Having had a few hours for reflection, here are my initial thoughts and impressions on this Puro Sabor trip.
Travel:
TSA Precheck is 100%worth it. It’s something like $80 and good for 5 years. I’m not sure who needs to hear this but if you don’t have it, get it.
Mobile Passport Control is a free app that you can download and it speeds up C&I on the way back in. Download it and use it if possible (they have a list of Entry Points that it can be used at in the US).
It takes $10 to enter Nicaragua so have that in cash. There is no exit fee.
The Best Western across from the Managua airport is a great hotel and worth staying at if you need a hotel or come in early. Honestly it was the best hotel I stayed in at Nicaragua.
Don’t bother trying to convert cash to Cordobas, just bring small bills ($1-$20’s). This is a cash based society so it’s a good idea to bring a few hundred with you. The internet is spotty and some shop’s card systems may not work because of that. I’d suggest starting with $400. There are banks and ATMs so you can always get more.
36 Cordobas to a dollar.
There are plenty of pharmacies and shops to buy toiletries or OTC meds but you’d be well advised to bring some Imodium and perhaps even tell your PCP of your trip and ask if they can give you any Rx’s to address and traveler illnesses.
Puro Sabor
The team that did the event planning and herding of attendees did an amazing job. I can’t say enough about their communication, hospitality and knowledge of Nicaragua. You end up having the same driver and tour guide for the week based upon your group number. Bring some cash to tip them. I gave $15-20 each.
Speaking of tipping, while this is all-inclusive to a degree, your experience will get elevated is you slip a few bucks here and there to your guides and servers. FYI, Tipping up front has its benefits.
There were 8 tour groups with each group having 3 prearranged farm/factory tours. I put pictures of the itinerary and tour group’s below for reference. However, you are in a 3rd world country and Esteli, while a large city by Nicaraguan standards, you should expect some deviations from the initial itinerary. All of those changes, though, were well communicated through out the group and no one was left behind.
This was an Adventure, not an all-inclusive resort in some Caribbean island or a Vicking Cruise through Europe. I went most of the week without a hot shower. We lost power in our hotel twice. A few people got “travelers tummy”. Just know that you should expect some changes but the PuroSabor team handled the pivots extremely well so don’t worry about going if that is a worry of yours.
This trip had some cultural aspects which were very cool and then moved to cigar-centered activities. From what I have heard from folks who have gone to Pro Cigar in the DR, PuroSabor is more educational where as Pro Cigar is more of parties. My head hurts with all of the knowledge that we were given. I visited Padron, Villiger, Roma Craft and Joya de Nicaragua and I thought that if you see one rolling table, that you have seen them all but that is not the case. Each factory did the process differently. I learned new stuff from each tour. Its kind of the analogy of every one makes pasta sauce but everyone has their own way of doing it.
Bring something for the White Party and the gala. You can get by with a dinner jacked for the gala and a white collared shirt for the White Party. I wore the same outfit for both and fit in well enough but a lot of attendees stepped up their game for the gala. (Frankly though, no one really cared at that point in the week).
I estimate that I was given 100 cigars over the course of the week. Everywhere I went I was being given something. It’s worth bringing a large suitcase, mostly empty, to take back all the souvenirs. But you can also buy a luggage bag here for cheap and check that for the flight home. Some people even left some of their clothes to make room. So pack with alll of that in mind.
All food, alcohol (Tona beer, Flor de Cana 12 & 18, Johnny Black label and then vodka, wine and hard seltzers) water, hotel reservations and transportation from Managua airport to all activities and back to Managua at the end of the trip, are included.
I 100% recommend you go at least once.
of Jon reaching up, wondering "what's this wire for?" and
️ shooting out of his junk trying to find a good ground.
