Eco-Travel Guide: Nicaragua

Affordable, safe (believe it) and undiscovered (though not for long), Nicaragua is the next great eco-travel destination. F&W’s Jen Murphy checks out its wildlife and nightlife.

By Jen Murphy

Plus:

Eco Travel Guide: Nicaragua Black Book

“Do you know why Nicaragua is like Justin Timberlake?” my driver asks as he changes the radio from JT’s “SexyBack” to baseball. I rack my brain (boy bands? Britney Spears? The Social Network?), then give up with a shrug. “We are a country that is able to reinvent itself over and over again,” he says.

Nicaragua has reinvented itself even more often than Timberlake has. The Somoza dictatorship that began in the 1930s led to almost five decades of revolutions and counterrevolutions, interrupted by a devastating earthquake in 1972. The ’80s brought violent conflict between the leftist Sandinista government and American-backed Contra rebels. All of which explains why my friends were baffled when I told them I would be going, by myself, to Nicaragua for a vacation. Wasn’t it dangerous? Where would I stay? And more importantly, what would I eat? Why not just visit Costa Rica?

What my friends didn’t know is that Nicaragua has reinvented itself as the next great eco-destination. Not only has it become the second-safest country in Central America, after Costa Rica (according to a recent Global Peace Index study), but it’s a bargain. As a friend put it, “You can live like a king for less than $100 a day.” If Nicaragua had Justin Timberlake’s PR team, it would be touting these reasons to visit.

There Are Wonderful New Eco-Hotels

Eco travel: Jicaro Island Ecolodge

Nicaragua has yet to attract the big luxury hotel chains. Instead, I stay at small, stylish, sustainable hotels like the new Jicaro Island Ecolodge. A 15-minute boat ride from the colonial city of Granada, Jicaro is hidden among 300-some isletas that formed when the Mombacho volcano erupted thousands of years ago, scattering debris into Lake Nicaragua. Run by the team from Costa Rica’s much-lauded eco-properties Lapa Rios and Latitude 10, Jicaro is very sustainable. Recycled wastewater irrigates the jicaro trees for which it is named; the wood for the nine Japanese-style casitas came from trees that were downed by Hurricane Felix in 2007.

To say Jicaro is a tiny island is an understatement. Most of the eco-lodge’s staff live on the neighboring isletas. I find them to be terrifically knowledgeable and friendly. One afternoon while I am lounging by the infinity pool, a staffer drops off a plate of still-warm honey cookies. It’s hard to top poolside cookie service.

You Can Get Close to Nature
Eco travel: Monkey-watching in Nicaragua

“General Somoza is watching you.” These aren’t the words I am expecting to hear from my Jicaro wildlife guide, Fabian, as we maneuvered our kayak around Lake Nicaragua. Fabian arrived at my door at 5:45 a.m. to take me on a bird-watching expedition. The wildlife is “most alive” at these early hours, he tells me as we watch the sun rise over the Mombacho volcano.

But Anastasio Somoza Garcia, the general who orchestrated the assassination of revolutionary leader Augusto Cesár Sandino in 1934 and whose presidency began a 43-year family dictatorship, has not come back from the dead. The General Somoza to whom Fabian is referring is a great blue heron that he routinely spots, which is now inches from my face. “I name all my birds,” he says. So early in the morning, the water has a haunting quality as we pass an island graveyard dotted with big white crosses—a reminder of Nicaragua’s troubled past.

You’ll Have a Cultural Experience

When I’m planning a vacation, I always debate between city/culture and nature/relaxation. Nicaragua delivers both. One Sunday I take an excursion from Jicaro back to Granada, a beautifully preserved Spanish colonial city. The action is centered around Parque Central, the town square, where horse-drawn carriages line up for passengers while men sell hooch in clear plastic bags. I wander through the Sunday market, where hawkers offer everything from underwear to double-fried pork. An old, toothless woman gives me a taste of stewed plantains when she sees me snapping photos.

One night, I take the boat from Jicaro to Granada to see a free concert by Perrozompopo, the Latin Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter, who is performing in front of Iglesia San Francisco. “It’s going to be wild,” my yoga instructor at Jicaro has promised me.

