Managua, Nicaragua

[Pilot_Ryan]

Spending two days there this week. Int'l Ac-u-Kwik sends mostly negative vibes about leaving the hotel. I think I saw the words "small arms gunfire" and "kidnappings" in the text somewhere. Any recommendations?

 

[FL350]

Yeah. Don't leave the hotel and pack some extra food. The food is questionable. We stayed at the princess, I think but I would reccomend the Intercontinental. It is a third world country in every way.

 

[Flying Dog]

Intercontinental definately the place to stay..bullet holes in the walls surrounding the compound last time I stayed there..If you want to see the sights, let the hotel arrange a cab and drive around, don't recommend hoofing too far away from the hotel.

 

[Pilot_Ryan]

Thankyakindly.

 

[coogebeachhotel]

Go hang with the Sandanistas at the shooting range. No Seriously don't leave the hotel.

 

[Diesel]

googles nice picture of my fellow countrywomen.

 

[Whale Rider]

Spending two days there this week. Int'l Ac-u-Kwik sends mostly negative vibes about leaving the hotel. I think I saw the words "small arms gunfire" and "kidnappings" in the text somewhere. Any recommendations?

Small arms gunfire is the least of your worries, wait until you drink the water and eat the food.uke:

 

[satpak77]

Intercontinental, across from the Mall. Nighttime, do not leave hotel, daytime, preferably pre-2 PM (all the crooks are just waking up from being out all night), you can hit the mall, just be heads up on surroundings.

Bring picture ID, passport, and whatever CASH you think you need. Leave ALL CREDIT CARDS, etc, IN ROOM.

If you get jacked up, and they discover you have NO ATM card, NO credit card, etc, you just became a robbed-non-kidnapee.

Versus a robbed-kidnapee who is about to be brought to every ATM in town at gun point to drain your balance.

 

[Pilot_Ryan]

Great tips, thanks.

Yeah, been to the D.R. and Jamaica enough times to know not to drink the water or eat the food. I used a tiny amount of water in Santiago to brush my teeth and then spit out - stupid me. Got sick.

BTW we are now also going to Honduras.

 

[satpak77]

Honduras

stay at Marriott, best hotel in MHTG. Same rules apply when out on town.

BE CAREFUL on the approach, one of the most challenging in latin America.

US Air Force and American Airlines have pranged airplanes on that approach over the years

later

 

[Diesel]

Jesus pilot ryan are they trying to get you killed? Sounds like you should bring a flak jacket.

Keep your head down

 

[User998]

Geez, guess we were lucky then. We've gone there twice now (for a grand total of 8 days) and we were out seeing the sights, and mingling with the locals with no problem what so ever.

As with any foreign country though, you have to use your head. There are places you definetely want to avoid, but just stick to the main, well populated places and you'll be fine. If your gut is telling you that you shouldn't be there, then you should listen to it and leave. It's far from a war zone as everyone else described. Just be in your hotel room well before the night time sets in!

There some beautiful scenery in that area for you to enjoy, and the locals (the unarmed ones I guess) are very friendly).

 

[MoralDK]

Ask your handler to show you around. There is a really cool volcanoe you can go to where you can hear the magma as you look over the rim. The markets are pretty cool, too. Definitely stay at the Intercontinental.
Good luck!

 

[Pilot_Ryan]

Back. Stayed at the Intercontinental in Tegucigalpa. Ended up not going to Managua. Actually had a good time in Honduras. The locals were friendly but very few speak any English at all. We had a very pretty female handler go out on the town with us. Now that I've been, the Ac-u-kwik comments seem a little over the top. I agree with User998, if you use your head there's no reason to freak out over everything. I'm actually kinda looking forward to going back later in the fall.

The approach was gnarly! VOR-DME 20 approach, circle to land on Runway 02. Pretty steep gradient to clear the hill on short final. Cool arrival and departure, though. I steered past the 100 ft. tall Jesus statue on the mountain just north of the airport on departure.