Is Matagalpa safe? Nicaragua travel risk
Is Matagalpa safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Matagalpa scores 58/100 on our travel risk index (Elevated). The US State Department rates Nicaragua Level 3 (Reconsider Travel, updated 14 May 2026); the UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution. GDACS lists 1 minor (green) event within 100 km in the last 14 days. CDC travel health notice: Level 2, Chikungunya in Nicaragua (3 Sep 2026). No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Matagalpa scores 58/100 (Elevated). The score combines security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards and current alerts measured for this location and Nicaragua (how it is calculated). The sections below are specific to Matagalpa: nearest emergency and transport facilities, 5-year natural hazard history within 100 km.
Driven by: security (58/100) and crime and scams (61/100). Governments disagree: US Level 3, UK Level 1, Canada Level 2.
A score of 58 is higher than the scores of 83% of the 241 countries we cover.
Consult the Nicaragua travel risk page for nationwide security advisories, entry protocols, and consular warnings.
Geographic & Regional Coordinates
Positioned at 12.9167° N, 85.9167° W in Matagalpa, Matagalpa features an altitude of 689 m. The settlement is located 94.1 km SSW from Managua.
Matagalpa
12.9167° N, 85.9167° W
689 m
America/Managua
133,416
Emergency & Aviation Access
Nearby Towns & Settlements in Nicaragua
Natural Hazard Calendar & History
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | — |
| Tropical Cyclones | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Earthquakes (M5.5+) | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Most flood events within 100 km of Matagalpa happened in July, September and October (6 of 9 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
Significant Earthquakes (USGS M5.5+ within 150 km)
1 major seismic event recorded within 150 km over the past 5 years.
- Largest: M5.5 on 26 Mar 2026 (98 km away) — USGS details
CDC Traveler Health Notices for Nicaragua
- Level 2 - Chikungunya in Nicaragua (Level 2, 3 Sep 2026)
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Public Domain).
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Nicaragua travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Nicaragua entry requirements.
Evaluated Destinations in this Region
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