You Can Get to Yoga Heaven
Eco travel: Aqua Wellness Resort

Many of the new hotels in Nicaragua are promoting themselves as yoga and wellness spots, hosting retreats led by world-renowned gurus and offering all kinds of classes. One such property, Aqua Wellness Resort, is on the Pacific Coast, an hour-and-a-half’s drive or so west of Granada at the end of a long and gnarly dirt road—the type of road that always seems to lead me to an exceptionally rewarding destination.

Aqua is built into the hillside and consists of a series of 18 fabulous, sustainable wooden treehouse villas that are connected to each other by suspended bridges, with 150 steps that lead down to sheltered Redonda Bay. I am able to do yoga overlooking the water, on an enormous beachfront platform, or have a private session on the deck of my treehouse. The resort also gives wellness classes on topics like dealing with food allergies and healthful cooking.

My visit to Aqua happens to coincide with a month-long teacher-training workshop by an esteemed yoga institute. One morning I immediately attract the intense interest of the 50-odd yogis-in-training when they spot me holding my cup of coffee. “Is that real coffee?” one asks me wistfully. I nod and try not to smile as I take a long sip. These yogis are vegans who abstain from caffeine and alcohol. Luckily for me, Aqua shares my philosophy of moderation in all things.

The Surfing is Fabulous
Eco travel: Redonda Bay

Finding a great surf break is like discovering oil: Once word gets out, the crowds come. And there are certainly crowded surf towns in Nicaragua. But while I am staying at Aqua, I am able to have some of Nicaragua’s mythical surf almost entirely to myself.

Intel from roaming surfer friends has pointed me to the fishing village of Playa Gigante, on the other side of the “giant’s foot,” the headland clifftop that shelters Aqua and Redonda Bay. Someone from Aqua volunteers to take me surfing. A short but bumpy drive leads us through Gigante, a ramshackle little surf town, to Playa Amarillo. There we share jungle views and head-high waves with three Nica kids…and nobody else.

A Locavore Ethos is Emerging

I didn’t expect to find trend-conscious cooking in Nicaragua. But at Jicaro, chef Jose Lopez uses as many local ingredients as he can in his refined spins on the country’s traditional dishes. For his version of the Nicaraguan fast-food dish vigorón—traditionally a mix of boiled yucca and pork rinds served with cabbage slaw—he substitutes pork belly, baked then lightly fried. He serves it in a banana leaf with mashed manioc and a slaw of mimbro (a supersour fruit) and hot peppers. The result is a Nica take on a pork bun.

Aqua’s chef, Ben Slow, lives on Ometepe, an island in Lake Nicaragua that is home to an off-the-grid commune of expats-turned-organic-farmers. Slow runs an agriturismo where he processes his own meats, bakes breads in a clay oven and grows things like galangal. That’s where he gets many of the ingredients for dishes like rondón, a stew of chunky white fish, thin strips of beef, peppers, onions and plantains in coconut milk.

When my driver drops me at the airport on my way home, he asks if I think Nicaragua could be the next Costa Rica. He looks disappointed when I reply yes. “You don’t get a sense of culture in Costa Rica,” he says. “You get zipline. We want you to take home memories of our food, our music—and I guess maybe a zipline tour, too.”

Eco-Travel Guide: Nicaragua Black Book
Eco travel: Léon

From Spanish colonial cities like Granada and León (left) to fishing villages-turned-surfing spots, Jen Murphy traveled all over. Highlights from her trip:
Getting There

Augusto C. Sandino International Airport in Managua is the main hub. American Airlines (aa.com) has a two-and-a-half-hour direct flight from Miami, and Continental Airlines (continental.com) has an eight-hour flight from Newark, New Jersey, that connects through Houston. It’s about a one-hour drive from Managua to Granada.
When to Go

Nicaragua has two seasons: Winter (May through October) is the rainy season; summer (November through April) is the dry season.

Where to Stay

Jicaro Island Ecolodge A 15-minute boat ride from Granada, this sustainable new resort is on a tiny island in Lake Nicaragua. Its nine casitas have decks with hammocks. For a view of Mombacho volcano, request casita nine.

Aqua Wellness Resort This almost year-old retreat is an hour-and-a-half from Granada, near the fishing village of Gigante. Many of the treehouse villas have private plunge pools; activities include yoga, surfing and cooking classes.

Where To Eat

El Zaguán A Granada restaurant that turns out fantastic grilled meats, particularly local beef. There’s live marimba on the patio.

El Garaje A no-frills lunch spot in Granada where the daily changing menu might include tandoori-chicken sandwiches or black bean soup.

