Posts tagged Freshwater Sharks
Rivas Nicaragua – Not Yet a Major Tourist Destination but Growing in Popularity
Feb 19th
Rivas is located in the far southwest of Nicaragua about 50-60 km North of Costa Rica. Its entire eastern sector is bordered by Lake Nicaragua, the 10th largest lake in the world and also home of the only freshwater sharks, and to the west it is bordered by the Pacific Ocean. All this makes it a true isthmus.
A range of low mountains parallels to the coast. Its northern boundary is Rio Ochomogo and its southern border is Costa Rica.
Rivas, the capital city, is located midway on the isthmus at Km 111 on the Pan-American Highway. The city, whose population is near 40,000, serves as a center for market goods and transportation for the department’s 145,000 inhabitants. The department is heavily dependent on tourism.
The Island of Ometepe and San Juan del Sur are being tourist destinations. Both local buses and through buses to Costa Rica originate in Rivas.
Rivas traces its history back to 606 AD when various indigenous tribes gathered and settled in the area.
The Spaniards first visited the area in 1522 and again it in 1524. The current population is a mixture of Creole, Indian, Mulatto and Spanish. A Catholic Church was built in 1607. The city of Rivas was officially recognized in 1835.
William Walker stormed the city in June of 1855 but was repulsed by a teacher, Emanuel Mongalo, who became a local hero. A second battle ensued in 1865 forever banishing Walker from Rivas.
The twentieth century parallels that of the rest of Nicaragua with its various invasions, dictators and wars. Ex-President Violetta Chamorro is a native from Rivas and also her son, who is now the Minister of Defense, Pedro Joquian Chamorro.
With the market, new vegetable and fruit market and the various mini-supers almost anything can be purchased in Rivas. The fruits and vegetables arrive almost daily and are abundant and inexpensive, but seasonal crops affect the variety. There is an abundance of places to purchase tortillas, nacatamales, cooked beans and fresh breads, simple breads but fresh.
Rivas itself is not a tourist destination. It has an interesting horseback riding and a beautiful relaxing setting. To the south about 25 km is San Juan del Sur which is oriented for the tourist. There are a variety of places to stay ranging from expensive and comfortable to cheap and adventurous. A multiple of restaurants also offer abundant seafood selections with beachfront seating. The beach is wonderful and there are many virgin beaches only minutes away from San Juan.
The economy is based on tourism, cattle ranching and agriculture. The agriculture in Rivas is mainly plantains, sugar cane, rice, and grenadine. Cattle ranching are growing stronger. There is now a state of the art genetic center for artificial insemination of cattle. This is helping to produce stronger and more desired breeds.
In 2009, several new restaurants, hotels and a disco opened they appear to have a steady flow of customers. Nevertheless, the unemployment is high. Housing is available, but it is expensive by Nicaraguan standards.
Rivas is the administrative centre for the surrounding municipality of the same name. The village of San Juan del Sur, on the Pacific coast of the Isthmus has become a popular tourist destination in the last decade, and already receives cruise ships.
San Juan del Sur is the center of surf exploration in coastal Rivas. The Department of Rivas also includes Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua.
The coastal areas of Rivas have been seeing increasing development and tourism return due to the build up of surfing and eco-tourism in the area. Large developments like Rancho Santana have land-grabbing experts and entrepreneurs excited. The many surf camps and smaller resorts attract a variety of travelers world-wide. This surge can be attributed to the many articles that have been published in recent years in surfing magazines and lifestyle magazines like GQ.
To this also contributed the fact that Costa Rica’s once wild coasts have been developed to the point of exhaustion. The beachside town of Gigante is a great example of this rapid development, where a once an ancient fishing village prepares to host large marina in its picturesque bay. It is between the Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean, and was an important portage between the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans before the construction of the Panama Railway.
Within the city limits, there are several interesting sites to visit. There is a museum with a nice collection of pre-Columbian objects as well as more recent items and paintings of Nicaraguan legends and myths.
Another interesting visit is the cemetery. This old cemetery is located at the outskirts of the city, and it includes some interesting graves of people famous in Nicaraguan history. Within the cemetery, there is also a hilltop called the Hill of Carazo that offers nice views of the region and a spectacular view of the sunset.
The central park of Rivas is located next to the colonial church, and it is a tranquil place with several restaurants nearby.
