Nicaragua is a special one. In all my travels, I have made more trips to this country than anywhere else in the world. This was never intentional, but it’s perfect waves, beautiful landscapes and its proximity to Florida have made it an amazing resource for me over the years. It has always been considered a poor and dangerous country, and for good reason. Stories of angry rebels, sketchy dictators, and drug cartels are real, but thats not the Nicaragua I have come to know. I know it as a gentle place. A place with an abundance of beauty and resources. A place with incredible surf and a place that always puts perspective back into my life and leaves me feeling grateful and happy. I love this country, it has been very good to me.
The trip usually starts with a 1 hour flight to south Florida serviced by American Airlines. The airline has headquarters in Miami and pretty much has all Central America and Caribbean flights on lock. When flying into its capital Managua, it looks similar to other Central American countries. The sounds of foreign languages mixed with the constant smell of fire and diesel exhaust lets you know you have arrived. The streets are hot and busy, but in 1950’s kinda of way. Cars, buses, and motor bikes intermingle amongst the horse drawn buggies all traveling down the same main vain, the “Pan American Highway.” The scene gives way quickly from busy streets to farm land and mountains again. With its highway checkpoints, dirt road sections and gated entree, its about a 3 hour ride from the airport door to door. And there you have it… by 3:30pm you have arrived in a different world. Our perfect little Central American hideaway - Hacienda Iguana / Playa Colorado!
The trip usually starts with a 1 hour flight to south Florida serviced by American Airlines. The airline has headquarters in Miami and pretty much has all Central America and Caribbean flights on lock. When flying into its capital Managua, it looks similar to other Central American countries. The sounds of foreign languages mixed with the constant smell of fire and diesel exhaust lets you know you have arrived. The streets are hot and busy, but in 1950’s kinda of way. Cars, buses, and motor bikes intermingle amongst the horse drawn buggies all traveling down the same main vain, the “Pan American Highway.” The scene gives way quickly from busy streets to farm land and mountains again. With its highway checkpoints, dirt road sections and gated entree, its about a 3 hour ride from the airport door to door. And there you have it… by 3:30pm you have arrived in a different world. Our perfect little Central American hideaway - Hacienda Iguana / Playa Colorado!
The trip usually starts with a 1 hour flight to south Florida serviced by American Airlines. The airline has headquarters in Miami and pretty much has all Central America and Caribbean flights on lock. When flying into its capital Managua, it looks similar to other Central American countries. The sounds of foreign languages mixed with the constant smell of fire and diesel exhaust lets you know you have arrived. The streets are hot and busy, but in 1950’s kinda of way. Cars, buses, and motor bikes intermingle amongst the horse drawn buggies all traveling down the same main vain, the “Pan American Highway.” The scene gives way quickly from busy streets to farm land and mountains again. With its highway checkpoints, dirt road sections and gated entree, its about a 3 hour ride from the airport door to door. And there you have it… by 3:30pm you have arrived in a different world. Our perfect little Central American hideaway - Hacienda Iguana / Playa Colorado!
We have stayed all over this region with many different friends over the years. In the early days we would stay at JJ’s camp and neighboring houses in the Las Salinas area with access to some of the original waves like Beach Break, Popoyo and Santanas. As we have gotten older, we have transitioned to some of the gated communities like Iguana that offer private access to the surf and super comfortable accommodations. Surf shop, grocery store, transportation and a dozen or so restaurants make the community feel self contained. Iguana is also home to one of my favorite waves in the world, “Colorados”. To some it up, its a perfect little surfing bubble with everything you need, and more!
We have stayed all over this region with many different friends over the years. In the early days we would stay at JJ’s camp and neighboring houses in the Las Salinas area with access to some of the original waves like Beach Break, Popoyo and Santanas. As we have gotten older, we have transitioned to some of the gated communities like Iguana that offer private access to the surf and super comfortable accommodations. Surf shop, grocery store, transportation and a dozen or so restaurants make the community feel self contained. Iguana is also home to one of my favorite waves in the world, “Colorados”. To some it up, its a perfect little surfing bubble with everything you need, and more!
A friend from North Florida that had been living in Costa Rica for several years and had made the transition to living in Nicaragua in the late 90’s. His name was JJ Yemma, a talented surfer from Jax Beach Florida. As a cook based in Northern Costa Rica, JJ used the boarder of Nicaragua as cheap way to renew has visa. In that process, he found some of the best waves on the planet, and decided to drop anchor. He built a small surf camp in the Tola region located on the South West corner of the country know as the “Emerald Coast”. Unbeknownst to the surfing world at the time, this region of Central America receives an equatorial wind pattern know as the “Papagayo Winds”. This wind conditions creates an “offshore” component for this part of the coast around 300 + days per year. End result… perfect surf almost everyday.