Fritangas Vendors set up around Calle La Calzada and Parque Central in Granada to sell dishes like carne asada and all things fried, from plantains to cheese.

Casa Campestre and Café Campestre Aqua chef Ben Slow runs this agriturismo on the island of Ometepe, about an hour’s ferry ride from San Jorge. There are basic guest accommodations and a restaurant featuring ingredients grown and raised on the farm.

Redonda Bay, Nicaragua

The beach at the Aqua Wellness Resort at Redonda Bay in Nicaragua is a perfect crescent, with a shallow white sandy bottom, and an orientation that is protected from large swells by a cove, making bathing in the sandy waters warm, relaxing and comfortable. Leatherback, hawksbill and green turtles nest in the area, and sightings are frequent during nesting season.

Source: Aqua Wellness Resort



Aqua Wellness Resort is a new eco-luxe development perched on a forested hillside overlooking a crescent beach on Nicaragua’s unspoiled Pacific Riviera coast. The develop- ment offers eco-friendly treetop villas built from sustainable hardwoods that range in size from 1,150 to 1,500 square feet.

Aqua villas feature fine contemporary fur- nishings, state-of-the-art appliances, and spa- cious terraces with ocean and/or forest views. Most villas have multiple bedrooms, plunge pools, and separate kitchen/dining bungalows. Alhough rooms are air conditioned, Aqua offers other cooling options—ceiling fans and ocean breezes—that are more earth-friendly.

Owners have access to Aqua’s yoga pavilion and open-air full-service restaurant overlooking the beach. In addition to yoga and spa treat- ments, activities include kayaking, snorkeling, fishing, surfing, and hiking to the nearby village of Gigante, as well as adventure activities such as volcano climbing and zip-lining. Addition- ally, Aqua’s chef serves healthful cuisine that features fresh local seafood and produce.

Aqua Wellness Resort villas range in price from $309,000 to $398,000. Owners can enjoy them for 109 days a year and rent them out the rest of the time through Aqua’s management program. aquanicaragua.com

Original video from CNN.com

Nicaragua: Land of Lakes and Volcanoes

Nicaragua is at once beautiful and gritty. However, I could overlook the dusty roads because this is a country steeped in so much culture and rich in lush, unspoiled natural beauty. Nicaragua is still a developing country, about two decades behind Costa Rica’s thriving tourism industry. The country has undergone internal strife and its politics have made headlines for decades. Over the past two decades, however, Nicaragua has transformed itself into one of the safest and fastest-growing countries in Latin America. In one day, we drove past miles of verdant rainforests, rows of active volcanoes, freshwater lakes and wild coastline.

We did what most tourists do – congregate in the Pacific coast towns of San Juan del Sur and Las Penitas, where the surf rides high and jaw-dropping beaches run to infinity. Then we stopped along the way for a bit of culture in the historically rich colonial cities of Granada and Leon. But I want to tell you that Nicaragua is fast making its mark in the eco-tourism sector. These aren’t the “eco-lodges” of yesterday, where you might have slept alongside mosquitos and beds were made of recycled corn husks. Today’s eco-lodges are just as stunning as North America’s five-star resorts, yet they are located in distinctive natural surroundings which are truly beguiling.

Here are five that we checked out …

Jicaro Eco-Lodge: (www.jicarolodge.com)

After a short boat ride over, we arrive at Jicaro Eco-Lodge – on Isleta on Lake Nicaragua – a secluded island getaway. It begs to luxuriate in a simple, unsophisticated natural environment. Here, the luxury eco-resort seems to blend right into the breathtaking natural beauty that surrounds it. Guests stay in one of nine private casitas overlooking the lake. Each one has canopy beds, private bathrooms and verandas. Both the casitas and the furniture are locally made with Rainforest Alliance certified wood. While at the lodge you can choose to simply relax and indulge in the pristine surroundings, or take part in a yoga class or have a masssage in an open-air treatment room. The 30-minute boat trip over to Jicaro is only rivalled by the culinary delights and stunning views.

Morgan Rock: (www.morgansrock.com)

Located just 20 minutes north of San Juan del Sur, Morgan’s Rock is situated along a crescent shaped beach with an estuary leading into an exotic rainforest. A suspension bridge carries visitors over a canyon to rustic, wood and stone bungalows overlooking miles of private beach, each open to ocean breezes on three sides. As part of its eco-mission, Morgan’s Rock has its own farm for an authentic Nicaraguan breakfast – guests are invited to milk the cows and collect eggs for their meal. You can also horseback ride through the forest and down to the beach. The grounds and beach are home to howler monkeys, sloths, giant sea turtles and a variety of birds native to the region.

