LUNA ESTELI  International Hostel

Esteli has all the national banks in town.

There are several ATM's, 6 of which are on "Bank Corner" 2 blocks of the Parque Central.

US Dollars $$ and Cordobas C$ can be withdrawn from the BAC ATM, with red frontage.

$$ dollars can be exchanged legally in the street with the moneychangers "Coyotes" from morning until 4.30pm and half day on Saturday. Nicaragua is a dual currency, and the C$ devalues daily against the $.

Locals prefer to use C$, and certainly rurally you should travel with small denominations - beware!

The "Street" rate is almost the best you'll get in Esteli, and the moneychangers do this service on behalf of the banks really. The line-ups in banks are horrendous, beware.

At time of press, $1=C$22.40 'ish.

Esteli has an internet cafe on every corner. Only costs C$10 p/hr. 

Cafe Luz  & Luna hostel is a WIFI zone.

Phonecalls can easily be made from any internet cafe, international or national, from only C$1 per min.

There is a post office in town that has a fax machine.

Mail can be sent and collected there too. The international mail service is quite reliable and fast.

This is newer and desperately unfortunate reality now occurring in two known areas of Managua with dodgy taxis.

At the ROberto Huembes bus terminal and the UCA Managua (the university microbus stop).

(Very few) tourists have been taken hostage and forced to submit cash from the ATM's, by force, when thinking they were boarding a taxi with local women and other national travellers. No one has come to real harm, and it's very hard to deal with.Try to get off your buses before arriving in Managua, prior to these terminals.

We use the MOVISTAR (Cel phone head offices)  bus stop, on the highway as you come down to Managua. It's small and open, on the highway and from there you can get any passing taxi, who really won't be part of a scam.

In case of any incident, you should try to contact any Managua police, it cannot be reported out of the city itself. Also call INTUR, the tourism offices, they need to know of any incident.

Take care and don't struggle.

There are health centres and the city hospital all providing FREE health care. Private options are available at low cost.

Natural medicine is widely available and Esteli is famous for it. Acupuncture, massage etc is well provided and recommended.

Isnaya and Cecalli are the leading protagonists.

Many homestays in Miraflor have expert knowledge in natural medicine and provide remedies.

Esteli has many options for people staying to study, work as volunteers, or just to get to know the place and use it as a base to all the north of Nicaragua. There are many places to rent in town, with families,  or in separate rooms within a family home or to rent your own apartment or house even usually unfurnished though there are some good new fully furnished apartments on parque central.

RENTED ACCOMMODATION                     

Save yourself all that trouble searching!

Now offering a fully-furnished, city-centre house-share. Spacious, quiet, great security, fab kitchen, free internet, gardens for international visitors. 2 weeks minimum to longer-term. Contact us online. Fantastic for volunteers, students and NGO workers.

 There are agents who don't charge you to look, just the landlord, but also at Cafe Luz we have a list of several suggestions. It's recommended to come and stay for a week, and by walking the town and asking an ideal solution is usually found. Rents vary from $60/100 pcm for a room to about $300-500 for a house to share for 3-4 people. Food is relatively expensive to buy here, plus gas and cookers on top but eating out can be cheap, and living off fruit, "pan" and yogurt!

Cafe Luz can provide you with luggage storage. For our guests, In Hospedaje Luna, it is a free service and there'll be very small charge for other guests in town, but we will gladly look after your backpacks while travelling to Miraflor or Somoto.

This is probably one of the most interesting places to learn plus there is an ideal chance to practice speaking with people around the city. There are several small schools set up in town (See our tourist information page). The climate is ideal, there are less English speakers than most Spanish school venue cities and there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer or chat to the locals in Nicaragua that you'd really never find anywhere else.

Rainy Season?

This runs from May until Dec/Jan.

Heaviest rainfall is October, sometimes September, with incoming heavy rains for a few days from tropical storms off the coast. Otherwise rain is generally short-lasting, and shelter can be found. The rest of the day stays warm and a little humid. Rains clear the air well.

