach resort, and tourism is rapidly replacing fishing. Here all backpackers can enjoy surfing, fishing and the simple life.

admittedly = nepochybně, nesporně
aesthetics = estetika
appeal = působení
backdrop = horizont
backpacker = turista
bay = záliv, zátoka
bear = nést, mít (jméno), souviset
belongs in = patřit k (na rozdíl od belong to = patřit komu, čemu)
beloved = milovaný
blow away = odvát
boast = honosit se, chlubit se
bullet hole = díra po kulce
chat = popovídat si
cliff = útes, skála
fabulous = báječný, neuvěřitelný, pohádkový
fairytale = pohádka
ferocity = dravost, zuřivost, prudkost
fringed = lemovaný
gem = skvost, klenot
get across= akceptovat
horseshoe-shaped = podkovitého průřezu
lounge = lenošit, polehávat
mind-blowing = ohromující
monster = příšerný, zrůdný
Moorish = maurský
namesake = shoda jmen
pace = tempo
pegged = ustálený
picturesque = malebný, pitoreskní
plantain picker = sběrač banánů
rough-and-ready = hrubý, zhruba udělaný
shore = břeh, pobřeží
thriving = dařící se, bující
turquoise = tyrkysový
undeniable = vynikající, výtečný, nepopíratelný
unhurried = neuspěchaný, beze spěchu
unspoiled = nenarušený
veritable = pravý, opravdový, skutečný
whether = zda, zdali
worth = mající cenu, význam