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| Nicaragua Transport |
There is a good network of roads in Nicaragua, varying in size from three-lane highways to narrow mountain passes, and varying in condition from excellent to poorly maintained dirt-roads that appear to be inaccessible. In order to reach the different beautiful locations in Nicaragua it is not only necessary to know about how to get there but also to know about the type and condition of the roads that you will have to travel. There are some highways that have many lanes and allow for high-speed transportation. The most important highway is the Pan-American Highway which connects many countries in this region. In Nicaragua this highway runs from the border with Honduras in the north to the border with Costa Rica in the south and along the way it passes many towns and cities that offer important tourist attractions. At several points,the Pan American Highway is widened to several lanes (this happens around important cities) but the largest part of the highway consists of only two lanes in total, one in each direction. The highway is in good condition, except for some parts that might be undergoing maintenance work. This highway runs through the departments of Madriz, Esteli, Matagalpa, Managua, Carazo, and Rivas. Other secondary roads have never been asphalted or paved, but these might be the roads that lead to some of the most interesting destinations like beautiful beaches or excellent nature reserves. Some of these gravel or sand roads are quite well accessible, but others are in very bad condition (during the raining season many dirt-roads suffer from the tropical downpours). In order to reach many of these beautiful but more remote destinations of Nicaragua it can be necessary to use high clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles in order to pass muddy, slippery roads or steep paths. |