The best places to stay in south east Nicaragua

Anyone planning to visit the south east of Nicaragua is in for a genuine, off-the-beaten track kind of adventure, not to mention some of the best nature viewing opportunities in Central America.

What visitors won’t find is either quantity or quality of accommodation options – this is most certainly not Costa Rica.

In total, we feature just 4 hotel options in the south east of Nicaragua, none of which can be described as being anything other than Simple to Basic (as per our own rating scheme).

The best all-round option is undoubtedly Guacimo Lodge which is located on the edge of the vast Indio Maiz Biosphere Reserve. This well-run property benefits from a wonderful location and can arrange a wide number of local excursions. It is not however a luxury lodge.

Slightly further upstream, in the riverside town of El Castillo, both the Hotel Victoria and Hotel Luna del Rio offer comfortable but basic accommodation.

Please note that the only way of getting to all 3 hotels is by boat, an approximate 2 to 2 ½ hour journey along the Rio San Juan from San Carlos, itself a 5 hour drive from Managua, Granada or Apoyo.

The last hotel that we offer, and the most basic of the 4, is Cabanas Paraiso, located on the island of San Fernando within the Solentiname archipelago of Lake Nicaragua. There’s no a/c or hot water and electricity is sketchy at best but, if you wish to explore the Solentiname Islands & the nearby Los Guatuzos Reserve (perhaps enroute around the south of Lake Nicaragua and back up to Ometepe Island), then this is your best option.