Ritmo Costeño will bring you all the highlights and results from the tournament, so keep on visiting the site for the latest information.

As there are no highways leading into the reserve, the core of the reserve is pristine forest – home to an amazing array of flora and fauna. And unlike some other reserves where it can be extremely difficult to spot the wildlife, here it is plentiful.

The reserve is home to more than 4000 bird species, 2000 different reptiles and a number of large mammal species. Among the animals that have been found in the reserve are pumas, sloths, armadillos and monkeys.

As a protected national park, visitor access to the reserve is limited. The first access point is at the convergence of the Bartola River and the Rio San Juan, a short ride downstream from the town of El Castillo.

A number of short hiking trails lead into the reserve from the Bartola ranger station and guided tours including transport can be organised in El Castillo.

The other way to access the reserve is via the town of San Juan del Norte on the caribbean coast. While this route involves significantly more travel, it is also offers the best access to the heart of the reserve via the extensive river network that runs through the area.
It is possible to hire a local guide in the town to explore the reserve in a small motorized canoe.

Music is an integral part of life in the Caribbean and the Atlantic Coast has contributed an enormous amount to the catalogue of original music in Nicaragua.

Despite its small population, Bluefields has not only produced many of the country’s premier musicians, it has also given birth to an entire genre of music – Nicaraguan Maypole.

But after punching above its weight class for many years, the local music scene has been seriously subdued in recent times, with poverty and lack of opportunity forcing many local artists to hang up their instruments or move away in search of a livelihood.

However all that is starting to change with the official opening of the Bluefields Sound System recording studio in Barrio Central.

Even in the golden age of Costeño music, local artists would have to make the long river and road trip to Managua if they wanted to record their music. As a result there is an enormous backlog of original compositions that have never been taped.

Recording these tracks is one of the initial priorities of the BSS – inviting legendary performers to come in and use the studio to put down songs and sounds that have been passed on from generation to generation.

BSS has also contracted the services of award-nominated North American producer Evan Rhodes, who is currently working with young artists to produce international quality dancehall and reggae music on the coast for the first time.

In a region that has grown accustomed to hearing mainly imported music from Jamaica, the United States and other established music hubs, this represents an exciting development in the local music scene.

“There is no doubt that the talent exists in Bluefields to produce something truly spectacular,” explains BSS founder Edwin Reed Sanchez, “however up until now the artists have not had the resources to turn their talent into a marketable product.”

“The opening of the studio represents a major milestone with regards to restoring Bluefields to its position as an innovator not just in Nicaragua but in the region as a whole.”

For Rhodes, the chance to work with up-and-coming Nicaraguan artists has been impossible to pass up.

“These guys are creating something truly original that has the potential to hit big not only here but in overseas markets as well,” says the producer.
At present, Rhodes is working on the new single of Bluefields artist Kali Boom, “You’re the one in my heart” as well as the debut release of young singer Papa Bantam.

“Kali’s song is a great example of what the BSS project is all about, it is built upon classic reggae sounds but also has a modern, fresh beat.”

In addition to recording music for release on their own record label, the BSS is also renting out studio time to popular local musicians that are working to release their own work as well as to the public in general.

For more information on the BSS project visit www.bluefieldsound.com.

Dominoes is more than a game on the Atlantic Coast, it is a passion. Here, playing dominoes is not only about your moves, it is about your style. Even in non-competitive games between colleagues or neighbours, the tiles are slammed down with such force that the half full bottles of beer on the table rock precariously from side to side with every piece played. And unlike in other parts of the world where it is perhaps favoured by an older generation of gamers, here the youth are also passionate the dots.

Today is the first round of this year’s tournament is being held in one of central Bluefield’s iconic bars. The two sides of the wood paneled restaurant area have been cordoned off to keep the spectators and those waiting to play back from the tables. Within the game zone there are four tables each seating four players, two from each team. A number of the players are decked out in custom team t-shirts featuring their barrio’s name and logo.

On the left side of the room, reigning champion and domino powerhouse Cotton Tree are taking on the small neighbourhood of Pointeen while on the other side of the room Tres Cruces battle it out with Beholden. At each table there is an observer/referee who yell results to a scorer who writes and erases frantically on a beat up blackboard.

Dominoes is a game that goes hand in hand with drinking. And a majority of the players are keeping themselves well hydrated with beer and rum. But the real hardcore alcohol consumption is going on in the spectators area where afficionados and a handful of players from teams that don’t begin their campaigns until the coming days have rocked up to check out the opposition.

