The first thing you notice about CHINANDEGA , 35km northwest of León, is its extraordinary heat. Set on a plain behind the looming form of Volcán San Cristóbal, the area's dry, kiln-like climate is ideal for cotton-growing, the main economic activity, along with some groundnut cultivation and cattle farming. In Nicaraguan terms Chinandega is a fairly prosperous agricultural town. It's also home to the Flor de Caña rum distillery, Nicaragua's export-grade tipple, which sits on the outskirts of town.

Buses arrive at the market southwest of the centre, known as the Mercado Bisne - bisne being short for "business", as during the years of the Reagan-sponsored embargo much contraband came through here from Corinto , Nicaragua's main port, 21km west of the city on a sandy island reached by a bridge. (Corinto is still the only deepwater port in Nicaragua, and almost every molecule of shipping commerce passes through the town.)

Chinandega's incredible heat makes it one of the few places in the country where you may seriously want to consider air conditioning. The only comfortable place to stay is the Hotel Cosigüina , half a block south of the Banco Nacional de Desarrollo (tel 341-3636; US$15-25), which has ten rooms with private bath, cable TV, a/c or fan. If you really don't want to shell out, the friendly Hotel Chinandega , four blocks east and one and a half blocks south of the Parque Central (no phone; US$5-10), isn't a bad option, though the bathrooms could use a scrub.

If you're heading to Guasaule and the Honduran border under your own steam, express buses from Chinandega run about every thirty minutes.