Pelican Eyes Resort & Spa:(pelicaneyesresort.com)

After a sightseeing tour of the quaint little town of San Juan del Sur, we head up the hill to our home for the night – the Pelican Eyes. We are greeted with a delicious mango drink and as we toast each other we take in our surroundings. Imagine this scene: The sun is setting and we overlook the whole San Juan del Sur and the Pacific Ocean. Directly in front of us is an infinity pool. Heaven … Guest can choose between five lodgings – haciendas, cabinas, studios, townhouses and casas. We stayed in our own private white casa, a two-storey, fully equipped villa seemingly right out of the Flintstones cartoon, complete with its own colourful hand painted sink and tiles.
The hotel is constructed and operated using environmentally friendly materials and fair trade practices.

Aqua Wellness Resort: (www.aquanicaragua.com)

Situated on its own private and pristine white sand beach on Redonda Bay, this eco-lodge blends in with the trees and natural landscape of the bay. With an hour to roam before dinner, Dennis and I decided to go for a quick jog through the trails, past the howler monkeys attempting to camouflage themselves in the gnarly tree branches. Soon, we are at the fishing village of Gigante. We sit mesmerized as we watch as the night takes possession of the sky’s arc. The blues of the ocean waters and the white light of the moon replace the final glow of the sun. The sounds of people walking the beach are replaced by the sounds of the howling monkeys as they leap from tree branch to tree branch and the waves lapping against the sandy beach. The resort is the inspiration of California native Dr. Daniel Rubano, who first visited Arenas Bay in 2000. He envisioned a place where people could come together and reconnect with each other, themselves and the earth through yoga, meditation and other wellness therapies. Rubano succeeded. Set atop the trees high above the forest floor, experience eco-luxury as it should be.

Orquidea del Sur:(www.orquideadelsur.com)

After spending an exhilarating morning horseback riding on the Pacific Coaast beach made famous by Survivor: Nicaragua, we head for long, leisurely lunch at Orquidea del Sur. Tucked away above the stunning shores of Nicaragua’s Playa Yankee, one of the country’s premier surfing spots, this eco-lodge is a unique, intimate boutique retreat. Amenities include a 50-foot-long infinity pool with a whirlpool, a 15-foot waterfall, a fire pit, lounge and library, several indoor and outdoor dining areas, and a two-story gourmet kitchen. The hotel can arrange for ecotourism, deep-sea-fishing, surfing and kayaking excursions, as well as in-room spa treatments and transportation to the Managua International Airport. The boutique resort has enacted a number of eco-friendly initiatives such as a facility to capture rainwater for watering the plants and a rooftop garden, where a variety of herbs to ensure fresh organic ingredients for the Orquidea cuisine.

SEATTLE, Sept. 21, 2011

Windstar Cruises, which operates a fleet of three luxury sailing yachts that explore hidden harbors and secluded coves of the world’s most treasured destinations, offers 2012 Costa Rica Sail & Stay Packages which include a Naturally Costa Rica voyage on 148-guest Wind Star and two free hotel nights at a Windstar reserved hotel in San Jose, Costa Rica.

On Windstar’s Naturally Costa Rica voyage, guests sail the unspoiled Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, enjoying the area’s natural beauty and rich mix of marine and exotic wildlife. Windstar’s onboard naturalist shares expert knowledge on the history, flora and fauna of Costa Rica. Seven-day sailings on Wind Star roundtrip from Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica visit San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; Playas del Coco, Quepos, Bahia Drake, Curu, and Tortuga Island, Costa Rica.

Highlights of the itinerary include the Nicaraguan village of San Juan del Sur which leads to the Masaya Volcano and Granada. Breathtaking views of Playas del Coco. Rainforest adventures that can be had in Quepos. Corcovado National Park, which lies outside Bahia Drake, and is known for scarlet macaws, toucans and four types of monkeys. Curu National Wildlife Refuge featuring a private reserve with primary forest and home to colorful birds, anteaters, sloths, capuchin and howler monkeys. And, Tortuga Island with its palm-fringed beaches–the setting for Windstar’s signature beach barbecue.

