May 17, 2023 • 9 mins
Costa Rica is the most visited country in Central America, but does it give you the most bang for your buck? In this episode, we present an alternative travel destination that is half the cost with a few interesting geophysical features that distinguishes it from its Central American counterpart. Including, a volcano you can surf on. This is the monthly edition of Lesser Known Destinations to consider for your next travel stop.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:13):
You're listening to the Globetrotters podcast,the show dedicated to bringing you fresh and
diverse perspectives from traveling enthusiasts all overthe world. This is our first episode
of will will now be our monthlylesson Earned Destination or Underrated destination travel episodes.
We'll hope you break down travel costsand give you some insight as to
why you should consider this destination asopposed to some other popular locations in the
(00:37):
area. I'm your co host,Johnathan Otto, and today we're going to
start with a place that is nearand dear to me. When people consider
traveling to Central America, the placesI most often hear are Costa Rica and
Belize, and with good reason.Both of those countries have a lot to
offer when it comes to its diverselandscapes, tropical weather, hart pumping activities.
(00:59):
You adrenaline junkie know what I'm talkingabout, amazing food, and of
course affordability. What have I toldyou? You could get all this and
more in this country for roughly halfthe price. I did a little bit
of research on the site Budget yourTrip. If you've never heard of this
site before, it's one that helpstravelers plan and track their travel budgets down
(01:19):
to the last dollar. Over thelast decade, they have gathered travel cross
costs from tens of thousands of travelerswho have traveled all around the globe.
Their website is a huge repository oftypical travel prizes for thousands of destinations,
including travel tips and advice for newand experienced travelers alike. According to them,
(01:40):
a traveler needs about one hundred andtwelve US dollars per day to get
by comfortably in Costa Rica. Thatincludes food, transportation, accommodations, and
activities, thereby making it the mostexpensive country to visit in Central America.
Police, on the other hand,isn't too far behind, with about one
hundred than five dollars needed per day. Now, the country in Central America
(02:04):
I'm about to name requires a whoppingand jaw dropping fifty four dollars a day
to get by. Any guesses asto which country I'm talking about, No
before I disclose the country and tocontinue the suspense. There's a common mistake
I want to address that many peoplemake when talking about Central America. First
of all, Central America is stillpart of North America. It is not
(02:28):
its own continent. Nor is ita part of South America. That's actually
a mistake I hear quite often andyou might hear that as well. When
referring to Central America. We weretalking about these seven countries Guatemala, beliz
Es, Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. So
with that little geography lesson in mind, the country I'm going to be talking
(02:52):
about today is none other than mynative country, Nicaraua. Nicaraua is commonly
referred to as the Land of Lakesand Volcanos or Land of Fire and Water.
It is home to the two largestfreshwater lakes in Central America and Harbor's
nineteen active and extinct volcanoes. Infact, it's one of the only places
(03:12):
in the planet where you can surfa volcano. But more on that later.
Nicaragua is often ranked the third orsecond poorest country in the Americas,
and for that reason, amongst manyothers, it's one of the most affordable
and safest places to travel in CentralAmerica. I mentioned earlier that Budget Your
Trip listed the average daily expenses atfifty four US dollars. Truthfully, that
(03:38):
falls right in line with what Iwas expecting. Based on my experiences,
you can find really nice hostels forabout thirty dollars or really go budget with
as low as fourteen bucks. Primelocations like omit Depen, San Juan del
Sur, which I'll talk about ina bit, can get a bit pricier
during the high season due to theirdesirability. Now, naturally you would ask
(04:00):
why would someone want to go toNicaragua over Costa Rica and belize no way,
You say, give me five minutesof your time and let me see
if I can convince you. Areyou an adrenaline junkie? What if I
told you there is some pristine hikingin Nicaragua that would allow you to hike
up in active volcano and peer insideto see a lava lake. On a
good day, tourists can pay tendollars and hike up volcan Masaya to stare
(04:27):
at and I quote, the mouthof Hell. If piping hot lava isn't
your thing, you might want tovisit Ometepe, a large island within Lake
Nicaragua with twin volcanoes. There youcan find volcan Concepcion, which is still
an active volcano and one hell ofa hike. To be honest, it's
still one of still ranks as oneof my all time favorites, and Volcan
(04:48):
Madra, which is the smaller ofthe two and not active. What makes
this volcano so special is that youcan climb to the top and go for
a nice cold dip inside the crater. It is now a large lake deposit.
