The owners' son/grandson...
...Bodhi Portugal and his wife Sarita, proprietors of Nicaragua Escape near Jiquilillo, along with Dustin Helliwell, webmaster and email correspondent, can help you plan your trip and take care of you during your stay.
They can
- arrange a car & driver from Managua
- hire a cook/caterer
- give you surfing lessons
- take you fishing
- set up bird-watching kayak tours
- drive you around
- provide fresh fruit juice
- deliver fresh fish or lobster
- recommend local restaurants
- make sure everything is OK
The properties come with a caretaker.
There are the 2 seasons in Nicaragua, rainy (summer) and dry (winter). Most of the rain is at night; there are some incredible, awesome thunder and lightening shows. If you are looking for giant surf, ask Bodhi when to come (usually spring, summer, fall). If you prefer boogie-board waves, December, January and February are good.
Book the house rentals through Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO): vrbo.com/272064 and vrbo.com/247904
Click here to email the owners--Sue and Peter Portugal and Dottie Portugal or use the contact info on the VRBO site.
To talk to Bodhi,
Call 011-505-8-678-8798
or email Dustin at
email info@nicaraguaescape.com
or visit
www.nicaraguaescape.com
A typical meal in Jiquilillo: fresh fried fish, tostones (fried palntains), rice and tomatoes. Photo by Peter Portugal.
Side-by-side beach houses for family reunions. These beach-front houses on the north-west coast of Nicaragua can be rented separately or together at very reasonable rates. Together they make a perfect setting for multi-generational family gatherings. This shot is taken from the beach.
A thatch roof "rancho" between the houses offers shade with ocean view.
Jiqilillo, the fishing village a block away from the beach houses.
The one bedroom = vrbo.com/272064
Introductory rate for bookings before Sept. 1. 2010: $75/night .. $450/week..$1250/month.
The two-bedroom = vrbo.com/247904
Introductory Rate .. $80/night .. $500/week .. $1400/monthThese brand new beach houses are perfect to rent for family or other group gatherings because they are right next door to each other with a shaded hammock area in between. Each house has full kitchen and bathroom facilities and plenty of room for gathering. Both have great architecture with windows that let in plenty of light. Both houses have running water and electricity from public power with generator back up available.
Both houses are on the beach--you step off the porch into sandy soil and the ocean is always in view. Great surfing or boogie-boarding is right there. Once in a while someone goes by on the beach, but mostly you have it to yourselves.
We have had vacations here with four generations. The spot is perfect for babies and kids and anyone who can walk. The yard and the town are handicap unaccessible--wheelchairs cannot move in the sandy yard and unpaved streets. Our mom, 95, can get around with a cane, but she is quite healthy. The closest medical clinic is half an hour away.
This area of Nicaragua is still undiscovered--there are no tourist traps and no souvenirs for sale. You will not have to deal with any touts trying to sell you something. The locals are friendly.
A trip to these houses qualifies as adventure travel. The last three miles of road getting to the houses are unpaved--bumpy and dusty--but are expected to be paved within the year. Weather can be significant--sometimes much rain or wind, although usually nicely warm. We go for the weather.
The air temperature is usually in the 80s, just right for beach fun. The water temperature is perfect--you can play in the ocean for hours and not get cold. A fairly constant soft breeze keeps the air moving. The houses have no air conditioning--just fans and breezes.
These houses are located in the charming undeveloped fishing village of Jiquilillo. Almost all the buildings in the village are thatch roofed, including the three English-speaking, very casual restaurant/bar/hostels. There are no stores--bring what you need, except for food, which can be obtained (fresh!) from local fisherman and cart vendors who come down the road. Some tiny shops sell chips, rum, beer, beans, rice, eggs, sweets, and a few other things.
There is a new restaurant about a 5 minute walk along the beach from the houses, with a raised platform and a ground level spot. Sue Portugal reports, "It's super cute and the food is great! We ate there twice; at about $4.50 a plate we got fresh fried fish, tostones, rice and tomatoes and a drink. They also offer chicken, and breakfast and lunch."
We usually hire a cook and eat most of our meals at home. We enjoy fresh local chicken, fish, and lobster, plus rice mixed with beans, eggs, fresh vegetables, fruit, and juice from Bodhi's orchard (see left). If you want to cook beef, bring some from Chinandega (big town between Jiqilillo and Managua, about an hour away).
The village of Jiqilillo has no post office, no bank, and no ATM, but there is a delightful place for getting on the internet, a 12-minute walk from these houses: Rancho Esperanza, a hostel/restaurant/community-service center--a "backpacker hostel with a conscience." They have two laptops or bring your own device and rent the use of their wi-fi. But Rancho Esperanza is sometimes underwater in the rainy season--summer--and it closes, leaving no public access to the internet. Rancho Esperanza is currently closed. MovieStar--the phone company--is planning to install wi-fi throughout Jiqilillo and visitors will be able to buy access minutes.
Nicaraguan cell phones of the Movistar brand work in Jiquilillo. Reception is best on the beach. If you do not speak Spanish, the airport in Managua is a good place to pick up a phone. Phones are also available in Chinandega, and you can buy minutes in Jiqulillo.
The electrical outlets in Nicaragua are the same as in the USA--no adapters or converters needed.
The Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO) listings vrbo.com/272064 and vrbo.com/247904 detail what is provided and what you need to bring.
The other accommodations in the village are hostel-type lofts or rooms. These are the only beach houses for rent in Jiquilillo.
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