The Costa Rica Sail & Stay Package includes a Naturally Costa Rica voyage departing March 10 or March 17, 2012, and two nights accommodations at a Windstar reserved hotel in San Jose pre- or post-cruise. Fares from $2,399 per person, double occupancy.

Two night complimentary hotel offer is only applicable on designated sailings included in the 2012 Costa Rica Sail & Stay promotion. Promotional code: HotSpcl. Offer is subject to availability, is not combinable with any other pricing or promotional offers, is capacity controlled and may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Rates shown are for Category B stateroom. Government fees and taxes additional. Hotel in Costa Rica in offer is selected by Windstar Cruises. Offer valid on new bookings made now through October 15, 2011.

About Windstar Cruises

Windstar Cruises operates three sailing yachts known for their pampering without pretense and their ability to visit the hidden harbors and secluded coves of the world’s most treasured destinations. Carrying just 148 to 312 guests, the luxurious yachts of Windstar cruise to nearly 50 nations, calling at 100 ports throughout Europe, the Caribbean and the Americas. For more information including rates and itineraries contact a professional travel agent or call Windstar at 1-800-258-7245. Visit Windstar Cruises online at WindstarCruises.com.

SOURCE Windstar Cruises

Article by: MICHELLE HIGGINS New York Times , New York Times

You can stretch your vacation dollar much further than in Europe or the United States.

Aqua Wellness Resort offers a unique beach-jungle yoga experience near the Pacific-coast surf town of Playa Gigante.

From the shore nearby, nobody can see the hotel. Aqua Wellness Resort is built so congruously into a hillside above Playa Gigante on Nicaragua’s Pacific coast that the jungle cloaks it from outside observers.

A short walk from the beach toward the Nicaraguan jungle and the immense lodging reveals itself. Aqua’s extravagant design sends a message that the country can compete in the luxury ecotourism market.

Balinese-style outdoor shower. Courtesy of Aqua Wellness Resort

“One of the big things is Nicaragua really has a lot of this natural beauty,” says Dan Rubano, Aqua’s owner. “So our big focus is really reintroducing people back to nature.”

After six years of planning and construction, the new resort opened in January, offering 34 rooms in 16 villas set in the thick of the jungle. Elaborate paths wind through the trees, leading visitors to the beach, their cabins, the hotel’s restaurant or a wooden yoga platform overlooking the ocean. The goal of Aqua, explains co-owner Trevor Barran, is to be a rare example of “luxury sustainable development” in Nicaragua.

Aqua’s location minutes away from a popular surf town lends itself to a bevy of outdoor activities. Yoga, however, earns the biggest emphasis. The resort markets itself as a yoga retreat, with onsite yoga and wellness instructors offering classes in a variety of yoga techniques, from beginner to experienced. Vacationers receive yoga lessons on a huge, rectangular platform lifted high above the forest floor, offering a magnificent view of jungle and ocean. The sound of crashing waves and feel of cool breezes amplify the relaxing effects of the yoga workout. Already, Barran says, Aqua has received reservations from dozens of yoga groups wanting to use the venue as a yoga retreat.

Not into yoga? More traditional beachside endeavors can be enjoyed on your own or arranged through a tour for an additional cost. Those activities include sportfishing, hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboating, horseback riding and surfing the popular waves at Playa Gigante. Longer day trips include volcano tours, boat trips to private islands and excursions to coffee plantations and Nicaraguan tobacco-rolling establishments.

Although Aqua’s focus is on getting its guests moving around outside, the rooms provide supremely comfortable places to rest inside. The sizable penthouse suites include kitchens with all the amenities. Some villas feature chic plunge pools and private outdoor “Balinese showers.” Rooms have air conditioning and ceiling fans for those not ready to deal with the country’s sticky heat.

Aqua’s location in the jungle means power outages do occur on occasion. Also, don’t be surprised if a critter finds its way into your room. Normally though, you’ll

Bromelia Restaurant oozes ambience. Courtesy of Aqua Wellness Resort

hear only the monkeys and birds that live nearby. Turtles frequent the beaches.

The best part of hanging around the cabins is the view. While the hotel is hidden to those on the outside, from the inside, it offers spectacular jungle and ocean vistas.