A friend from North Florida that had been living in Costa Rica for several years and had made the transition to living in Nicaragua in the late 90’s. His name was JJ Yemma, a talented surfer from Jacksonville Beach Florida. As a cook based in Northern Costa Rica, JJ used the boarder of Nicaragua as cheap way to renew has visa. In that process, he found some of the best waves on the planet, and decided to drop anchor. He built a small surf camp in the Tola region located on the South West corner of the country know as the “Emerald Coast”. Unbeknownst to the surfing world, this region of Central America receives an equatorial wind pattern know as the “Papagayo Winds”. This wind conditions creates an “offshore” component for this part of the coast 300 + days per year. End result… perfect surf almost everyday.
A friend from North Florida that had been living in Costa Rica for several years and had made the transition to living in Nicaragua in the late 90’s. His name was JJ Yemma, a talented surfer from Jacksonville Beach Florida. As a cook based in Northern Costa Rica, JJ used the boarder of Nicaragua as cheap way to renew has visa. In that process, he found some of the best waves on the planet, and decided to drop anchor. He built a small surf camp in the Tola region located on the South West corner of the country know as the “Emerald Coast”. Unbeknownst to the surfing world, this region of Central America receives an equatorial wind pattern know as the “Papagayo Winds”. This wind conditions creates an “offshore” component for this part of the coast 300 + days per year. End result… perfect surf almost everyday.
A friend from North Florida that had been living in Costa Rica for several years and had made the transition to living in Nicaragua in the late 90’s. His name was JJ Yemma, a talented surfer from Jacksonville Beach Florida. As a cook based in Northern Costa Rica, JJ used the boarder of Nicaragua as cheap way to renew has visa. In that process, he found some of the best waves on the planet, and decided to drop anchor. He built a small surf camp in the Tola region located on the South West corner of the country know as the “Emerald Coast”. Unbeknownst to the surfing world, this region of Central America receives an equatorial wind pattern know as the “Papagayo Winds”. This wind conditions creates an “offshore” component for this part of the coast 300 + days per year. End result… perfect surf almost everyday.
However, time and time again, friends and family spoke highly about their trips there. My mom was seasoned traveler and racked up thousands of miles road tripping through North American. When asked where her favorite place was, she replied “Arizona… and the deserts around Arizona” I always thought that was a weird answer, but she was not the only one who thought it was special. My good
However, time and time again, friends and family spoke highly about their trips there. My mom was seasoned traveler and racked up thousands of miles road tripping through North American. When asked where her favorite place was, she replied “Arizona… and the deserts around Arizona” I always thought that was a weird answer, but she was not the only one who thought it was special. My good
However, time and time again, friends and family spoke highly about their trips there. My mom was seasoned traveler and racked up thousands of miles road tripping through North American. When asked where her favorite place was, she replied “Arizona… and the deserts around Arizona” I always thought that was a weird answer, but she was not the only one who thought it was special. My good
However, time and time again, friends and family spoke highly about their trips there. My mom was seasoned traveler and racked up thousands of miles road tripping through North American. When asked where her favorite place was, she replied “Arizona… and the deserts around Arizona” I always thought that was a weird answer,
However, time and time again, friends and family spoke highly about their trips there. My mom was seasoned traveler and racked up thousands of miles road tripping through North American. When asked where her favorite place was, she replied “Arizona… and the deserts around Arizona” I always thought that was a weird answer, but she was not the only one who thought it was special. My good friend Rob Robertson and his wife loved it. Denise and Jan enjoyed their trip.
However, time and time again, friends and family spoke highly about their trips there. My mom was seasoned traveler and racked up thousands of miles road tripping through North American. When asked where her favorite place was, she replied “Arizona… and the deserts around Arizona” I always thought that was a weird answer, but she was not the only one who thought it was special. My good
However, time and time again, friends and family spoke highly about their trips there. My mom was seasoned traveler and racked up thousands of miles road tripping through North American. When asked where her favorite place was, she replied “Arizona… and the deserts around Arizona” I always thought that was a weird answer, but she was not the only one who thought it was special. However, time and time again, friends and family spoke highly about their trips there. My mom was seasoned traveler and racked up thousands of miles road tripping through North American. When asked where her favorite place was, she replied “Arizona… and the deserts around Arizona” I always thought that was a weird answer, but she was not the only one who thought it was special. My good friend Rob Robertson and his wife loved it. Denise and Jan enjoyed their trip. Ali’s dad said it was his favorite state as he drove from coast to coast. Shit, even Anthony Bourdain raved about it. But the crazy thing is, when asked why they liked it, they all kinda said the same thing… “ I don’t know…theres just something cool about it.”
