Is Nicaragua safe for solo female travelers?
Safety rating
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How safe is Nicaragua for female travelers?
Travel safety index
based on 18 experiences from female travelers
Ometepe, Solo travel
I stayed at Zopilote, a very cheap and lovely hostel. At first I wanted to do some volunteer work, which is great if you love the free and relaxed vibe for a couple of weeks. The hostel ended up being so cheap I didn’t do any volunteering and just payed my stay, which also allowed me to join all the lovely acitvities they offer like yoga, cacao ceremonies, breathwork, … I went alone but met so many great people there who were lovely and open minded and a lot of other solo travellers which is always nice to meet new people.
Posted: July 10, 2024
Cha
France
Nicaragua, Couple travel
Nicaragua is not known to be the safest place in Central America but felt really safe as a woman even going on a run did not pose any problems. Men are respectful of women and I felt at peace more than in any other places
Posted: June 14, 2024León, Solo travel
No the most exciting city but it has ended up being one of my longest stays:) Between the EXCELLENT (and affordable!) vegan cafe nearby and the also excellent and affordable gym, this place has become a nice little spot where I’ve found myself settling into a routine for a bit. Very enjoyable
Posted: January 31, 2024
Wendy
United States
San Juan del Sur, Group travel
San Juan del Sur is very much a party town for backpackers and retirees alike. Decent mix of travelers from Europe and North America, with food and activities centered on tourists. Skip the restaurants in the beach and check out some of the spots a block or two in-land, like Dale Pues, Garden Court food options like Sauced, Dumplings Aqui, etc. Partying is definitely on the later side here but can be a lot of fun. Make sure to check out Sunday Funday (every Sunday, pool/bar crawl for $25)! Besides eating and drinking, you’ll have to take a taxi or shuttle to surfing/lounging beaches, hikes, etc. I was with a group of guy friends. During the day I felt pretty safe walking around the main town area myself, but I would not walk alone at night. We were all advised to stick to the main town area and not to go north of that (a residential but sparsely visited area) at night, even in a group. We did a day trip to Granada, which was cool to see the architecture, and popped by Magnifico Rock on the way home (beautiful beach and ocean views). Would recommend checking out both if you have time. We came in to Nicaragua from Costa Rica via land border crossing. We were told the crossing would take an hour max, but it took us 3.5 hrs just to exit CR and enter Nica. On the way back into CR, we had a different shuttle for transportation (Pablo Travel Transportation) and his guys helped us expedite through, then taking us only an hour. If you go this route, build in lots of extra time just in case.
Posted: January 18, 2024Nicaragua, Solo travel
Nicaragua is my favorite country in Central America. I felt very safe there all the time (I was traveling alone) and I used buses for locals, it was an extraordinary adventure. Ometepe is my favorite place.
Posted: December 25, 2023How safe is Nicaragua for women?
Local safety index
Based on 7 local experiences
Local crime index
Based on 7 local experiences
Matagalpa
It's a calm town, everything is near you can go walking and have a nice view surrounded by mountains overall a nice town in the north of Nicaragua. You'll find mountains and places where you can claim.
Posted: August 2, 2025Managua
There could be crime anywhere but only happend to me a few times without even realizing it. I wasn't attacked or anything, just robbed. My phone was stolen 3 times on the bus when it was full, I couldn't notice it. Besides that I haven't experienced anything traumatic.
Posted: December 26, 2024Jinotega
Jinotega is a safe place to visit, especially for tourists. Tourists are always well welcomed in my city. The mainly problem I have experienced is street harassment, even if in Jinotega you're not gonna experience it as in the bigger cities, it's a problem overall the country. Men can be very sexist, especially in rural areas. Do not visit rural areas or the capital without a local.
Posted: June 22, 2024Managua
Managua is a beautiful city with many trees and friendly people who are trying to survive the day to day. There is not much to see but I recommend the archeology museum and the footprints of Acahualinca if you are interested in learning a bit about the ancient history. Natural Chocoyero reserve is a gorgeous place to go to.
Posted: June 9, 2024Nicaragua
Nicaragua is considered one of the safest countries in Central America. Walking alone at night isn’t recommended, and there are some neighborhoods to watch out for in any city but the tourist joints are safe and welcoming. Everyone is kind and ready to make friends. The hostels are nice and the views are even better.
Posted: April 6, 2024Safety in Nicaragua