As for cuisine, Aqua’s chefs cook up delicious meals at the beachside Bromelia Restaurant. The owners say the ingredients for most meals, especially the seafood, come from local sources. The bar and restaurant also has one of the coolest aesthetics in the resort. Large, woven lanterns overhead give off a warm glow that creates a sublime environment for your dinner.

The meal will complete a full day of activities on the Nicaraguan coast. Aqua makes for an ecotourism encounter that is nearly impossible to find in the country and well worth the experience – and the luxury price.

“At the end of the day, we’re just hoping Nicaragua preserves this natural beauty,” Rubano says. “It’s all about wellness and health and nutrition, and these are big things we promote.”

The yoga platform overlooks jungle and ocean at Aqua Wellness Resort. Courtesy of Aqua Wellness Resort

Going There

Aqua Wellness Resort is at Playa Gigante, two and a half hours from Managua and about two hours from the Costa Rican border. The resort will arrange airport transfers from the Managua airport for $110 each way.

Room rates range from $185 for a basic forest-view room to $433 for a beachfront luxury suite ($205 to $480 between Dec. 15 to Jan. 5). Prices include daily breakfast and wellness classes but not 17 percent tax.

For information and reservations, go to www.aquanicaragua.com, call (505) 8849-6235 or (509) 456-7737 from North America, or email contact@aquanicaragua.com. To inquire about retreats for groups of eight or more, email retreats@aquanicaragua.com

GUATEMALA CITY, Sept 7, 2011 (IPS) – The so-called “Northern Triangle” of Central America, plagued by poverty, violence and the legacy of civil war, is considered one of the most violent areas in the world. But neighboring Nicaragua has largely escaped the spiraling violence, and many wonder how it has managed to do so.

There are undoubtedly a number of reasons that crime rates are so much lower in Nicaragua than in its three neighbors to the north – El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras – but analysts and experts point to two fundamental aspects: community policing and greater social cohesion.

In the view of Helen Mack, the head of the Myrna Mack Foundation, a Guatemala City-based human rights organization, the focus taken by Nicaragua’s police force “makes a huge difference.”

“The three countries of the Northern Triangle are influenced by the United States, and the police have played a supporting role to the army, protecting the state by means of repression. Meanwhile, the Nicaraguans, after the (1979) revolution, based their police forces on the Cuban model, which is focused on the community,” said the activist, whose group is pushing for police reforms in Guatemala.

On Jul. 19, 1979, the left-wing Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) overthrew the regime of General Anastasio Somoza, putting an end to the nearly half-century Somoza family dictatorship.

One of the main achievements of the revolution was increased citizen participation, aimed at strengthening economic, social, political and cultural rights.

During the years of fighting the Somoza dynasty, the Sandinistas created the Civil Defense Committees. Once the FSLN seized power, these gave way to the Sandinista Defense Committees – neighborhood watch structures – which evolved in 1988 into the Nicaraguan Communal Movement.

In addition, the “proactive community police” were created in 1979, based on strategic relations with the community and a crime prevention approach.

The Sandinistas were defeated at the polls in 1990, voted out of office by a population exhausted by economic hardship and by the war against the “Contras”, a counter-revolutionary force led by former Somocistas that was largely financed, armed, trained and organized by the United States.

But Mack said the police in Nicaragua maintained their crime prevention role and close ties to the community, by contrast with the Northern Triangle countries, where repressive policies have prevailed.

El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras are now overrun with youth gangs and organized crime, and human rights groups warn that death squads made up of off-duty members of the police and military are active.

According to the United Nations Development Program’s (UNDP) Central American Human Development Report 2009-2010, the Northern Triangle countries have some of the highest murder rates in the world: 52 homicides per 100,000 population in El Salvador, 48 per 100,000 in Guatemala, and 58 per 100,000 in Honduras.

This is in comparison to 13 per 100,000 in Nicaragua, a Latin America average of 25 per 100,000, and a global average of nine per 100,000.

One key factor in the social conflicts is the high levels of poverty, which stand at 60 percent in Honduras, 50 percent in Guatemala, 37 percent in El Salvador, and 45 percent in Nicaragua, according to official figures.

But in Nicaragua, “the structures of social cohesion left by the revolution, and the training received by the Nicaraguan police, based on the principle of service to society, have played a key role,” Arturo Chub with the Guatemala-based non-governmental Association for the Study and Promotion of Security in Democracy (SEDEM) told IPS.

