Items to Note

• Upon arrival in Nicaragua, you will be charged US$5 for a tourist visa.

• Upon departure, you will be charged US$32 for airport departure tax.

• Plan to exchange money in either Managua or Rivas.

• You will need to carry a valid driver’s license and a copy of your passport with you when you are traveling around Nicaragua.

• Renting your own vehicle in Nicaragua allows you the greatest opportunity to explore and discover local sites and restaurants and to experience as many cultural options as possible. Renting Vehicle

• When driving to Two Brothers Surf Resort for the first time, please keep in mind that you’ll want to make the trip in daylight, as the roads will be unfamiliar and filled with potholes. You will be sharing the road with horses, cows, pigs, chickens, motorcycles, bicycles and slow moving ox-drawn carts. There will be few signs, no streetlights, and many people sitting alongside the road at night.

• The sun sets at around 6:00 p.m. Should your plane arrive in Managua in the afternoon, you might consider staying in a hotel in Managua or even Granada and leisurely begin your journey to Two Brothers the following day.  Hotel Options              

• You will want to fill your gas tank in Rivas. There are two small grocery stores in Rivas: the Pan American grocery and the Pali grocery store in the middle of town. Both are good places to pick up some basic food items and supplies. Also, within a kilometer of Two Brothers, are small shops that sell fresh food items such as eggs, sugar, coffee, milk, cereal, bread, meat, beans, rice, pasta and beer. Fruit and veggies can be bought from local stands or trucks that drive by daily with mangos, bananas, pineapple, watermelon, tomatoes and more. Fresh fish and lobster can be purchased directly from the fishermen as they bring in their daily catch. Directions

• Nicaraguans are very friendly and will be very happy to point you in the right direction with a simple greeting and “?Donde esta Masaya?” , “Donde esta Nandaime?”,  “Donde estas Rivas?”, etc.

• Also, when all else fails, ask a cabby for directions and thank him with a few cordobas, or simply note the destinations written on the back of the buses to confirm your direction/destination.

• Currency:  The Nicaraguan currency is the cordoba. The current exchange rate is about 18 cordobas to 1 US dollar. The US dollar is accepted at most hotels and some restaurants.  Keep in mind that you will most likely receive change in cordobas.
   
• The only places to change money will be in the larger cities (Managua, Granada, Leon, Rivas). Credit cards are widely accepted in the cities. Automatic teller machines are found only in Managua, Granada and Leon. Do not bring traveler’s checks. Additionally, Euros and other foreign currencies cannot be changed.
   
• Small denominations of cordobas (10s, 20s, and 50s and 100s) are helpful to have, as small restaurants and shops in the countryside seldom have change. Roadside moneychangers are fine to use.  You can check current local exchange rates here.

• Time Zone:  Nicaragua is on the same time as Central Standard Time (Chicago) with daylight savings time reflecting Mountain Standard Time (Denver).

• Electrical Current:  110 volts, standard American plugs are fine.

• Immunizations and Vaccinations:  Current Tetanus and Hepatitis A vaccinations are a good thing to have. Protective clothing and insect repellent are enough for mosquitoes.  Although we have few mosquitoes at Two Brothers, you will want to have it on hand if you explore elsewhere. 

What to Bring

Two Brothers has a fully equipped kitchen.  Plan to bring food with you. While there are plenty of small, inexpensive restaurants nearby, you’ll also want to have basics on hand. Items available for purchase near Two Brothers include fresh bread, coffee, eggs, fruit, vegetables, beer, soda and chips.  A larger variety of food supplies can be purchased in RIVAS at the Pan American grocery and the Pali grocery store.

Two Brothers provides all bed linens.
Be sure to bring your own beach and bath towels.

See  Essentials for a more comprehensive list of things to bring.