Is Rivas Worth Visiting? My Honest Thoughts After Backpacking Through Nicaragua
Honestly?
Probably not as a destination.
But as a backpacker stop, slow travel reset, or place to breathe for a day or two?
Yeah.
I actually think it was worth it.
Most travelers only pass through Rivas on the way to somewhere else: Ometepe, San Juan del Sur, or Popoyo. It’s more of a transportation hub than a “must-see” destination. Nobody sits around saying:
“You HAVE to spend three days in Rivas.”
And after being stuck sick on Ometepe for a week, I wasn’t exactly looking for excitement anyway.
I just needed somewhere quiet.
Somewhere cheap.
Somewhere with a bed, decent WiFi, food nearby, and no pressure to “do” anything.
And somehow?
Rivas ended up being exactly what I needed.
The quiet little town of Rivas ended up being exactly what I needed after Ometepe.
What Rivas Is Actually Like
Rivas feels very local.
There aren’t backpacker bars everywhere.
There aren’t giant party hostels.
There aren’t influencers running around taking drone photos in matching linen outfits.
It’s just… a functioning city.
People going to work.
Small restaurants.
Motorbikes.
Local stores.
Churches.
A central square.
Christmas decorations that somehow looked funny in tropical heat.
It felt more like a real stopping point than a tourist destination.
And after weeks of constantly moving, I weirdly appreciated that.
I stayed at Hostel Julieta, mostly because it was cheap and private. I paid around $20 USD for my own room with a single bed and shared bathroom.
Honestly?
I thought it was perfectly fine for the price.
The hostel literally had signs asking people not to leave bad reviews because the rooms were basic.
But… they were basic online too.
I never understood travelers who book the cheapest accommodation possible and then act shocked when it isn’t luxury.
For me, it was exactly what I wanted:
privacy
a fan
WiFi
somewhere safe to sleep
a quiet night to recover
I don’t even like AC that much, so I was happy.
I spent hours just wandering around the quiet streets and central square of Rivas, slowly starting to feel like myself again.
Why I Actually Enjoyed It
I think the reason I liked Rivas was because I finally stopped trying to force myself to travel properly.
Ometepe had wiped me out physically.
By the time I got to Rivas, I still wasn’t 100%.
This was the first place where I finally started feeling like myself again — but I took it slow because I didn’t want to overdo it.
So, instead of trying to pack my day full of activities, I just wandered.
I explored the square.
Looked at the churches.
Sat outside restaurants longer than necessary.
People watched.
Drank a giant chocolate milkshake that truly felt like medicine at that point.
And for the first time in over a week, I actually enjoyed being outside again.
That felt bigger than any tourist attraction.
Sometimes backpacking isn’t about climbing volcanoes or checking things off a list.
Sometimes it’s just:
“Hey… I finally have enough energy to walk around town again.”
And candidly?
That’s still part of travel too.
That chocolate milkshake honestly felt medicinal after a week of being sick on Ometepe.
The Unexpectedly Funny Part About Rivas
The funniest thing about Rivas was how random it felt.
One minute I was standing in a tropical town square.
The next minute I was staring at a giant inflatable Christmas snowman in 30°C weather.
There were Christmas lights everywhere, local families hanging out in the square, kids playing, and churches glowing during sunset.
It felt peaceful.
Not exciting.
Not life changing.
Just peaceful.
And after Ometepe, peaceful was exactly what I wanted.
At night, I’d head back to my room, throw Netflix on, and relax.
No pressure.
No tours.
No socializing.
No trying to be the “fun backpacker.”
Just resting.
I think a lot of travelers underestimate how important those slower days are.
If you go too hard for too long, eventually your body decides for you.
Mine definitely did.
Seeing a giant Christmas snowman in 30°C tropical heat somehow summed up the weirdly random energy of Rivas perfectly.
So… Is Rivas Worth Visiting?
If you’re looking for:
nightlife
beaches
adventure tours
luxury stays
bucket-list attractions
Then honestly?
Probably not.
But if you:
need a reset day
are traveling between destinations
want somewhere cheap
need reliable WiFi
want a quiet stop before heading onward
Then yeah.
I actually think Rivas is worth a short stay.
Especially for backpackers.
Not every stop has to be exciting.
Some places exist to help you catch your breath before the next adventure.
And for me, that’s exactly what Rivas became.
A quiet little pause between surviving Ometepe…
and heading toward Popoyo next.
Rivas wasn’t flashy or exciting — just a quiet place to slow down, recover, and breathe for a couple of days.
