What To Do In and Around Aqua Wellness Resort

Seclusion and tranquility are the new forms of luxury in a world that is so accessible and plugged in. Aqua Wellness Resort successfully marries contemporary luxury accommodations with serene surroundings, providing a memorable and rejuvenating experience for travelers. Accessible by a two-and-a-half-hour drive or 40-minute helicopter ride from Nicaragua’s international airport in Managua, Aqua offers peace and privacy so that you can enjoy the beautifully wild landscape of Nicaragua’s Pacific “Emerald Coast.” 24 Tree Houses accommodating 50 luxurious villas and suites dot Aqua’s forested hillside, which overlooks a private, white sandy beach. Some of the Tree House accommodations feature kitchens, and incredible plunge pools that make it difficult to even consider leaving the deck. Wellness services such as spa treatments, yoga, and meditation, coupled with fresh and tasty international and Nicaraguan fare served in an open-air beachside restaurant, create an enjoyable “barefoot luxury” experience for guests. Eco-friendly practices are well ingrained in the Aqua experience, and for those who appreciate and support sustainable, environmentally friendly travel, this is where you want to book. Aqua surpasses the standards and services of other luxury resorts while operating in an environmentally responsible manner. The staff is accommodating and friendly. Upon check-in, a cell phone is provided for you to use during your stay, so you’re always just a phone call away—whether you want to reach the front desk, the spa, or friends who are staying at Aqua too. While Aqua’s peaceful seclusion is perfect for an off-the-grid escape, the resort offers adventure as well: You can hike a 300-foot cliff and rappel down, or learn to surf on neighboring Playa Gigante, both within walking distance of Aqua. Should you want to venture out for a day, the front desk can arrange for a boat excursion to one of Nicaragua’s best surf breaks for surfing, or to its deep-sea waters for fishing. They’ll send you off with a guide in a private car to explore Nicaragua’s famous lakes and volcanoes, or its colorful colonial city of Granada, just an hour and a half away. When you return to the resort just in time to enjoy a spectacular ocean sunset, you’ll discover why Aqua is the perfect jumping off point for a vacation in Nicaragua -- and the best place to return.

When you’re feeling rejuvenated and ready to venture out of Aqua’s quiet beachside retreat, the resort can arrange for you to take a day trip to Granada on the shores of Lake Nicaragua, about an hour and a half drive from the resort. Rich in colonial architecture and colorful buildings, Granada is arguably the most photogenic city in Nicaragua and a popular tourist destination. You can stop at Mombacho Volcano on your way there for zip-lining and a tour of a coffee farm, or at the lake for a boat tour of the isletas, 365 tiny islands that were originally rocks spewed out of Mombacho in an eruption thousands of years ago. Visit the Granada Cathedral and the city’s museums, then wander the narrow streets to admire the old haciendas that have been turned into boutique hotels and artisan shops. Shop for handcrafted leather goods, carved wooden furniture, and hand-woven hammocks that can be easily folded up for the trip home. Photo by Marianna Jamadi.

If you’re in Granada, stop in for a meal or drink at Café Espressonista. Housed in a building from 1860, the café is owned by New York transplants Andres and Zoltan, who have created a fun, funky space with a true artisanal spirit. Chef Zoltan’s baked goods and ice creams are made in-house and the drink menu includes Espressonista’s own small-batch brewed beer. Thanks to relationships with the best coffee producers in Nicaragua, Espressonista’s coffee drinks are the best in Nicaragua. All ingredients are sourced from local markets or farmers, and the same attention to detail can be found in the design of the space and the plating of the meals. In addition, you can buy exquisite men’s shirts that Andres designs and has made by hand of the finest cotton. Photo by Marianna Jamadi.