In the Northern Triangle countries, on the other hand, the police and the justice systems have been politicized, the expert said.

There are holdovers in the three countries from the Cold War-era armed conflicts, which broke down the social fabric and deepened poverty.

The conflicts between government forces and left-wing guerrillas left 250,000 people dead or “disappeared” between 1960 and 1996 in Guatemala and 75,000 dead and 8,000 “disappeared” between 1980 and 1992 in El Salvador.

Honduras did not suffer a civil war of its own as it remained directly aligned with and subordinate to the interests of the United States, and no armed opposition movements managed to organize in its territory. But at least 184 Hondurans were forcibly disappeared in the 1980s. In addition, southern Honduras became a staging area for the “Contra” troops.

Jeannette Aguilar, director of the University Public Opinion Institute (IUDOP) at the José Simeón Cañas Central American University in El Salvador, told IPS that a crime prevention rather than repressive approach on the part of the police, along with a stronger social fabric and sense of community, were essential to Nicaragua’s much lower crimes rates.

In addition, there are lower levels of inequality and marginalization in Nicaragua, and fewer firearms, the expert said.

“There have been youth gangs in Nicaragua for 30 years, but they have not evolved or mutated in the same manner into criminal structures as the gangs in the countries of the Northern Triangle,” she said.

Roberto Orozco, at the Institute for Strategic Studies and Public Policies (IEEPP) in Nicaragua, told IPS that the community policing approach and the peace process, in which the two sides engaged in talks and agreed to respect the agreement that put an end to the “Contra” war, were vital to achieving security in the country.

“Since the early 1980s, Nicaragua has implemented a policing model which recruits new police from the communities themselves. The police are from the neighborhood and know all of the families, and the communities know them. This model, which forges links of trust, has been maintained and strengthened, and is now bringing results,” he said.

Nicaragua also has a model of political participation in which all of the political actors resolve conflicts with a sort of “open door policy,” Orozco said.

AQUA Tree Top Villas & Suites Offers Sport Fishing Packages in Nicaragua

Our seaside villas are located in the canopy of the tropical forest and offer the perfect refuge for relaxation and renewal.

Sustainable hardwoods, natural stone surfaces, teak rain showers and free-flowing decks create an unforgettable guest experience while enjoying stunning ocean views.  So whether your desire is to be steps from the beach or high in the canopy with our resident Howler Monkeys, Aqua will create that idyllic experience.

AQUA Luxury Suites and Penthouses feature pillow top king beds and fully equipped kitchens with a five ring stove top, a countertop oven, a complete set of cookware, utensils, silverware and tableware. All luxury suites have a separate indoor-outdoor kitchen unit with expansive wood decks.  Balinese showers and private plunge pools are available in select suites.

All of the villa suites are equipped with air conditioning for your convenience.

Cuisine
Our team at the Aqua’s Oceanside “Bromelia” Restaurant is committed to providing guests with wonderful dining experiences. AQUA Nicaragua is dedicated to sourcing the freshest, local and organic produce, meats and seafood to offer you delicious and nutritionally balanced meals.

We prepare all of our meals with food and ingredients from local providers and gardens cared for by our staff. We are passionate about offering you the best of Nicaraguan Cuisine and are happy to cook your catch of the day to perfection for dining on the beach or in your private quarters.

Private Charter Fishing Boats

27 ft center console fishing boats with twin out board motors, fully loaded with the latest equipment and technology and manned by certified Captains and rescue trained staff with safety gear.

Equipment includes: top-of-the-line fishing rods and reels (Penn International two speed), fighting seats, outriggers, canopy shade roof, full selection of lures and gear, VHF radio communication, GPS navigation systems, daily satellite & weather monitoring, fish finder, stereo with i-pod connector and PFD’s.

AQUA Salt Water Sport Fishing & Accommodations
Rates per person based on double occupancy
All Inclusive

• Transportation – Managua International Airport to Aqua and return
• Private Accommodation 6 nights, select from Beachfront to Forest villa suites (prices vary)
• Sport Fishing 5 Day Package (4 or 8 hour per day)
• Private 27 ft center console twin engine fishing boats
• Massage one per person per week
• Gourmet Breakfast
• Pack Lunch (8 hr. fishing excursion only)
• Refreshments and snacks including national beer on board for your pleasure.

Custom Private Charter
Available at guest’s request, other tour packages including whale & dolphin watching, surfing, sightseeing and more…