u/joospig

I recently found out about 5ber being out of business when my 5ber card started giving out messages about network error. I have downloaded the xesim app on my non rooted phone but have some questions before proceeding. Will really appreciate if someone can advise. Thank you in advance.

1. The downloaded App is sitting in my Android's file system. To run it each time I have to open it from My Files, it asks for an update and then opens up. is it possible to have an icon in Apps folder so I can open it directly.

2. What exactly are "downloads" in xesim app that one needs to buy? Are these just like how many esims we can buy before we need to pay again?

3. Are we still free to buy esim data plan from any provider on our own and use xesim to install it or are we being forced to buy data plans from the curated providers visible in xesim app?

4. Other than rooting the phone and using a card reader etc, what else is the best, straight forward option to have similar functionality? Is 9eSIM V0 the best alternative? If so, do they ship quickly?

Thanks again

This was my first visit to Nicaragua so I asked lots of questions in various sub reddits and did lot of reading.

In the end, it turned out to be as smooth as a piece of cake.

But first some god damn stupidity on part of Ticabus. They were supposed to pick me up from Liberia to take to Managua. The pick up point was the peaton under the highway. I waited and waited and sweated in the heat. No sign of bus. Waited an hour before and after the scheduled arrival time, the bus never showed up. of course they never pick up the call on whatsapp, replied to my urgent chat messages 6 hours later. It was a god damn nightmare. Finally i decided to take a big risk and attempt the crossing on my own. Luckily I got very good deal from a local uber driver who dropped me at Penas Blancas. Since I had arrived in Costa Rica just 20 hours ago, there was no exit tax for me and I crossed over to Nica side. it was certainly huffing and puffing dragging a suitcase and a carry on for what would be about 250-300 meters, I reached the Nica side. A lady collected one dollar. There were just two other visitors waiting in the line to see the immig officer so I was talking to one in less than 5 minutes (weekday, 12.30 PM - i had to race to beat a bus load of passengers). Almost Nothing special was asked, how long will I stay, where am I staying and when am I returning. The officer asked for $30 which was a bit of surprise but that was it.

I had used the site mentioned earlier in my another post to download the govt form and submit via email. The acknowledgement showed up quickly and 3 days later the ministry had cleared my entry. I was not asked about the form.

Then a quick x ray of luggage and that was it. I entered Nicaragua just as easily as I usually enter CR. No questions about two laptops, no inspection of luggage, no crazy questioning. This sort of de-toxified my mood sullen by ticabus disaster. Got the taxi to Granada at a pretty good price and that was it.

I have found Nica to be pretty good, safe, welcoming place. Hardly any tourists. Damn cheap but very hot. Did not rain at all during the 5 days i was there, bright and sunny every day. Roads are much better than in CR, did not see any druggies or homeless on streets. It was a very enjoyable trip despite my extremely limited spanish

I will land in Liberia and taking a tica bus to managua from Costa Rica. Planning to return after 4 days. I intend to return and stay in Costa Rica for over a week so most of my suitcase contains items for Costa Rica.

Can someone please advise if the following are perfectly OK to bring at this border crossing?

1. Small supply of off the shelf tablets - Tylenol, multi vitamin, Vitamin B12 etc - About 25 pills give or take but not in original packing obviously

2. A small Binocular - about 15 years old, quite small actually.

3. Nuts in original sealed packaging (trail mix, almonds, etc. )

4. An office laptop plus a personal laptop plus an ancient tablet. And two phones.

5. Some boiled food - nothing fresh, no fruits/vegetables/meat etc.

if someone can share the experience with Nicaraguan customs officials, that would be helpful to know what to expect. And do they speak or understand some English at all?

My other option is to leave the suitcase in Liberia hotel for 4 days and pick it up when returning. But that will mean I will have to pay for ticabus from Managua to San jose, get off at Liberia, taxi to hotel, pick up the suitcase and take taxi back to Pulmitan bus station to continue travel to san jose. Quite a bit of hassle and waste of time and money obviously.

I am bit puzzled by a post that mentioned that people using land crossings such as penas blancas need to fill out a form available on the interior ministry website and email it to places, a week in advance.

I dont see such for anywhere on the https://www.visasnicaragua.site/ website. When i clcik on new application, it tells me to go to st Nicaraguan Embassy to begin the process.

Is this form still needed and asked for?

I am planning to be in Grenada for 2-3 days max and will visit scenic places with a taxi driver or a tour company. Will enter and return to Liberia.

Do i need to have any Nicaraguan currency at all or are small denomination US dollars good enough at national parks/restaurents/ paying taxi drivers etc?

Ideally shared tour to visit Masaya volcano in the evening would be preferable but most of tour operators don't have required number of travelers and are asking for $70 or more.

I read somewhere that one can use Uber / InDriver to let a driver take you up there and wait for 15 minutes before driving back.

Is this economically and logistically feasible or will I run into systemic issues - for example must book volcano visit in advance etc.?

I am trying to figure out answers to the following two questions

Can someone please help?

1. Does it rain every evening near Grenada? I want to visit Masaya during evening for viewing Lava

2. And is the Lava lake currently visible at Masaya Volcano

Thanks to anyone who can help.

Estoy tratando de encontrar respuesta a las siguientes dos preguntas. ¿Alguien podría ayudarme?
1. ¿Llueve todas las tardes cerca de Granada? Quiero visitar Masaya al atardecer para ver la lava.
2. ¿Es visible actualmente el lago de lava en el volcán Masaya?
Gracias a quien pueda ayudarme.