Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin “Nicaragua? Wow. Why ?” That was most people’s reaction upon hearing my family’s latest travel plan. The answer was simple.
Why not? Nicaragua may not be an obvious choice for some travelers, but from what I had heard, those who make the trip are justly rewarded, and were we ever. I can’t speak to the experience of traveling the country, because I didn’t. I can’t speak to the political climate, because there’s a lot I don’t know.
What I can speak to is the beauty, warmth and natural wonder that is Rancho Santana - a 2,700 acre ranch nestled along the country’s southwestern Pacific coast. My family spent five days there surfing, swimming, horseback riding and sliding down sand dunes. While you can do these activities elsewhere, at Rancho Santana, there’s a distinct feeling of discovery and wonder.
It is, in all senses a hotel, but at times feels more like a utopian community we happened upon, which is kind of the point. Rancho Santana at dusk “Rancho Santana is a remote, unique, true resort community,” says Luke Maish, chief executive officer at Rancho Santana. “It’s not just a hub for tourism, hospitality and for welcoming vacationers, but many people live here as well.
They retire here. Families come down here seasonally and spend a few months in the winter or summer. With people living here on site, it creates a foundation for a true social dynamic, where they make connections and friendships.