RIVAS, PLAYA SAN JORGE & BEYOND
See LOTS of pictures at:
I started going to RIVAS, Nicaragua 3 trips ago when I discovered (via a friend of mine that is an Immigration COP [the one that would enforce any rules] & people at the Immigration Jail [I went to donate sweat suits as my home is a Donation Drop-Off Point for numerous charities & that's where we donate those type of items as people there often don't have someone to help them & they often come with nothing]) that we do NOT have to be out of Costa Rica for 72 hours (actually, my Immigration cop friend laughed at me when I asked him about it saying he "they" had no clue where "we" got that from as there was NOT before NOR is there any mention NOW. The ONLY place it's mentioned is for CUSTOMS!!!). What IS NEEDED is 4 stamps - one showing you LEAVING Costa Rica, one showing you ENTERING ANOTHER COUNTRY, another showing you LEAVING a different country & of course one showing you ENTERING Costa Rica PLUS, now they are REQUIRING you to have some PROOF THAT YOU ARE LEAVING COSTA RICA WITHIN 90 DAYS (& I'm finding/hearing they're asking 90+% of the time so do NOT mess with this) Money & time were tight & I didn't have either to spend.
Rivas is the first town about 35 minutes (the taxi here should be $15-$20) north of the Frontera (the border). There ain't much there but it's WAYYYYY cheaper than San Juan del Sur - especially medicine is WAYYYY cheaper than Costa Rica!!
San Jorge is about another 5 minutes North & is in a little seaside village on the banks of the lake - where you get the ferry to go to Omotepe Island (where 2 volcanos make it up), & a little beach.
BORDER PEDICAB
Don't want to walk across (especially in the mud/rain or heat??!!) - have a Pedicab ride you over!! You WILL HAVE to take one from the Costa Rica side & switch over but they'll take you the whole way & help you with the ropes.
I only have names on the Nicaragua side:
Orlando (8-619-4948 - pictured) & Victor (8-990-8126) - both speak some English
TAXI - FROM/TO THE BORDER & BACK FROM RIVAS OR SAN JUAN DEL SUR
Simon Arriola Jimenez (8-957-5068 [or 8-937-5068] / 8-855-4130) - I’m not poz if Simon is a legal taxi these days but on Trip #6 for me, he was SOOOOOO friendly & helpful & my cell phone dropped out of my bag & he returned it to me at the hotel!!! Trip #7 - Ray at the Secret Cove Inn in SJDS called ahead for me to let Simon I was arriving. He already had a job at that time but sure enough, he sent another driver who got a pedicab guy to meet us RIGHT AT the Costa Rica/Nicaragua border & brought us to our hotel. When it was time to leave Tues. a.m., Simon again had a big job so he came with another driver that we LOVED also - _____ (who speaks some English & is a cutie) to make sure we knew he was honest/kosher!! Simon is AWESOME!!! Make sure to tell him Vicki in Escazu sent you!!
Jairo Aguilar (8-868-6760 / JJAguila25@gmail.com) (Simon sent him to take us from Frontera to Rivas 8/30/10 because he wasn’t available [now THAT's CUSTOMER SERVICE! Simon you ROCK!!!]) - Jairo speaks some English & is legal!!!
PLACES TO STAY - PLAYA SAN JORGE
It's been SOOOOOO LONG since I've seen water & I've been MEGA NEEDING a water fix & my bud Diane told me about this hotel!!! So this trip we’re going to be staying at Hotel Hamacas - about 5 minutes north of Rivas - where you catch the ferry to Ometepe!!http://HotelHamacas.com / 505-8-810-4144 / Skype: hotel.hamacas / info@hostalhamacas.com) Coralia speaks GOOD English
(a taxi going here should only be $20!!! Don't let them screw you over)
PLACES TO STAY - RIVAS
**Hospedaje LIDIA (2-563-3477 / 8-947-0011) - 1/2 block off the main road/West of Texaco ($10/pp w/private bathroom. $9/pp w/o). If you're 5 people, they won't let you get one room for 3 & one for 2 - you have to take a room for 5 (if it's available) - Manager-Maritza, Owner-Lidia (this is where I STAY!!)
Juliettas - across the street from BDF bank
Janette - coming into town - by the baseball baseball field - Principe restaurant & hotel -
Hotel Nicaro - next to the movie theatre (good fried cheese)
el Mar Hotel & Restaurant (2-563-0021 / 2-617-2462) - $5 taxi ride. ON the water.
EATS:
Donde Me Gusta - I had a TASTY Casada with beef shish kabobs on the b’bque outside WITH a natural drink of Jamaica with something added to it & a touch of cinamon - YUMMMY & just around $3.50!!! OWNERS: Rene & Mauricio. HOURS: 7:30am-9pm. LOCATION: 1/2 block North of Texaco - just before the TransNica office.
Vila’s Rosti Pizza (2-563-0712) - Alfresco. Aug. 30, ‘10, we all ordered a TASTY Cheese Burger combo (came with fries & a coke - 70/$3.50) & beer (I had a Michelodo - 30-cordobas/$1.50) LOCATION: On the South side of Parque Cental.
Pollo Dorado - tasty Ceviche, Jalapeno Polo & COLD Beers. HOURS: 10am-9pm
el Principe Restaurante & Hotel (2-563-0338) -
Tipico el Gueguense - HOURS: 8am-10pm. LOCATION: North of Parque Centro (Arial is Simon’s brother who if I remember correctly speaks some English)
La Estancia - SEAFOOD - LOCATION: 200 mts. South of el Principe
Hotel Nicaro - next to the movie theatre (good fried cheese)
Soda Rayuela - Tasty Taco Pastor & Pollo Fajitas. LOCATION: North of Parque Centro.
el Padrino Buffet? HOURS: 10am-3pm.
Coctelera Mariscazo - Best Seafood restaurant in Rivas, Lunch Specials. HOURS: 11am-10pm.
PHARMACY / FARMACIAS
I found most medicines were LOTS cheaper here than in Costa Rica even!!
Meridional / La Baratera (
FMeridional1@yahoo.es) - THE BEST PRICES & usually PACKED!! 4 locations in Nicaragua (2 in Rivas)
Rivas (2-563-3453 / 2-536-1073) • (2-563-5367 / 2-563-5276) - make sure to get Carlos Ivan to take care of you as he speaks GOOD English (& is quite the hottie/cuttie!!)
Leon (2-315-1929 / 2-311-1003 / 2-311-1293)
Masaya (2-522-0132 / 2-522-2455) - LOCATION: Bac 1-1/2 C al Este
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