How often is it that you cansay you've gone swimming inside of a
volcano. Along the way both ofthese volcanoes, Jol encounter howler monkeys,
(05:13):
white faced monkeys, beautiful butterflies,and insects you've probably never seen before.
I don't really care for the creepycrawlers, but you do. You now,
if all this talk about volcanoes isgetting you excited about Nicaragua, I
haven't even told you the best partyet. At Cerro Negro, which is
near Loan, a major city inNicaragua and on the western side of the
(05:35):
country, you can surf a volcano. I guess the actual name is called
sand boarding, but surfing a volcanosounds a bit more exciting in my opinion.
This active volcano is the youngest inall of Central America. It's roughly
one hundred and sixty seven years old. And one of the most active in
the country. The volcano is acone formed by ash and black sand,
(05:58):
hence the name Cerronego. The averagecost for doing this with licensed professionals is
about twenty five bucks, but youleave with memories that will last a lifetime.
And let me be clear, thereare few places in the world where
you can do this, and Imean very few. If you're listening to
all this and your palms are sweating, chill, relax. I have some
(06:20):
cool things for you to enjoy.Nicaraua as well. Like Costa Rica,
and unlike Beliefs, Nicarawa has accessto the Pacific Ocean, which is great
for surfing, like in San JuanRosud, but also has access to the
Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.In fact, if you're looking to get
out to a few more remote areaswith nice and I mean nice beaches,
(06:42):
you may consider Bighorn Island or LittleCorn Island. I didn't make up those
names. Both of these islands areknown for their snorkeling, diving and white
sandy beaches. What differentiates the two, aside from its size, it's affordability
and transportation. What do I meanthere's a small airstrip in Big Corn Island
with taxis that can take you aroundthe island for very affordable plight for very
(07:06):
affordable prices. But in Little CornIsland, not only are there no cars
available, but the only way toget over to the island is by boat.
You can find amazing and cheap accommodationsfor fifteen to thirty dollars a night,
or you can splurge for something uniquean oceanside for about one hundred dollars
a night. And I'm talking aboutthe type of lodging that would cost an
(07:29):
access of three hundred dollars anywhere elsein the world. Nikaawa, like Costa
Rica and Belize, displays in theray of unique geographical features that make it
remarkable and truly beautiful. By now, you may be asking yourself, if
Nikadawa is so great, why aren'tmore people going? And the truth is
that political unrest ravage the country forsuch a long time, and to a
(07:53):
degree it still does today. Butthe history of the fragile political landscape has
casted a dark shadow over the countryand has unfairly stereotyped the country as unsafe,
even though it ranks as one ofthe safest countries to visit in all
of Latin America. So next timeyou plan on making a trip to Costa
Rica or Belife, but you're strappedon cash, give Nicarawa some serious consideration
(08:18):
and you might be glad that youdid. On the next episode of the
Globetrotters Podcast, we'll have guests CaitlinRosati, a freelance travel writer, solo
traveler, and part time New Yorkbartender who has been to six continents,
sixty eight countries, and all sevenWorld Wonders. Kaitlin has a lot to
(08:39):
share about what it means to writeand travel for food, especially as a
solo female traveler. We also pickher brain for a few travel food tips
and some of her favorite places toeat in the world. So if you're
a foodie we're interested in travel writerlife, this episode is for you.
