All-out haggling is not really part of Nicaraguan culture. However, a bit of bargaining over a hotel room is considered acceptable, and negotiating the price in markets or with roadside vendors is the norm. At the time of writing, the situation on the ground in Nicaragua remains volatile.
The use of deadly force by riot police and government-funded Sandinista mobs against largely unarmed protesters led to locals barricading themselves in their neighborhoods and erecting roadblocks. There has been looting of small businesses and the torching of some government buildings.
The fighting has been fiercest at night and concentrated in the areas of Masaya and the capital city of Managua. Many locals are under a self-imposed curfew. The violence has seemingly subsided from the summer of during which, at last count, people were killed — mostly unarmed protesters by the police and government-funded supporters. Members of the clergy have also been targets of violence.
President Daniel Ortega steadfastly refuses to call new elections before , in spite of calls to do so by a large proportion of the population. Foreigners are not deliberately targeted by the violence, but if you're unlucky, you can get caught up in it, so make sure you get the latest information before traveling to or around Nicaragua. Citizens of some parts of Eastern Europe and Latin America, and many African and Asian nations, need visas to enter Nicaragua, while others can apply for a visa on arrival.
Check the Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry website www. After those 90 days, you must leave the region this means going to Costa Rica, basically for 72 hours, which automatically renews your visa. Land border officials are stricter in adhering to the regulations. While consensual gay sex was decriminalized in Nicaragua in , attitudes have taken a bit longer to change. As in most of Latin America, gay and lesbian travelers will run into fewer problems if they avoid public displays of affection, and ask for twin beds.
