South Caribbean Coast, Nicaragua · North America
Nueva Guinea sits on the route: 30 minutes from El Almendro.
Nueva Guinea is a town located in South Caribbean Coast, Nicaragua. With a population of 52,929, it is an important destination in North America.
On a road trip, Nueva Guinea sits in Nicaragua. It's in the America/Managua time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Nueva Guinea to your route.
Nueva Guinea (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈnweβa ɣiˈnea]) is a town and a municipality in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region of Nicaragua.
Nueva Guinea was founded in the 1960s and saw significant growth in the early 1970s as the US Peace Corps helped to move families from the Pacific region of Nicaragua to NuevaRead more
Guinea in exchange for free land and agricultural help.
20 km east of Leon Nicaragua, Cerro Negro erupted on 3 February 1971, causing extensive ash fall to the west. Up to 10 cm of ash were deposited in villages near the volcano. The eruption ended on 14 February. Much farmland was damaged by the ash fall from the eruption. USAID and/or perhaps U.S. Peace Corps, in conjunction with the Government of Nicaragua, provided aid consisting of elements of the U.S. Air Force 24th Special Operations Squadron, Howard Air Force Base, Canal Zone (Panama). In an effort encompassing approximately 3 weeks in early 1971, U.S.A.F. C123K aircraft conducted numerous sorties between Leon Nicaragua and Nueva Guinea relocating an estimated 1000 families along with their livestock and pets to Nueva Guinea. Helping to coordinate the weeks-long relief effort were 2 U.S.A.F. combat controllers on site throughout at Nueva Guinea. The two controllers provided radio communications, set up and maintained a non directional beacon navigation aid, provided weather observations and updated airfield status reports helping to ensure safe air operations.
Skilled pilots landed the high-wing C123s on the unimproved runway surface at Nueva Guinea onto a sod runway surface not much wider than the fuselage and landing gear of the large aircraft. The high wings extended over meter high berms along each side of the runway. Part way into the mission, a bulldozer was airlanded by the C123K aircraft. The bulldozer was used to extend the runway and over-run area and some levelling of the berms along the runway length was accomplished. This was done in order to increase runway safety.
During the weeks-long mission, the on site air force controllers were joined each day alongside the runway by several of the local children ages from about two years to perhaps 14 years who watched the goings-on and were delightful companions to the two working controllers.
The disaster response relocation of Nicaraguan citizens was of a magnitude (estimated 1000 families) that was at the time quite significant to the Nueva Guinea community. It is believed at that time (1971) that Nueva Guinea lacked all-weather road connections. The road connecting to populated regions of Nicaragua was only believed passable during the dry season. In 1971 there was a medium size electric generator in the town that operated for several hours nightly, powering some street lights and perhaps a few basic shops and homes. Refrigeration was accomplished with "ice boxes" and ice, packed in burlap bags with sawdust for insulation was flown in regularly. It is believed that two local bakers alternated bread making duties for the townspeople and fresh beef or pork was available- usually one or the other- depending upon the butchering schedule. As chickens seemed numerous, eggs were readily available at the small restaurant in town. At the time of the air mission, in addition to the two USAF personnel in town there was one U.S. citizen known to reside longer-term in Nueva Guinea, that being a Catholic aid worker from Sheboygan, Wisconsin USA. (Written by a USAF combat controller who lived at Nueva Guinea throughout the relief mission in 1971.)
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Nueva Guinea.
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Nueva Guinea.
Nueva Guinea offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
Plan your road trip to Nueva Guinea with Plan Your Road Trips! Add Nueva Guinea as a destination, and we'll help you find the best route and discover more amazing places along the way.
Nueva Guinea is located in South Caribbean Coast, Nicaragua, North America. The coordinates are 11.6876 latitude, -84.4562 longitude.
Nueva Guinea has a population of approximately 52,929 people, making it a town in Nicaragua.
Add to your itinerary
Start planning your road trip with Nueva Guinea as a destination. Create a custom route and discover more amazing places along the way.
Start Road TripDiscover destinations like Tinder
Swipe through stunning destinations near Nueva Guinea. Save your favourites and add them to your trip.
Year-round
Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.
Other places to explore near Nueva Guinea.
Create your perfect itinerary with our calendar-based planner. Add stops, discover attractions along the way, and share your trip with friends.
Start Planning