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Beaches around Managua don't have the white sand and clear water of places like the Corn Islands or the beaches of San Juan del Sur and La Flor further south, but the water is warmer and they're easy to reach. Managuans visit on day-trips, particularly on national holidays, when the beaches - and public transport - get amazingly crowded, especially at Easter and Christmas: watch your belongings wherever you go. The closest beaches to the city are Pochomil and the nearby town of Masachapa , 3km beyond, around an hour and a half by hourly bus from the Mercado Israel Lewites. There's a small fee to enter Pochomil, but once here you can settle in for the day, as there are restaurants all along the sand, and motorbikes and horses for rent. At the northern end of the beach, the Villa del Mar charges an extra entry fee of US$5 but has a freshwater swimming pool, toilets, showers, and large, comfortable ranchos where you can hang a hammock. The fee is redeemable in food and drink - a whole grilled fish costs US$7. You can rent rooms here, or at the hotel Ticomar (tel 265-0210; US$15-25) at the other end of the beach, which also has a/c rooms for four people (US$25-40). There are several very basic hospedajes (up to US$5) in nearby Masachapa, or you may be able to string a hammock up in one of the locals' houses along the beach. Masachapa is more of a fishing village and its beach is not as clean as Pochomil. The bus from Managua goes to both places. Southwest along the coast from Masachapa is the town of Casares , which has its own stretch of fairly rough, unshaded beach, and Hueheute , which is a bit rougher again. Near Casares is La Boquita , another area developed for tourism which charges a small entry fee and offers plenty of places to relax and eat. The beach here can be dangerous with large rocks hidden in the shallows, but the river mouth which opens onto the beach provides a safe place to swim. The only place to stay is at Las Palmas del Mar (tel 412-3351; US$15-40). There is a direct bus service from the Mercado Israel Lewites to La Boquita, but it's infrequent except on weekends and holidays; during the week, catch the bus to Diriamba and change there for La Boquita.
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