Geographical location
According to COUNTRYAAH, Nicaragua is a state in Central America bordering Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south.
The west coast of Nicaragua lies on the Pacific Ocean, here are the most important metropolitan areas of the country, while the east side of the Caribbean is in many places very sparsely populated.
Nicaragua owes the nickname “Land of a Thousand Volcanoes” to numerous active volcanoes, which mainly extend inland parallel to the Pacific coast. The highest point is Pico Mogotón in the north, at around 2,440 meters.
The geography of the country is also shaped by two large inland lakes. Lake Nicaragua with several islands is the larger and is located in the south-western part of the country. The capital of Nicaragua is Managua on Lake Managua in the west.
Managua Airport is around 9590 kilometers from Berlin. The journey from Germany takes place with a stopover in the USA or Central America, for example with Avianca or the US airlines American Airlines, United and Delta.
- Abbreviation Finder: Check to see national geography, brief history, society description, domestic politics, economy overview, and a list of widely used acronyms about Nicaragua.
Climate in Nicaragua
Nicaragua has a tropical or humid and warm climate with only slight temperature fluctuations. The coastal regions are fairly constant at 30 to 34 degrees daytime temperature and 20 to 23 degrees night temperature. The hottest months are April and May, when temperatures of up to 39 degrees can be reached on particularly hot days. As expected, temperatures also fall with increasing heights, the mountain regions reach temperatures of around 25 degrees during the day.
There is a clear difference in rainfall between the Caribbean side and the Pacific lowlands. In general, the Caribbean coast is humid all year round, while the highlands and the Pacific coast are not affected by the rainy trade winds. The dry season begins around the middle November and lasts until the end of April, but on the Caribbean coast only from the beginning of February to the end of April.
The rainiest months are September and October, the rainy season in Nicaragua generally runs from the beginning of May to the end of October.
When to go to Nicaragua
The best time to visit Nicaragua is during the dry season from November to April. At the end of the dry season, however, it can get very hot. In the months of January to March there is almost no rainfall in Nicaragua’s west, but day temperatures of 34 degrees and above. If you want to tour the rainforests in the Caribbean lowlands, we recommend February to April as the best time to travel.
In the rainy season from June, a trip to Nicaragua is not advisable until November. Cheap off-season offers are attractive, but the travel experience is clouded in many places by the inconsistent weather. Backpackers and long-term travelers can take this risk, but “normal” Nicaragua travelers with around two weeks should trust the best travel time. There is also a risk of hurricanes between July and October.
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Managua (Nicaragua)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 31 ° C | 32 ° C | 34 ° C | 34 ° C | 34 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C |
| Night temperature | 20 ° C | 21 ° C | 22 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 22 ° C | 22 ° C | 22 ° C | 21 ° C | 20 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 9 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 130 | 224 | 144 | 136 | 215 | 280 | 42 | 8 |
| Rainy days | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 5 | 0 |
| Hours of sunshine | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| Sunrise | 6:10 | 6:05 | 5:55 | 5:35 | 5:20 | 5:20 | 5:25 | 5:35 | 5:35 | 5:35 | 5:40 | 5:55 |
| Sunset | 17:40 | 17:50 | 17:55 | 17:55 | 18:00 | 18:10 | 18:15 | 18:05 | 17:45 | 17:25 | 17:15 | 17:25 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Managua is 27.3 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is April (29.3 ° C), coldest month of December with averages of 26.2 ° C.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 1204 mm on 90 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. The months of June, September and October are considered the rainy season, as more than 175 mm of precipitation can be expected per month. Overall, about 719 mm of precipitation can be expected in the rainy season. You cannot expect snow in any month in Managua.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, March is the sunniest month with an average of 9.4 hours of sunshine per day. The average annual sun shines 7.6 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Highlights and attractions
Nicaragua is an ideal country for round trips and can easily be traveled by rental car. Even among Central America experts, Nicaragua is still a kind of insider tip and far from mass tourism. Enjoy the colonial flair in León and Granada, marvel at the picturesque lagoons on the Pacific Ocean or go on a journey of discovery through adventurous cloud forests.
The Isla de Ometepe on Lake Nicaragua should not be missing on your route and can be wonderfully combined with an ascent of the active Masaya volcano. From the hot springs in Aguas Termales to extensive bird watching in the jungle to the magical beaches of Salinas Grandes, Nicaragua will cast its spell over you. Incidentally, longer round trips can also be easily combined with Costa Rica and Panama!
Cities nearby
The following major towns are nearby and have a similar climate: Masaya, Granada and León.
