San Carlos (Nicaragua)

San Carlos is a city in Rio San Juan department of Nicaragua. Understand San Carlos is kind of the local transportation hub. That doesn t mean that there is a lot going on but if you move in the region you can t miss San Carlos. In November 2009 the municipality inaugurated the brand new Malecon which gave a necessary face-lifiting to the city. Get in There are several ways to get into San Carlos. By Boat You can cross into Nicaragua from Costa Rica getting a boat in Los Chiles. (Leaves at 1 pm in Los Chiles and costs 5000 Colones / 180 Cordobas or 9 US $) You will arrive in San Carlos at around 3 pm (not so many options left to leave Sna Carlos on the very same day) You can get into by boat from Isla Ometepe or from Granada. The Ferry leaves Granada at 2 pm on Monday and Thursday. It stops by in Altagracia at the Isla Ometepe where it leaves at around 6 pm. There are boats coming in from El Castillo and San Juan Del Norte. There are boat conactions to Solentiname Islands and to the towns on the souther shore of the Lake of Nicaragua. By Bus There are buses to and from Managua. The trip takes 7 hours due to the road conditions (occasionally you will have to leave the bus so that it makes it up the hill) By Plane There are daily flights from Managua (~120 US Round Trip) Get around It s a small city - everything is in walking distance. See Do Buy Since November 2009 there is an ATM from Red Cajero XPress "BanPro". The only ATM in this region Eat Around the Malecon there are several little Sodas where you can get decent food from 7 am in the morning. At 11 am the more fancy restaurants open but don t expect to much. Fish is the thing to eat in San Carlos (if you are not vegetarian) Drink Sleep There are several budget Hospedajes all around the Malecon and in the streets leading up the hill. Contact Get out Every Tuesday and Friday the boat to Isla Ometepe and Granada leaves at 2 pm. There are two boats leaving for Los Chiles in Costa Rica. On leaves at 10:30 and gets to Los Chiles at around noon. The other boat leaves San Carlos at 4 pm. (180 Cordobas ~ 9 US ~ 5000 Colones) Boats to El Castillo leave San Carlos Boats at 6:30 am, 8 am, 10:30 (high season), 12:30, 2:30, 4:30. Boats to the Solentiname Islands leave on Tuesday and Friday around 11 pm. (70 Cordobas ~ 2.5 US$) If you happen to get into San Carlos at another day ask around in the harbour if there is a boat from the islands - they might give you a ride. Boats to San Juan Del Norte leave Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 6 am. (duration: 6 - 12 h, depending on the boat and season) This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!