If you'd like to learn a littlebit more about the Globetrotters podcast, you
can visit our web site at wwwdot gts podcast dot com, or check
(09:03):
us out on Instagram and Facebook atGlobetrotters Podcasts, Twitter at globetrot pod,
and please leave us a review Ifyou liked this episode on the platform,
What if you're choosing until next time.
You're listening to the Globetrotters podcast,the show dedicated to bringing you fresh and
diverse perspectives from traveling enthusiasts all overthe world. This is our first episode
of will will now be our monthlylesson Earned Destination or Underrated destination travel episodes.
We'll hope you break down travel costsand give you some insight as to
why you should consider this destination asopposed to some other popular locations in the
(00:37):
area. I'm your co host,Johnathan Otto, and today we're going to
start with a place that is nearand dear to me. When people consider
traveling to Central America, the placesI most often hear are Costa Rica and
Belize, and with good reason.Both of those countries have a lot to
offer when it comes to its diverselandscapes, tropical weather, hart pumping activities.
(00:59):
You adrenaline junkie know what I'm talkingabout, amazing food, and of
course affordability. What have I toldyou? You could get all this and
more in this country for roughly halfthe price. I did a little bit
of research on the site Budget yourTrip. If you've never heard of this
site before, it's one that helpstravelers plan and track their travel budgets down
(01:19):
to the last dollar. Over thelast decade, they have gathered travel cross
costs from tens of thousands of travelerswho have traveled all around the globe.
Their website is a huge repository oftypical travel prizes for thousands of destinations,
including travel tips and advice for newand experienced travelers alike. According to them,
(01:40):
a traveler needs about one hundred andtwelve US dollars per day to get
by comfortably in Costa Rica. Thatincludes food, transportation, accommodations, and
activities, thereby making it the mostexpensive country to visit in Central America.
Police, on the other hand,isn't too far behind, with about one
hundred than five dollars needed per day. Now, the country in Central America
(02:04):
I'm about to name requires a whoppingand jaw dropping fifty four dollars a day
to get by. Any guesses asto which country I'm talking about, No
before I disclose the country and tocontinue the suspense. There's a common mistake
I want to address that many peoplemake when talking about Central America. First
of all, Central America is stillpart of North America. It is not
(02:28):
its own continent. Nor is ita part of South America. That's actually
a mistake I hear quite often andyou might hear that as well. When
referring to Central America. We weretalking about these seven countries Guatemala, beliz
Es, Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. So
with that little geography lesson in mind, the country I'm going to be talking
(02:52):
about today is none other than mynative country, Nicaraua. Nicaraua is commonly
referred to as the Land of Lakesand Volcanos or Land of Fire and Water.
It is home to the two largestfreshwater lakes in Central America and Harbor's
nineteen active and extinct volcanoes. Infact, it's one of the only places
(03:12):
in the planet where you can surfa volcano. But more on that later.
Nicaragua is often ranked the third orsecond poorest country in the Americas,
and for that reason, amongst manyothers, it's one of the most affordable
and safest places to travel in CentralAmerica. I mentioned earlier that Budget Your
Trip listed the average daily expenses atfifty four US dollars. Truthfully, that
(03:38):
falls right in line with what Iwas expecting. Based on my experiences,
you can find really nice hostels forabout thirty dollars or really go budget with
as low as fourteen bucks. Primelocations like omit Depen, San Juan del
Sur, which I'll talk about ina bit, can get a bit pricier
during the high season due to theirdesirability. Now, naturally you would ask
(04:00):
why would someone want to go toNicaragua over Costa Rica and belize no way,
You say, give me five minutesof your time and let me see
if I can convince you. Areyou an adrenaline junkie? What if I
told you there is some pristine hikingin Nicaragua that would allow you to hike
up in active volcano and peer insideto see a lava lake. On a
good day, tourists can pay tendollars and hike up volcan Masaya to stare
(04:27):
at and I quote, the mouthof Hell. If piping hot lava isn't
your thing, you might want tovisit Ometepe, a large island within Lake
Nicaragua with twin volcanoes. There youcan find volcan Concepcion, which is still
an active volcano and one hell ofa hike. To be honest, it's
still one of still ranks as oneof my all time favorites, and Volcan
(04:48):
Madra, which is the smaller ofthe two and not active. What makes
this volcano so special is that youcan climb to the top and go for
a nice cold dip inside the crater. It is now a large lake deposit.
