Hostel Luna

I have had the time of my life in Esteli.
Cowboys swagger down the streets here, complete with pointed boots and buckled belts, and have a bizarre penchant for kareoke.
Horses are often tied up outside bars, and you´re more likely to see the Campesinos on a horse than on public transport.
The town is surrounded by the mountainous coffee growing and tabacco region, as well as smaller farming communities producing cheese.

My highlight for the area (apart from THE BEST aerobics class I recently discovered) has to be Miraflor.
Esteli is a great base for visiting the nearby Miraflor Nature Reserve and I stayed with an incredible family up in one of the small rustic farming communities. The eco-tourism in this area is magical, partly for the stunning backdrop but more for the experience of living with humble rural folk, who go out of their way to welcome you into their homestays, and lovingly introduce you to their world.
You get a real sense of what Nica life is like and can get hands on with helping make the tortillas or even milk the cows. Families can also help you organise a local guide to go hiking, swimming at the local waterfalls or even horse riding up to the cloud forests. INCREDIBLE!

Back in Esteli, you can throw yourself into some wild nights dancing Bachata, Salsa, Cumbia, Meringue, Ranchero rythyms, as well as stumble across live music events, visit cuban cigar factories, discover the revolutionary history of the north.

If you find yourself coming to Esteli check out the great new international hostel where you can get tons of advice and ideas on Miraflor mountain reserve and surrounding areas. Juanita runs the not for profit hostel and connecting cafe: CAFE LUZ Y LUNA.

Perks include free organic coffee & cable TV, cheap bike hire and good local tours. The dorms and private rooms are light and clean with hot showers.
There is also a new INFORMATION CENTRE attached to the set up with good info on local networks & volunteer opportunities .. and the best info advice on Miraflor. They are not in the guide book yet, but here is where to find them:

Directions in Esteli:
From Hotel Meson, 1 block east towards the
Pan Am (‘Pizza Hot’ in 2005/6 guide books)
T: (505) 441 8466 www.cafeluzyluna.com

Plus caféLuz: Breakfasts, all day menu, café bar. 7am–10pm.

Importantly for me, Café Luz y Luna is an organisation donating its profits to local projects in Miraflor.

I would advise anyone travelling Nicaragua to make a stop up North!

I'm living in Northern Nicaragua for the moment and find myself in this groovy little place most weekends... It's a new venture, a hostel and cafe which promotes responsible tourism and generates funds for community driven projects in Miraflor, the nearby nature reserve. For some reason, Esteli gets left off many of the large hostel booking websites; I don't understand why as this is a great base for 2 nature reserves, hundreds of coffee farms and is also a vibrant city with a great night life to boot.

Anyhoo. I digress. It's got dorms and a few single rooms: it's clean, fresh, and fun, with a central garden, hammock and seating area, cable TV lounge and movies for all, with the cheapest rates for backpackers, couples and group, the dorms at only C$99 cords ($5) per person it's good place to meet other travellers, and the information (in English if you'd like) is BRILLIANT. It has hot water, laundry facilities, free organic coffee and teas, bike hire, cigar factory tours, live music nights out tours, and more. Has its own excellent international restaurant across the road, Cafe Luz, which serves lasagne, curry and other such delicacies; if you've been in Nicaragua any time at all you'll know what a rarity those things are!