In July to August there is a “veranillo/canicula”, a break in the rains, usually.

 Esteli provides much relief from the intense humidity of the coast. Note; the rains provide lush greenery, a cooler climate and precipitation is sporadic not persistent.

Dry Season? The Verano (summer) runs from Feb to April. The heat peaks around Easter time (it’s all down to the moon!) It can be breezy and the nights are cool.

Climate change is very obvious in the tropical and developing countries. The rains are becoming more intense in hurricane season and providing inconsistency and drought at other times when rains were normally more consistent.

Clothing for rain?

Locals are rarely ever seen with ponchos and rain macs, only an umbrella.  Mud is a given fact, so bring good walking sandals or boots, trainers take longer to dry off.

In Miraflor & Tisey fleeces or sweaters are essential for the evenings and early mornings. It can be exposed, very cold and windy, so be prepared.

Plastic flip flops are good for closer to home. Boots and flip flops can all be bought economically in Esteli, especially for trips to Miraflor.

H1N1 FLu Virus, otherwise known as Swine Flu, is present in Nicaragua and has stabilised. It has taken hold slowly and is known locally as "Gripe A". there is vaccine and care is taken for those who live with families and children and pregnant mothers.

Check your symptoms first, attacking the chest and bad headaches. Take a blood test and don't rush to the public hospitals, best a health centre or laboratory in most town centres.

MINSA (Ministry for Health) is actually visiting communities to investigate for all potential cases, in order to help with precautionary measures. Advice and care should be taken.

Bring anti-bacterial gel, use it! Don't be alarmist. Symptoms can overlap with common travelling symptoms in a tropical country - temperature, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. But the flu hits the respiratory system. Take "Suero"/oral rehydration therapy sachets/liquids and REST! Don't rush to the hospital but be careful. 

Malaria is hardly ever found in Estelí and certainly not in the mountain regions. Precautions may be taken for travelling in other low-lying areas, ask your local clinic.

Dengue can be more prolific in urban areas, and care should be taken to avoid day-time mosquito bites. Long trousers and insect repellents help.

Dengue is rampant at this time, end of rainy season, more in urban areas. Take care to cover up, avoid shorts, wear repellent on ankles, feet, arms and hands and face at dusk and dawn, or when sleeping. These tiny striped-legged mosquitos bite quickly and are unheard. Be practical, not vane!

It is a short and sharp flu-like virus that can deal a subsequent blow to the immune system. The head-ache is unbearable at first, and you don't always get the other symptoms of rash, vomiting or diarrhea, so be warned. Just take aceteminofen, as per recommended dosage, and fluids.

Leptiospirosis is present and most likely transmitted in areas of poorer living conditions. It can be caught by bathing or wetting feet or open wounds in infected water, infected by rodent faeces. Simple antibiotics can be taken if exposed but not so effective in later stages.

Parasites and diarrhea. This is a common effect of living in a tropical country. Oral Rehydration Therapy (“Suero”) must be taken when fluids are lost at any level. Easily bought at local pharmacies, always have some on hand. Local laboratories quickly process samples for results between bacterial and parasitical infections and pharmacists or local doctors can quickly prescribe the remedial drug. Gatorade also helps, and  taking care in where you eat. Drinking water in the cities is good around Nicaragua.

We recommend a local cure known as 'Jarabe de Guayaba', made from guava leaves, very effective cure for diarrhea and bad stomachs in general. Try Ajo/garlic remedies for parasites, also very effective.

Rabies is rare. Dogs are vaccinated annually throughout Nicaragua, even the wandering street dogs.

If working with bats, then precautions must be taken in advance.

Bites: Care should be taken, and people allergic to mosquitos and scorpions should take advance precautions. Incidents are rare, but scorpions and snakes do co-exist in tropical countries. Local knowledge is the best remedy.