The following post comes from Sandra at Origin Travels, who shares her experience embracing Nicaragua with a travel group.
In a world where we’re expected to be productive all the time, answer emails after hours, hustle to climb the corporate ladder and fill our calendars with meetings and responsibilities, it can feel impossible to disconnect and take time to rest. Even vacations feel rushed. Enter: the art of slow travel.
What Is Slow Travel Like in Nicaragua?
I recently spent an incredible week in Nicaragua with my travel group. The welcome heat hit me as I exited the airport’s arrival doors and we chatted excitedly in the car about what the week ahead had in store for us as we drove to our destination. As soon as we arrived at our eco-lodge in Popoyo, we sat down by the pool, took a sip of a refreshing mango margarita and surrounded by palm trees and the sound of crashing ocean waves, I felt myself instantly relax.
The next few days were filled with laidback plans of exploration, yoga outside, surf lessons, beach walks and laying out by the pool. In the busyness of day to day life–between meetings and errands, family responsibilities and commitments to friends–we rush through the weeks and weekends. We scroll through shows on Netflix and social media posts on our phones. We fill our calendars and our to-do lists.
We don’t take time to disconnect. We don’t take time to slow down and enjoy simple pleasures.
Simple pleasures like eating breakfast outside, sipping on coffee and savoring every bite of the sweet fresh fruit, engaged in conversation with the people we’re with. Simple pleasures like soaking in the sun while swimming in a crystal clear lake. Simple pleasures like stretching and moving our body in a slow flow yoga class to the sound of waves and a gentle breeze. Simple pleasures like waking up in the morning without rushing out the door. Simple pleasures like walking on the beach while the sky changes from bright blue to glowing oranges and pinks as the sun goes down.
Slow Travel Tips for Nicaragua
Here are our five tips for traveling slowly and disconnecting in Nicaragua:
- Choose a ‘go with the flow’ itinerary: We had a few fun activities planned for the week but left time to go with the flow, be spontaneous and just chill.
- You don’t have to be a surfer to enjoy Nicaragua: Yes, the surf is good and attracts surf lovers from all corners of the world, but there are so many other things to do in this country. Volcano hikes, lake swims, yoga classes, beach walks, sunset drinks, and city exploring are a few of the fun ways we spent our time outside of surfing.
- Immerse yourself in the local culture: This Central American country has a unique culture and history we were fascinated with. Brush up on your Spanish and get to know the locals. We explored the colorful colonial town of Granada and visited a local rural community where they showed us how they make traditional cheese and tortillas and where they take their oxen through the community to the river. We asked questions about school, sports and daily life and gained insights on the traditions through the eyes of locals.
- Try the local food: Food is a huge part of the travel experience for me and I loved how fresh and simple the Nicaraguan food was. The fruit was perfectly sweet and juicy (especially the mango and pineapple), delicious jalapeño chicken, salty traditional cheese, and gallo pinto. Oh, and did we mention it’s some of the best coffee in the world? Like if you normally drink it with cream and sugar you’ll be drinking it black because of the incredible flavor.
- Don’t miss a sunset: Every single day the oranges and reds of the sun setting glowed over the beach and took our breath away. Dare I say the Pacific side of Nicaragua is the best sunset spot in the world?
Join an immersive travel trip
Craving time away from your busy 9 to 5 and want to slow travel with strangers (who will soon be your new travel friends)? Join an immersive Origin Travels trip using the promo code HIDDEN10 !
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