Charis Atlas Heelan writes:

Strangely these are not the attributes that usually come to mind when people think of Nicaragua. It is more likely that it conjures up images of revolution, civil war, poverty and natural disasters. It has now been almost 15 years since Nicaragua emerged from the ravages and despair of war, in fact Nicaragua is now amongst the safest countries in the region (according to a UN survey). Unfortunately its previous reputation remains largely intact and the country's fledgling tourism industry is fighting hard to try and dispel the danger myth. On a positive note though, it is exactly this lack of tourism that has prevented Nicaragua from becoming overdeveloped and environmentally impacted like some of its neighbors.
For the adventurous traveler, Nicaragua is unspoiled and can provide the ultimate Central American journey, especially the southern stretch of the Pacific coastline that is emerging as the country's main attraction. In December and January, the skies are clear, the average temperature is 80+ degrees and the landscape is lush and green. US dollars are accepted almost everywhere, but it is hard to pay with credit cards outside the main cities. One $US dollar will buy you 16 Nicaraguan Cordoba Oro (NIO). English is widely spoken, especially on the Pacific coast.

Not a bad assessment of what's going on between Costa Rica and Honduras these days, and for the record, you no longer even have to be so "adventurous" to enjoy Nicaragua, though a well-sharpened sense of humor will get you a long way. Kudos to Frommer's for bringing the good news to an even broader audience.

Read the rest of the article at www.frommers.com.