Nicaragua's geographic location halfway down Central America makes it one of the most biologically diverse areas of the world.. It represents the southernmost limit of many northern species, including the southernmost pine forests in the hemisphere. The country contains the largest rain forests in Central America providing habitats suitable to many South American species. In addition to being the crossroads of North and South, Nicaragua is also divided between the dry Pacific and wet Atlantic by a series of volcanoes and mountain ranges. These two divisions (North/South, Atlantic/Pacific) furnish a wide range of habitat types in a very small area. These habitats range from savanna-like plains to dry tropical forest, submontane tropical forest, rain forest, cloud forest, a variety of aquatic habitats on both Caribbean and Pacific Coasts, volcanic crater lakes, and the largest bodies of fresh water in Latin America. The combination makes the country a diverse and fascinating destination for nature lovers and professional biologists alike. All of the biomes offer rich rewards for those who find wonder and fascination in the details of nature. The tourism industry in Nicaragua has long suffered from Nicaragua's poor reputation brought about by instability, revolution, and civil war. Even after the general security situation calmed following the peaceful transition to democratic rule in 1990, many of the remote areas that would be of interest to ecotourists remained dangerous. Today there remain some remote areas, extremely high in biodiversity, that are still dangerous. However, most of Nicaragua is now quite safe. The problem is a lingering negative perception of the country, especially in the prime ecotourism markets of North America. This presents a serious obstacle to the establishment of broad-based ecotourism. Another problem that continues to cripple tourism development, and by extension, ecotourism, is the critical lack of developed tourism infrastructure outside of Managua and a very few places along the Pacific coast. Even in these locations, the choices are extremely limited. For those of you familiar with Central America, the state of Nicaragua's infrastructure most resembles that of Costa Rica twenty to twenty-five years ago. There are a number of long-term projects underway, including hotel and hospitality industry projects, community-based tourism developments, and road and other infrastructure improvements, that will ultimately change the face of Nicaraguan tourism. Whether these improvements will be sustainable over the long term will depend on how well the government, NGO's and the private sector are able to work together. So where does that leave ecotourism? In extremely good shape, actually (if severely underdeveloped). It means that the wilderness areas in Nicaragua remain true wilderness (deforestation, etc, is another story). It means that the country is an ideal location for small-group, low-impact guided ecotours. It means that with completely new species being discovered practically on a daily basis, there is a chance that a hard-science format tour could be a part of scientific history. However, it also means that the visitor should come to Nicaragua with the knowledge that animals in the forests are well hidden and often quite shy. If you want to see tame wildlife that will pose for pictures while being hand-fed, you had better go elsewhere. The wild animals of the Nicaraguan forests require patience and a keen eye. In addition, it means that touring Nicaragua on one's own and actually seeing anything, let alone knowing where to go, is practically impossible. Finally, the lack of infrastructure means that tourists desiring to visit the most interesting and remote areas need to be willing to tolerate primitive conditions, hire local specialists with in-depth knowledge of the area, and be willing to invest a certain amount of time traveling after arrival in-country. What are the rewards for all this effort? First and foremost, Nicaragua is blessed with extraordinary natural beauty and high biodiversity. As an example, the Cerro Kilambé in north-central Nicaragua is believed to have the highest density population of the northern quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinnus mocinnus) in Central America. It is not unusual to see a number of males competing for females during the mating season (roughly March-May) when the quetzals come down out of the canopy and build their nesting holes. During a recent trip to Kilambé, visitors were delighted when a tapir wandered through the camp in the middle of the night. And then were perturbed when a northern cougar did the same less than an hour later. Or picture the surprised camper at the La Flor Wildlife Refuge last year when she woke up to her tent shaking in the middle of the night to discover an Olive Ridley Sea Turtle trying to dig her nest under the tent flap. Secondly, the relatively low tourist volume means that the visitor has a good chance of NOT seeing another tour group. There is a lot to be said on the quality side about being able to visit a protected area or reserve - some of which are less than two hours from the capital - where the number of visitors annually can be counted on your fingers. Walking the two-mile-long nesting beach at Chacocente where yours are the only footprints is an unforgettable experience. Nicaragua is one of the least known and least traveled destinations in Central America. Finally, because Nicaragua is not yet developed (some would say overdeveloped) to the level of Costa Rica, or even parts of Honduras and Guatemala, costs in-country are reasonable. A week-long package, with comfortable hotels, food, and transportation, as well as experienced and knowledgeable guides easily runs less than $2,000 per person, including airfare. Unfortunately, here as elsewhere it is very much buyer beware. KNOW YOUR TOUR OPERATOR! To conclude, Nicaragua is a wonderful destination for knowledgeable ecotourists who want to experience the beauty and wonder of the tropical environment, and who are willing to forgo some of the luxuries found in more developed tourist areas. With high biodiversity, pristine beaches, and incredible primary forests, Nicaragua is truely the "hidden gem" of Central America.