In an era of ever-more pressure on incentive agencies for “off-the-beaten-path” destinations, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to propose Nicaragua to a client that has done it all. From large metropolises to secluded hide-aways, this client has experienced a wide variety of destinations. This year, we proposed an unlikely destination that was an instant winner: Nicaragua. It turned out not a single member of this group had even been to the country which made is a hit with everyone.
Nicaragua, set between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, is a Central American country known for its dramatic terrain of lakes, volcanoes and beaches. Vast Lake Managua and the iconic stratovolcano Momotombo sit north of the capital Managua. To its south is Granada, noted for its Spanish colonial architecture and an archipelago of navigable islets rich in tropical bird life. Nicaragua is the second poorest nation in the Western hemisphere but one of the safest. With its warm and hospitable people, it was easy to put the participants’ minds at rest about the choice of destination.
Our flight from Miami landed in Managua, the country’s capital. Managua is located on the south shore of Lake Managua. We had a few hours to spare before heading to our first selected venue. So, we arranged for a quick tour of the capital. In that short time, the group was able to visit Managua’s Santiago of Managua cathedral, a shell since the 1972 massive earthquake, on the Plaza of the Revolution. Nearby, we stopped by the tomb of Sandinista leader Carlos Fonseca followed by the 1935 National Palace of Culture that houses the National Museum. Then onto hilltop Parque Histórico Nacional Loma de Tiscapa known for its crater lake and huge statue of revolutionary Augusto Sandino.
In the lakeside Acahualinca neighborhood, we saw the Huellas de Acahualinca, fossilized tracks of human and animals from 6,000 years ago, preserved in volcanic mud. Southeast of town, we visited Masaya Volcano National Park that offers views of the active volcano crater. Close by, the group visited Chocoyero-El Brujo Nature Reserve home to forest trails and wildlife, including howler monkeys. The reserve encompasses the waterfalls El Brujo, with waters that seem to disappear underground, and Chocoyero, drawing flocks of green Pacific parakeets.
With this brief introduction to the city out of the way, our coach headed to San Juan del Sur, a town on Nicaragua’s southwest coast. The town is known for a string of nearby Pacific beaches, such as Maderas Beach, with its strong-breaking waves, and the quieter Marsella Beach. A towering, contemporary Christ of the Mercy statue stands on a cliff above the bay. Near a creek on the outskirts sits an ancient petroglyph. South along the coast, olive ridley sea turtles breed at La Flor Nature Reserve. The olive ridley sea turtle, also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae. The species is the second smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
After a three-hour travel by coach from Managua, taking in fascinating landscape and rural life, we arrived at Hacienda Ecolodge Morgan's Rock in the outskirts of San Juan del Sur. The group occupied the hotel’s entire inventory of 18 bungalows with screens only and no glass windows. Part of a protected jungle reserve, this stylish eco hotel with a private beach and a working organic farm is a minute’s walk from Ocotal Beach, 5 miles from the city of San Juan del Sur and 19 miles from picturesque Lake Nicaragua.
Set in treetops and built from sustainable natural materials, the rustic-chic bungalows offer daybeds suspended from the ceiling, local artworks and solar-powered showers, plus terraces with jungle or beach views. As a “bonus” there was no Wi-Fi nor TVs allowing our group to totally “disconnect” for a few days. With the roaring sound of the ocean as the background music who needs any other entertainment.
For the next two days, the group was able to choose from surfing on the hotel’s private beach, hiking amazing trails, yoga, spa on the beach, horseback riding on the beach or just chilling out in the most idyllic setting ever.
On Day 3, we boarded the coach for the trip back to Managua—and for the group’s onward journey to Little Corn Island. Getting to Little Corn Island—50 miles off the coast of Nicaragua—requires a big commitment. To get to this tranquil destination, we first had to board a domestic flight to Big Corn Island and from there by a 30-minute private boat ride to Little Corn Island.
But once we arrived, the Caribbean water made crystal clear that, in this case, it wasn’t about the journey, it was about the destination.
The group hopped off our beached panga to the welcome of our hosts at Yemaya resort (named after the African goddess of the ocean), who greeted us with refreshing mandarin and star fruit juice and damp lemongrass and mint scented washcloths.
The breeze felt deliciously pure—nothing motorized is permitted on the island, not even golf carts. Once again, the group had the hotel resort to themselves—all 16 rooms of it.
It was already late in the day. The group was a little weary, but mostly hungry. Dinner in the open-aired dining room featured fish caught earlier that day in the waters that lapped at the resort's beachfront and salad and vegetables freshly picked from the garden on the property. Afterward, the group sat back and enjoyed the evening show: stars, dazzling and bright.
The following morning, ready to explore, we donned our flip flops for the walk around the island—roughly 1.5 square miles in size—which included Caribbean water, gnarled mangroves, hidden beaches and dirt paths, deserted coves and lush jungle.
Along the way, we encountered a farmer's market consisting of one stand, stopped by the panaderia, where the group enjoyed the local specialty, coconut bread sold out of a family's living room, and caught a round of the baseball game between rivals Little Corn and Big Corn Island. The game was the afternoon's big draw and the part-paved, part-dirt path to the field was, by Little's standards, teeming with a half dozen local fans on their way to meet friends already at the game, cheering in Creole, Spanish and English.