The hurricane season usually runs from June to November. Tropical Storm Bonnie is likely to form and has the potential to reach the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua from the evening of Friday 1st July 2022 and could bring hazardous sea and weather conditions. You should monitor local and international weather updates from the World Meteorological Organisation and the US National Hurricane Centre. Follow the advice of local authorities, including any evacuation orders. Keep up to date with FCDO travel advice and social media.

Many areas of the country experienced a period of political disturbances in April 2018, resulting in hundreds of deaths and detentions according to UN reports. Protests led to violent clashes and use of tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition. The situation is now quieter but remains unpredictable. You should stay well away from all demonstrations and gatherings, even if apparently peaceful, as these could result in outbreaks of violence. See Political situation.

Flooding and landslides caused by hurricanes Eta and Iota, which struck Central America in November 2020, caused significant damage to infrastructure on the North Atlantic coast and along the border with Honduras. The rainy season normally runs from May to November. Hurricanes can affect Nicaragua during this period. You should plan any essential travel carefully. You should monitor local and international weather updates from the US National Hurricane Centre. Follow the advice of local authorities, including any evacuation orders. See Natural disasters. See our tropical cyclones page for advice about what to do if you are caught up in a storm.

Keep up to date with FCDO travel advice and social media. You can sign up for our email alert service to be notified of any updates to our travel advice.

If you are planning travel to Nicaragua, find out what you need to know about coronavirus there in the Coronavirus section.

The Nicaraguan border may close at short or no notice. See Entry requirements.

During the COVID-19 pandemic it is more important than ever to get travel insurance and check your cover. See the FCDO’s guidance on foreign travel insurance.

For information about COVID-19 vaccines, see the Coronavirus page.

During the COVID-19 pandemic it is important to follow all precautionary measures and keep up to date with information from your tour operator, transport or accommodation provider and comply with any health measures introduced by the authorities.

Nicaragua is in a seismically active region. See Natural disasters for advice about what to do before, during and after an earthquake. You should seek reliable local advice before and during any tourist activity around volcanoes.

Dengue is endemic to Latin America and the Caribbean. Nicaragua has an elevated incidence of dengue and risk is particularly high during the rainy season (May to November). Cases of Chikungunya virus have been confirmed in Nicaragua. There are reports of a rise in Malaria cases, including in May 2021 around the north-western city of Chinandega. See Health.

UK health authorities have classified Nicaragua as having a risk of Zika virus transmission. For more information and advice, visit the website of the National Travel Health Network and Centre.

Around 17,500 British tourists visited Nicaragua in 2017 but numbers have dropped since the 2018 protests. Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Nicaragua, attacks can’t be ruled out. See Terrorism

There is no British Embassy in Nicaragua. Our consular support is therefore limited. If you need emergency consular assistance, you should contact the British Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica at +506-2258-2025.

If you need to contact the emergency services, call 118 (police), 128 (ambulance) or 115 (911 from a mobile) (fire). The 24-hour hotline for COVID-19 related queries is 132.