Stuff you need backpacking around Nicaragua

Spanish is the official language, though you'll find English speakers in larger cities and creole and indigenous languages along the Atlantic coast. Nicaraguans tend to leave out the s at the end of Spanish words. "Vos" is often used instead of "tu", something which is common throughout Central America, though "tu" is used occasionally and will always be understood by Nicas.

Food is very cheap. A plate of food from the street will cost 20-50 cordobas. A typical dinner will consist of a meat, rice, beans, salad and some fried plantains, costing under US$3. Buffet-style restaraunts/stalls are very common, quality varies quite a bit. A lot of the food is fried in oil (vegetable or lard). It is possible to be vegetarian as the most common dish is gallo pinto, which is beans and rice and there are a few vegetable dishes such as guiso (de papas, pipián o ayote) which would be a potato, zucchini or squash buttery creamy stew. If you like meat try the nacatamales, a tamal made with pork, for 15 cordobas. Plantains are a big part of the Nicaraguan diet. You will find it prepared in a variety of forms: fried, baked, boiled, with cream or cheese, as chips for a dip, smashed into a "toston". Nicaraguan tortillas are made from corn flour and are thick, almost resembling a pita. One common dish is quesillo: a string of mozzarella-type cheese with pickled onion, a watery sour cream, and a little salt all wrapped in a thick tortilla. It can be found on street corners or in the baskets of women who walk around shouting "Quesiiiiiillo". The most famous quesillos come from the side of the highway between Managua and Leon in Nagarote (they also serve a local drink, tiste). The best selection of cheeses, from quesillo to cuajada, is in Chontales. You will also find the tortillas are used to make shredded beef tacos. One alternative to the fried offering in the typical menu is carne en baho. This is a combination of beef, yucca, sweet potato, potato and other ingredients steamed in plantain leaves for several hours. One typical dessert is Tres Leches which is a soft spongy cake that combines three varieties of milk (condensed, evaporated and fresh) for a sweet concoction. If you travel to Chinandega, ask the locals who sells "TONQUA" It is a great fruit that is candied in sugar and is ONLY available in Chinandega. Most Nicaraguans outside of Chinandega do not know what Tonqua is. Tonqua is a Chinese word for a fruit, because tonqua is a plant that Chinese immigrants introduced to the Chinandega area.

Rum is the liquor of choice, though you will find some whisky and vodka as well. The local brand of Rum is Flor de Caña and is available in several varieties: Light, Extra Dry, Black Label (aged 7 years), Centenario (aged 12 years) and a new top-of-the line 18 year old aged rum. There is also a cheaper rum called Ron Plata. Local beers include Victoria and Toña. In the non-alcoholic arena you will find the usual soft drinks (Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola). Some local drinks include pinolillo' and cacao which are made from cocoa beans and corn, a thick cacao based drink, Milka', and Rojita, a red soda that tastes similar to Inca Cola. Chicha is a drink made from the corn. Several street vendors also sell plastic baggies filled with a variety of fruit juices. Avoid these if you are not conditioned to untreated water.

If you are going to take one thing home from Nicaragua it should be a hammock. Nicaraguan hammocks are among the best made and most comfortable ever. The really good ones are made in Masaya, ask a taxi to take you to the fabrica de hamacas. These are family run and operated stores and have become comercialized, so hammocks can be quite expensive. I do not know what the prices are right now but it should be under US$20 for a simple one person hammock. Hammocks are also sold in the Huembres market by the bus terminal in Managua. Nicaragua can also produces really good rum called Flor de Cana. Those aged more than 20 years are a great buy for the money - about US$4-6/bottle. Buy in the local stores as the prices at the duty-free airport shops ccan be double for the same rum. Gran Reserva is the best value based on proce and quality. The pottery made in Masaya is also good. Look for this pottery in Masaya, and also in the streets of Granada and Leon. Remember to bargain. Although you may be a tourist, you can still bargain.