This section will give you more information about what to expect at each step. It might get a little long winded, but hopefully it'll address all your questions. Booking the Service: You can book with either the local boat operator, Mario, on Whatsapp at +503 7282 4362, or the travel agency Gekko Trails Explorer. Make sure you choose your pickup location carefully, as you will miss the bus if they go to the wrong place and wait for you. If your accommodation in San Salvador isn't on the list, just pick one nearby and walk there in the morning. It's not important whether you actually stayed where you're being picked up. Make sure you declare all your luggage because the shuttles are full and there might not be room for everything otherwise. Be sure to enter where you want to be dropped off carefully as well. Jiquilillo is a perfect place to stop, relax at the beach, experience authentic local life, and do awesome activities before continuing to another highly traveled, hot, inland city. Catching the shuttle: Be sure to wait 15 minutes before 2:00 AM! Communications from Gekko Trails can be a bit misleading by always saying 2:00 AM. You need to be ready and outside at 1:45 AM! About the shuttle: Usually the shuttles are pretty packed and it can be uncomfortable especially in the back row, luckily they are air conditioned and the seats are generally comfortable, so that takes the edge off. Be prepared for it to be tight though. Nothing worse than a crowded chicken bus! They load bigger bags on the roof and in the rear of the vehicle, so be prepared with a smaller bag or backpack holding everything you need for the bus ride. This ride is about 4.5 hours. Upon Arrival to La Union: When you get to La Union, El Salvador, they'll unload the bags and everyone will walk to the immigration office together. They'll collect passports, then you'll have some time when you can get breakfast, change clothes, repack for the boat, put on sunscreen, etc. There are a few local food places near the immigration office. The immigration process for leaving El Salvador takes about an hour or a bit more. You should ask how much time you have before wandering off to explore or find food. Once everyone gets through immigration and gets their passports back, they walk you down to the docks where you board the boat. About the Boat Ride: The boat is about 7 meters long with rows of three plastic seats and a sun shade (you still need sunscreen). When you board, you'll be provided a life jacket, and they'll collect all the larger bags at the front of the boat. There isn't a particular place to sit that will keep you dry on the boat, it's totally dependent on the weather that day. Some days you get hardly any drops of water on you, and rarely there are days where you'll end up wet no matter where you sit. They wrap your luggage in a tarp at the front to keep it dry. Remember to prepare for the possibility of a wet crossing. The boat ride is about 1.5 to 2 hours on the water. Arriving in Potosí: The boat will pull up to the beach in Potosí, Nicaragua. You will need to jump out of the boat into shallow water to disembark, so be ready to remove your shoes or wear sandals that can get wet. Customs to Enter Nicaragua: Everyone gathers in the shade by a dock nearby where the customs agent will look through your bag. Usually this isn't too painful of a process, but be aware of prohibited items in Nicaragua like night vision binoculars, drones, and other journalist gear. They might give you a hard time about cameras, lenses, and regular binoculars. Drones have been confiscated. They will also hand out printed Nicaragua entry forms you need to fill out. You can print this out yourself and have it filled out ahead of time if you want to. Find the form above in the "What You Need" section. I recommend bringing a pen for this, usually everyone has to share whatever pens are there. Immigration into Nicaragua: This immigration is slow and not the most comfortable, but it works. You'll wait outside a small dusty building (in the shade luckily) and wait while they slowly work through each person. You'll need to present your passport and the result of the online entry form you completed at this point. There's a link to the form above in the "What You Need" section. If you didn't do it, there's a $6 fee. Some people plan to just pay this because the form is so hard, almost impossible, to fill out on a phone. There's a required $10 fee to enter the country you must pay at this point as well. There isn't much food or water available here, so I recommend being prepared for the day with what you bring. There's also no place to get cash in Potosí, so make sure you bring enough to get you to the next big city. US dollars are widely accepted, but you'll get change in Nicaraguan Cordoba. We accept PayPal or cash at Rancho Esperanza, and can almost always change some money for you to get you some local currency. About the Second Shuttle: After immigration and customs, you'll get back into a shuttle to your Nicaraguan destination. We hope to see you at the Rancho! Check out the rest of our site to book, get more information, see a list of our activities, and more!