It is no fluke that the domino season kicks off in earnest when the real wet season rains arrive. For many in town, when the rains start lashing down their first reaction is too reach for the domino tin and start a game.

And while the annual tournament is the most concentrated display of Buefield’s domino addiction, on any given day countless amateur games are played out in countless homes around the city.

In fact, this simple game is a visual demonstration of the strong bonds that the autonomous regions share with the greater Caribbean. For, perhaps more than any other past-time, dominoes unites the Caribbean. From Cuba to Jamaica and Antigua to the Dutch Antilles, dominoes is the game of choice.

Back at the bar, another round of matches has just wound up and the players are spilling out onto the the street to discuss the previous game or talk strategy. And it is in this moment of rest between the battles that one can identify the real reason this game is so popular here, it is a major social event that provides the chance for residents from across this rapidly growing city to catch up and shoot the breeze.

Evans Quinn is rising fast through the world of heavyweight boxing, blowing away opponents in regular fights on the US circuit. A native of the small Creole community of Monkey Point, 60 kilometres south of Bluefields, Quinn is already being tipped by some within the boxing industry as a potential star.

Many who have seen him fight agree. Quinn has won six out of his last eight fights with a first round knockout and is undefeated in his last eleven bouts. He is the number one ranked heavyweight from Nicaragua and is rated at 46 in the world.

However the boy from the RAAS is convinced he can go much higher.

“I am going to be number one”, he told Ritmo Costeno recently in Bluefields, “you see there are a lot of guys who are great boxers, but I am different, I live this thing.”

But Quinn has not always seen his future in the ring.

“I was never really into boxing. When I was younger I was in the army in Managua and one day this guy from Bluefields was fighting some local guy.”

“Anyway, the guy from Bluefields lost and all the Spanish were saying that the boys from the coast are soft, so I decided to show them what we are made of.”

After getting into the sport, Quinn headed back to the coast where he trained up with friends in Monkey Point before heading back to Managua to get some fights under his belt.

The Costeño soon outfought the competition on the local circuit and was forced to head south of the border to Costa Rica to look for new challenges.

It was at a bout at the San Jose Palacio hotel in the Costa Rican capital that Quinn received his big break.

“I had this fight and Don King had some people at the event. They came up to me before the fight and told me if I won they would take me to the US to fight,” he explained.

“I went out there and knocked out the guy in the first round.”

However, just as his career should have been taking off, Quinn found himself  facing a new battle.  The boxer was arrested in Bluefields as part of an investigation into Colombian narcotics traffickers and held in the local lockup for a number of days before being released.

Quinn maintains he is a target because of his high profile and denies having any links at all to the drugs trade.

“That’s all rubbish. I haven’t got any interest in drugs. My focus is on winning my title.”

In order to get a shot at a title, the boxer is now pushing for fights with more high profile opponents . But the step up in quality does not phase the costeño.

“The thing that I got is speed, if I fought Holyfield or one of those big guys I would mash them up. I’m going to be the best.”

And while it is in the United States that Quinn will forge his reputation as a fighter, he remains connected to the RAAS.

While other many other sportsmen relocate in order to further their career, Quinn likes to call the Atlantic Coast home.

In fact, he plans to organize a fight in Bluefields to showcase the sport in the region.
“It would be great for the coast, the first real professional fight over here. We would sell out the stadium.”

Sample pearl keys text. Some random text about the pearl keys. A recent study in the Bosawas biosphere reserve in Jinotega and the RAAN has shown that clearly marking indigenous lands within the reserve is a more effective way of halting the spread of the agricultural frontier than defining the borders of the park itself.

Sample pearl keys text. Some random text about the pearl keys. A recent study in the Bosawas biosphere reserve in Jinotega and the RAAN has shown that clearly marking indigenous lands within the reserve is a more effective way of halting the spread of the agricultural frontier than defining the borders of the park itself.

Sample pearl keys text. Some random text about the pearl keys. A recent study in the Bosawas biosphere reserve in Jinotega and the RAAN has shown that clearly marking indigenous lands within the reserve is a more effective way of halting the spread of the agricultural frontier than defining the borders of the park itself.Sample pearl keys text. Some random text about the pearl keys. A recent study in the Bosawas biosphere reserve in Jinotega and the RAAN has shown that clearly marking indigenous lands within the reserve is a more effective way of halting the spread of the agricultural frontier than defining the borders of the park itself.