Retirement in Nicaragua – Safe, Cheap and Full of Incentives
Feb 8th
Nicaragua is one of the cheapest countries in Central America for retirement – and it’s fast becoming one of the most pleasant.
Nicaragua is virtually unknown to most people and usually misunderstood, which is why forward-thinking investors can find some of the best real-estate deals on Earth in this country. For the record, Nicaragua is not in the midst of a civil war, and it’s not a communist state.
The country has, however, suffered from a serious case of bad press, that’s all.
Nicaragua is one of the most beautiful countries in all the Americas. It boasts a dramatic Pacific coastline; long, gentle Caribbean beaches, volcanoes and freshwater lakes dot the hilly inland. Colonial cities like Granada and León offer visitors a taste of days gone by, while Managua, the capital, is rapidly becoming a real first-world city.
The country’s most famous beach destination, Barceló Playa Montelimar, is an all-inclusive resort with four restaurants, an airstrip and miles of secluded beaches.
Farther south is the popular town of San Juan del Sur, where cruise ships dock regularly. The town is quickly becoming a hot spot for North American expatriates and is one of my favorite destinations.
Masaya is home to Nicaragua’s best craft market, offering just about anything that’s hand-crafted in the country – ceramics, leather goods, iron work, hammocks, jewelry, rocking chairs, masks, clothing and many others.
There are five active volcanoes at nearby Masaya Volcano National Park offering the best volcano viewing in Central and North America. It’s the only place in the region where you can see hot magma rising from the depths of the Earth – and you can drive right to the top.
Lake Nicaragua, the 10th-largest freshwater lake in the world, is famous for its freshwater sharks, the only ones in the world. The lake has great sport-fishing and, with 350 “isletas,” there’s lots of island hopping going on.
The islands of Lake Nicaragua were created hundreds of years ago when the volcano Mombacho exploded. Today, you can explore this extinct volcano along trails in the cloud forest.
You’ll see more varieties of orchids than just about anywhere else in the world and all kinds of wildlife, including 170 counted species of birds and blue morpho butterflies. You can also take a canopy tour, shooting from treetop to treetop on harnessed zip-lines.
Safe and Stunning
Nicaragua is a nation at peace. Its government is democratically elected, committed to a free-market economy and eager to attract foreign investors. A recent study by the Inter-American Institute on Human Rights and a survey of police forces in the Americas show that Nicaragua is one of the the safest countries in Central America after Costa Rica and one of the safest countries in the world.
In September 1999, Nicaragua enacted the most attractive – and most aggressive – tourism-incentive law in Latin America. If you’ve ever toyed with the idea of owning your own B&B, running a sailboat charter, leading adventure treks into the jungle, dishing up meals in your own restaurant or operating any kind of tourism-related business, Nicaragua is the place to do it.
Law 306 is sweeping in scope and offers hard-to-beat benefits for investors who take advantage of the program. If your business qualifies, you pay no income- or real-estate taxes for up to 10 years. You can bring in (or buy locally) all the supplies you need — from furniture and boats to linens and cash registers — tax- and duty-free.
Incentives for Foreign Retirees
If you’re simply in the market for a place to relax and spend a few months a year in a quiet, safe, affordable retreat, again, Nicaragua is hard to beat. The country’s retiree incentive program is much like Costa Rica’s was in the 1980s, attracting thousands of expatriates. To be eligible, you need only be over 45 and have a monthly income of at least $400.
The benefits come mostly in the form of tax incentives. As a foreign retiree, you:
- Pay no taxes on any out-of-country earnings.
- Can bring into Nicaragua up to $10,000 of household goods for your own home, duty-free.
- Can import one automobile for personal or general use duty- and tariff-free, and sell it after five years, tax-free.
- Can import an additional vehicle every five years under the same duty exemptions.
The cost of living in Nicaragua is a fraction what you’re used to paying up north. Sources on the ground say a two-week supply of pork and beef costs about $65. For enough fresh vegetables to feed four or five people daily for a week, expect to pay about $55. A 30-minute consultation with a U.S.-trained physician will cost you about $35. You can hire a maid who will cook, clean and do your laundry for less than $120 a month; and you’ll spend just $25 on a wonderful restaurant meal of local delicacies, including with wine and dessert.
