Like many backpackers, once we had finished our travels in El Salvador we had to make the difficult decision of where next and how? Honduras? Nicaragua? Bus? Boat?

Our decision to skip Honduras all together was made a little easier by the local elections which caused havoc in the way of riots, road blocks and a 6pm curfew, though this had been lifted by the time we were ready to travel.

What are your options for El Salvador -> Nicaragua travel?

Option 1: Shuttle Bus via Honduras

I would say this is the most poplar route amongst backpackers and there are several tour companies that offer this for around $35. Most of the time these run smoothly, but be aware that there can be issues- we met someone who had been caught up in 3 riots and bags stolen off the roof! It is also a very long travel day.

Option 2: Chicken Bus via Honduras

For the more frugal of backpackers, it is totally possible to travel from El Salvador to Nicaragua by chicken bus through Honduras. Again it needs some caution with safety and will require an early start and a very long day of travel (approx 12 hours). Travelling via chicken bus can cost you as little as $9- see how Sabine who we met in San Salvador managed this journey (the other way round- Nicaragua -> El Salvador) on her blog. Whilst in Honduras, Sabine took 3 busses, but there is also the possibility of a bus that goes directly from one border to the other within 3 hours, costing $6.

Option 3: Boat via El Gulfo De Fonseca

This is the option we decided to take. If we weren’t visiting Honduras, why not take the scenic route! Yes it is the most expensive of the 3 options (though the price varies from $55-80 depending on the size of the group/ type of boat), but it is the most relaxing and enjoyable way we have ever crossed a border and we would totally recommend doing this if you can squeeze it into your budget.

The boat leaves from La Union which is easily accessible by bus from a number of places. La Union definitely doesn’t get enough credit in our opinion and we enjoyed the 2 days we spent here meeting some lovely locals, wandering through the hectic markets and having a relaxing lunch in the Parque de La Familia. We stayed with Marta and her family with a basic private room for just $10. It was also the cheapest option we could find in La Union.

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Views of the lighthouse in La Union from Parque de La Familia
We travelled to Nicaragua with a local guy named Mario (he is best contacted by email on golfo_fonseca@hotmail.com or via his facebook page. Mario was quick to reply… in Spanish… Cue Google Translate, and very efficient in organising our trip. We enjoyed meeting and travelling with Mario, and would recommend using him if you are taking this journey.

It was all pretty easy- our day went a little like this:

6.30am: Meet with Mario at Oficina de Migracion in La Union to get passport stamps. They also must send a photograph ahead to the office in Nicaragua before you depart. This can take a little while depending on how busy the office is.

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La Union docks
7:30: Short few minute walk to the dock. The journey takes around 2- 2 1/2 hours by boat. As you leave early in the morning it’s a pretty smooth journey, though the winds and waves were starting to pick up as we got closer to Nicaragua. Make sure to take in the views and wildlife as you go, its beautiful!

9:30: Arrive in Potosi, Nicaragua, greeted by beautiful serene beach views with a few rickety docks, and we think a farm just in-land. This is where we had our longest wait- we completed our immigration forms but had to wait 2 hours for this to be processed! We are told that it is a bit hit-and-miss. Sometimes this is really quick, sometimes not- seems we were the latter!

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Captain Mario after having safely transported us by boat to Potosi, Nicaragua
11:30: Bus to Leon. We were actually quite lucky here and a tour bus that happened to be at the port agreed to take us directly to Leon for C$100 each. But it is also possible by bus- you will need to take 2 busses.

  • First you will need to walk up to the road where you can catch a bus to Chinandega. The bus will drop you off at El Mercadito.
  • Once you arrive at El Marcadito in Cinandega you need to get to El Bisne for your next bus. I believe this is approximately a 15 minute walk, or a Tuk tuk should be quite cheap.
  • Take the bus from El Bisne to Leon.
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Arriving in Potosi, Nicaragua

All in all we arrived at our destination in good time to check into our hostel and have a nice wander round Leon before it started to get dark.

Our top tips for travelling by boat:

  • Bring snacks and plenty of drinks. There is nowhere to buy any food until you reach Chinandega
  • Take something waterproof– we were provided with some ponchos so didn’t actually use our own in the end, but depending on where you are sat on the boat, sea spray is a definite possibility!
  • Try to sit nearer to the front of the boat if you want to make sure you stay dry
  • Wear flip flops/ sandals– when you get off the boat in Nicaragua it involves a little paddle
  • Take a boat in the morning for calmer seas

And that’s it, our guide to travelling from El Salvador to Nicaragua by boat. Let us know how you will be travelling this route in the comments below. Questions about our trip welcome 🙂