It’s a question of trust really. The buses in Costa Rica and Nicaragua don’t have conveniently placed signs that tell you where each stop is. Or a website that tells you how often a bus is going to drive by your house. What they do have are lots of people. And usually these people are friendly and eager to help.
Colorful, though not particularly comfortable, buses in Nicaragua
Still it takes a certain level of trust to get on a bus with only the name of your desired stop in hand. First I ask the bus driver and/or his helper (if he has one): “You stop at ______ right?” When he responds in the affirmative, I ask him to tell me when I should get off. Usually (but unfortunately not always) this is enough, thus I move on to step two and try talking to/asking several people around me where my stop is. The trick is to ask around without making yourself look completely lost and clueless (which makes you seem like an easy mark for a future mugging). With any luck, either the driver or a fellow passenger will tell you when to get off.
This method rarely fails (but I make no guarantees), though I sometimes feel stupid asking the driver “Are we close?” fifty billion times. And once you know the route, its not so bad.
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Hi Marianne,
To respond to your question, I’d first suggest reading my blog from last week which tackles this issue a bit- http://lavidaidealist.org/2010/02/17/safety-versus-freedom/
I also think Managua is probably the hardest place to feel safe in Nicaragua. I would get taxi recs from your hotel and only carry a very small bag with you when you’re out and about. I can’t tell you how many times I was told that carrying a backpack was basically painting a target on my back. Once you get to the smaller towns (Granada, Leon, Matagalpa) things feel more laid back and it is easier to meet other travelers.
-Meg
Hi
I am travelling to Nicaragua in April for 3 weeks have booked one hotel for 3 nights in Managua didnt want to have anything more fixed than this. I am travelling alone can you give me any advise on keeping safe.]
Marianne
Love those buses. There’s nothing like walking casually down the street and then hearing at your back, “SUBA! SUBA! SUBA!”
Today I was on a bus that looked like it was racing a second one to pick up people. There’s nothing like being passed by one of those things on a dirt road with 4 inches in between.