How often is it that you cansay you've gone swimming inside of a
volcano. Along the way both ofthese volcanoes, Jol encounter howler monkeys,
(05:13):
white faced monkeys, beautiful butterflies,and insects you've probably never seen before.
I don't really care for the creepycrawlers, but you do. You now,
if all this talk about volcanoes isgetting you excited about Nicaragua, I
haven't even told you the best partyet. At Cerro Negro, which is
near Loan, a major city inNicaragua and on the western side of the
(05:35):
country, you can surf a volcano. I guess the actual name is called
sand boarding, but surfing a volcanosounds a bit more exciting in my opinion.
This active volcano is the youngest inall of Central America. It's roughly
one hundred and sixty seven years old. And one of the most active in
the country. The volcano is acone formed by ash and black sand,
(05:58):
hence the name Cerronego. The averagecost for doing this with licensed professionals is
about twenty five bucks, but youleave with memories that will last a lifetime.
And let me be clear, thereare few places in the world where
you can do this, and Imean very few. If you're listening to
all this and your palms are sweating, chill, relax. I have some
(06:20):
cool things for you to enjoy.Nicaraua as well. Like Costa Rica,
and unlike Beliefs, Nicarawa has accessto the Pacific Ocean, which is great
for surfing, like in San JuanRosud, but also has access to the
Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.In fact, if you're looking to get
out to a few more remote areaswith nice and I mean nice beaches,
(06:42):
you may consider Bighorn Island or LittleCorn Island. I didn't make up those
names. Both of these islands areknown for their snorkeling, diving and white
sandy beaches. What differentiates the two, aside from its size, it's affordability
and transportation. What do I meanthere's a small airstrip in Big Corn Island
with taxis that can take you aroundthe island for very affordable plight for very
(07:06):
affordable prices. But in Little CornIsland, not only are there no cars
available, but the only way toget over to the island is by boat.
You can find amazing and cheap accommodationsfor fifteen to thirty dollars a night,
or you can splurge for something uniquean oceanside for about one hundred dollars
a night. And I'm talking aboutthe type of lodging that would cost an
(07:29):
access of three hundred dollars anywhere elsein the world. Nikaawa, like Costa
Rica and Belize, displays in theray of unique geographical features that make it
remarkable and truly beautiful. By now, you may be asking yourself, if
Nikadawa is so great, why aren'tmore people going? And the truth is
that political unrest ravage the country forsuch a long time, and to a
(07:53):
degree it still does today. Butthe history of the fragile political landscape has
casted a dark shadow over the countryand has unfairly stereotyped the country as unsafe,
even though it ranks as one ofthe safest countries to visit in all
of Latin America. So next timeyou plan on making a trip to Costa
Rica or Belife, but you're strappedon cash, give Nicarawa some serious consideration
(08:18):
and you might be glad that youdid. On the next episode of the
Globetrotters Podcast, we'll have guests CaitlinRosati, a freelance travel writer, solo
traveler, and part time New Yorkbartender who has been to six continents,
sixty eight countries, and all sevenWorld Wonders. Kaitlin has a lot to
(08:39):
share about what it means to writeand travel for food, especially as a
solo female traveler. We also pickher brain for a few travel food tips
and some of her favorite places toeat in the world. So if you're
a foodie we're interested in travel writerlife, this episode is for you.
If you'd like to learn a littlebit more about the Globetrotters podcast, you
can visit our web site at wwwdot gts podcast dot com, or check
(09:03):
us out on Instagram and Facebook atGlobetrotters Podcasts, Twitter at globetrot pod,
and please leave us a review Ifyou liked this episode on the platform,
What if you're choosing until next time.
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