Nicaragua's Boaco, Chontales, Juigalpa, Río San Juan & Solentiname

The gateway to Nicaragua's eastern and southern regions lies in Boaco and Chontales, ranching departments that adhere to a traditional lifestyle and a slower pace that's easy to adapt to. Known for their cheese industry, these departments receive few visitors. Boaco, capital of the department of the same name, and Juigalpa, capital of Chontales department, are small-scale commercial centers that hum with low-key activity as the area's ranchers come to take care of business. Juigalpa is home to several of the region's main sights, including a nationally-recognized zoo and a museum that displays some of the country's most important pre-Columbian artifacts. A few days in Boaco and Chontales gives visitors a chance to experience the pleasure of rural life in Nicaragua. Aguas Claras Hot Springs, tel. 244–2916. Just a few miles west of the Empalme de Boaco, the hot springs of Aguas Claras (entry $1.75) are the area's main draw, with good reason. The complex includes five geothermally-heated pools, a good restaurant ($$-$$$), ranchos with hammocks, and the area's best hotel ($$), which has 20 rooms situated in a main building and in cabins. Juigalpa is perhaps best known in Nicaragua for its zoo. The town also boasts Nicaragua's best museum of pre-Columbian artifacts, as well as some of the nation's liveliest fiestas patronales. Perhaps most importantly, Juigalpa allows you to experience life in a typical friendly ranching town. In Juigalpa, Museo Arqueológico Gregorio Aguilar Barea is famous for its Chontal statues, dating back more than a thousand years; the museum has some of the best pre-Columbian pieces in the country. As for Río San Juan, this secluded region, located in the southernmost section of Nicaragua and largely covered by dense jungle, offers some of Nicaragua's most interesting adventures. The Solentiname Archipelago, located in Lago de Nicaragua and accessible by boat from San Carlos, has a fascinating lifestyle and a beautiful natural environment. Solentiname's secluded location and infrequent public transportation renders it a challenge to visitors, but the lucky few who make it here are rewarded with beautiful views, a unique artistic culture, and possibly the friendliest people in all of Nicaragua. Solentiname is most famous for its unique Primitivist-style painting, and over 50 painters and artisans to live and work on the islands. In addition to its artistic tradition, Solentiname is also a nature lover's paradise, with abundant bird life, white-tailed deer, iguanas, caimans, howler monkeys, and, less commonly seen, boa constrictors. The beauty of the islands is at its peak when the end of the rainy season brings lush foliage, but the archipelago is pleasant to visit year-round. Another draw of the archipelago is the petroglyphs and carvings that remain undisturbed in their natural setting; locals can offer directions. This guide contains all the information you need, from where to stay and where to eat to how to get around, what to see and what to do. Color photos and maps throughout.