Located less than 90 minutes from Bluefields by panga, the Pearl Keys are as about as far as you can get from packaged holiday options. A series of tiny white sand islands spread sparingly around brillant turquoise waters, the keys are every bit the perfect Caribbean postcard scene.

While somewhat difficult to get to (the easiest way is to hire a panga and driver in Pearl Lagoon), the experience is well worth the trip. The islands are, for the most part, uninhabited and are covered with coconut palms. The keys offer some of the best snorkeling in the region or the perfect place to chill with friends and enjoy a picnic lunch.

Of the 18 islands in the group, some like Vincent Cay and Grape Cay are no bigger than a football field, while others, such as Wild Cane Cay and Baboon Cay are big enough to explore for an afternoon.

For generations local communities from Pearl Lagoon have used the islands to collect coconuts and fresh water or to take a rest when out fishing. However, recently a land dispute has engulfed the keys. A number of foreign investors bought disputed titles to the islands which led to local residents and fishermen being shut off a number of the keys.

Unlike the nearby Corn Islands, the Pearl Keys are rarely spotted by visitors from outside the area. There are no hotels or other infrastructure.

However the islands are big on natural beauty. They are an important breeding ground for sea turtles, which take advantage of their remote location to lay their eggs. Many of the keys are surrounded by extensive reef systems which are inhabited by a wide variety of tropical fish and other wildlife. A number of the islands are also feature mangrove forests which attract an extensive array of migratory birdlife.

So whether you are into nature, adventure, or just chilling in a hammock (BYO of course), the Pearl Keys offer the ultimate Caribbean experience. So next time someone asks what you would take with you to a dessert island, give the question more thought than usual as you may just be heading to a real life one soon.

Pearl Lagoon town is the jumping off point for discovering the region. It is a timeless, relaxed Creole community where residents pass the time singing, playing baseball or just chilling out and chewing the fat.

Although the town has recently been linked to the rest of the country through the new Rama-Kukra Hill highway, the town itself has no real roads and is easy to get to know on foot. It is also a great place to get a taste for traditional regional cooking.

A short walk through some interesting wetlands leads to the Miskito village of Awas. Here the waters of the lagoon are cleaner than those in town and there is a coconut tree fringed beach that runs along the front of the village. Ask around for fresh seafood – crab soup is a specialty.

For those looking for somewhere even more remote, a short boat ride across the lagoon lies the small Miskito community of Kakabila. There is not a lot to do in Kakabila except sit back and enjoy the relaxed vibe. Trips to surrounding the forest which is full of wildlife can also be arranged. At nightfall, the village hipsters like to hang out on the pier under the stars and listen to country and reggae classics on their radios. Those that like to smoke will not feel out of place.

Further north lies the Garifuna community of Orinoco. The Garifuna trace their origins back to the island of San Vicente in the Caribbean sea, where the local indigenous community mixed with Africans bought to the area by the slave trade.

Orinoco is the capital of the Garifuna in Nicaragua and is an outpost of the more densely populated Garifuna settlements in Honduras and Belize. Despite this geographical isolation, the local residents are extremely proud of their culture and traditions and a visit to this community is a highlight of the region.

Another village with Garifuna roots is La Fe, a gorgeous collection of wooden houses on a majestic bay surrounded by dense jungle. While there is not much in the way of accomodation options here, it is considered by many to be one of the most scenic locales on the lagoon and is definitely worth a visit.

Nestled between the lagoon and the Caribbean Sea lies the most populous village in the area, Tasbapouni. Tasba, as it is affectionately known, has a reputation of being somewhat sketchy, and while it is definitely a little on edge, it is also far more lively than the other communities in the area. The Creole and Miskito residents like to party and the village boasts what has to be one of the most remote discos in the country.

From here the beach on the Caribbean side stretches uninterupted all the way south to the mouth of the lagoon and north to Sandy Bay. Adventurous travelers can rent a horse in town to explore the area. For nature lovers, a trip in a dugout canoe to the waterways and lagoons that surround the village offers the chance to get close to local wildlife.

With a well planned itinerary, visitors can take in all these sites during a weekend trip and as tourism has yet to really make a mark here, this amazing destination is unlikely to leave a major dent in your travel budget.