There is no road connecting Bluefields to the Pacific side of Nicaragua; the Caribbean coast road network is essentially internal to the region. All arrivals from Managua are by air or by a two-leg journey involving road and boat. La Costeña airline operates several daily flights between Managua and Bluefields Airport (about 1 hour); the planes are small and the flights can fill up, so booking in advance is important during holiday periods and May festival season.
The overland-and-water route starts with a public bus or private shuttle from Managua to Rama (about 5–6 hours on the road), followed by a fast panga boat (speedboat) down the Río Escondido to Bluefields (another 2–3 hours). The panga ride through mangrove-lined river and lagoon is an experience in itself — the boat travels at speed through landscapes that are largely untouched — but it's a long day. Cargo boats also make the river journey more slowly if you're not in a hurry. Within Bluefields, taxis and water taxis serve the town and the bay islands respectively.