Recommend November 2013 - (Page 79)

name for Lake Nicaragua, not only Central America's largest lake covering 3,089 sq. miles, but the only freshwater lake in the world harboring sharks. Here, the lakeside focus is all about (but not overrun by) tourism, and from this visitor's viewpoint, Cocibolca is on the cusp of discovery because its visitor attractions are many. On larger islands served by ferries, there are volcanoes to climb, archaeological sites to explore, and artist colonies to admire, while smaller islands and islets teem with birds close to shore. Onshore, one ﬁnds a cultural mix of colonial towns and picturesque villages; national parks hosting red-eyed frogs, howler monkeys and dozens of bird species; jungle paths to trek; and canopy tours that glide above it all. Less than an hour from the Managua airport, lakeside Granada is the center of Cocibolca action, as well as the country's colonial showcase. The town's charm starts at its palm tree-lined main square, framed by Moorish arcades and the cathedral, cooled by splashing fountains. The plaza is the hub for decorative horse-drawn carriages waiting to take visitors touring past 17th century churches and elegant colonial homes painted in a full palette of tropical colors. A must is a stop at El Convento de San Francisco, Granada's ﬁrst church, and its museum featuring religious art and pre-Columbian artifacts, and at the prettiest church in town, La Merced. Granada has a good choice of small hotels, most in converted colonial houses. We stayed in the elegant and intimate La Gran Francia, just off the main square, whose 21 rooms overlook an atrium surrounding a small pool; the restaurant is just across the street in its own colonial quarters. It's a short walk to the new main pedestrian street, La Calzada, the place to go for a wide range of culinary delights, from Italian to Indian to Mediterranean; a top local pick for grilled steaks and lake ﬁsh is El Zaguan, and Hotel Dario's El Chocolate cafe serves a mango smoothie visitors won't soon forget. Rates at La Gran Francia are $120 dbl with breakfast. Kayaking about Las Isletas-an archipelago of some 300 islands, some large and lush, others no more than a pile of volcanic rocks serving as perches for egrets and ospreys-is a popular activity in Granada. Alternately, travelers can board a motorboat and hang their sombrero offshore at the Jicaro Island Ecolodge, tucked into the rocky landscape of its own little private island. While its guiding concepts are sustainable simplicity, harmony with nature, and community involvement, Jicaro delivers rustically elegant facilities, dining on delicious, original and homemade dishes, and totally attentive guest services. All buildings and furniture were constructed from trees felled by 2007's Hurricane Felix, and among nine 2-story, lake-view casitas, ours had a comfy king-size bed on the top ﬂoor with a nice big ceiling fan and a wall of windows opening to the sea, while the ﬁrst ﬂoor featured a spacious living area connecting to an outside deck with a hammock and chairs. Guests also face the lake when dipping in the resort's saltwater pool, when meditating on the yoga deck or relaxing with a massage in the spa, when sipping chilled mojitos served up with brilliant sunsets, and when dining in the open-air restaurant serving up unfailingly delicious meals crafted with fresh everything: local produce, regional delicacies, and Nicaraguan specialties. Going off island, visitors can hike to the rim of Mombacho Volcano, go horseback riding or kayaking, visit a coffee plantation or a school, and more. Mind you, while we love the place, Jicaro Island Ecolodge is not for everyone, certainly not for those who need TV or air conditioning, and perhaps it's not a spot for families with young kids. On the other hand, this is a primetime pick for special-experience seekers and for romance; couples can dine out by candlelight on a ﬂoat- ing dock anchored just offshore. Rates at Jicaro are $390 dbl with all meals, non-alcoholic beverages and roundtrip transfers from Granada. Granada is also the jumping-off point for Lake Nicaragua's largest island and a UNESCO Biosphere Preserve, Ometepe, accessed by a ferry boat ride from the port of San Jorge. Travelers will want to sit top-deck to catch the ﬁrst glimpse of the island's twin volcanoes: Maderas, which rewards climbers with a crater lake for swimming at the top, and Concepcion, the steeper of the two and suited for very ﬁt climbers. Once they've touched foot on this rather magical island, visitors hike, mountain bike, paraglide, ﬁsh, kayak or volunteer at various community projects. Certainly clients should visit the excellent collection of preColumbian artifacts in the El Ceibo Museum in Altagracia, and then make an appointment with local guide Carlos Diaz Cajina to guide them at the sites of Nahuatl Indian petroglyphs and stone idols scattered around hospitable Finca Magdalena outside the town of Balgue. Accommodations are ﬁttingly rustic on the island, and probably the best tourist hotel is Villa Paraiso above Santo Domingo Beach. But our host, Gray Line Tours, picked one that we think had a far better Ometepe vibe. We drove in steep-ascent gear up a narrow road above Balgue to stay at Totoco Eco-Lodge, an ecologically sensitive masterpiece with uninterrupted views of Concepcion Volcano and Lake Nicaragua beyond from the main lodge, the pool and the cabins. The solar-powered lodge sits on a working 15-acre organic farm and has six spacious, quirky cabins with private porches and quality mattresses on four-poster beds. Guests are on the go nonstop: climbing volcanoes, kayaking the wetlands, and hiking out to bathe in the San Ramon waterfall. But everyone's back for drinks at the bar before tasty 3-course dinners. Rates from $75 to $98 dbl. Returning to the mainland and leaving Cocibolca in the rearview mirror, we set out for San Juan del Sur on the southwest Paciﬁc coast, a town populated by surfers, sunseekers, backpackers and retirees whose languorous days are interrupted every so often in the winter months by brief invasions of cruise ship tourism. While the premier resort here is the luxury Pelican Eyes, we stayed 11 miles up the coast at Morgan's Rock Ecolodge, which is not only a beautiful place to be, but one that deserves credit for being the founding pioneer of sophisticated upscale eco-lodges in Nicaragua. Set on a beautiful crescent of private beach (11 miles from San Juan del Sur) and surrounded by 4,000 acres of protected forest, Morgan's Rock accommodates guests in 15 bungalows, tucked into a hill above the beach and all facing west so guests can swing in the double hammocks and watch the ﬁery sunsets. These big tree house-like cabins are rustically elegant, ﬁtted with king-size beds, a comfy sofa bed, and outdoor garden showers. They are also a bit of a walk from the suspension foot bridge that links the bungalows to the main lodge where in the alfresco poolside restaurant, guests enjoy meals that reﬂect both local ﬂair and the French heritage of its ownership, and come with fresh breezes and unobstructed views of the sea. Morgan's Rock is a hacienda with heart and head for some impressive conservation work. Since opening in 2001, it has planted more than 1.5 million native hardwood and fruit trees, protected a 1,900-acre section of primary forest, and reintroduced endangered species to the private reserve that is home november 2013 79 78-81 LA Nicaragua.indd 79 10/23/13 9:01 AM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend November 2013

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Generator
Tour Talk: Vistas by IsramWorld
Sailing the Danube With Viking (and a Teeneger in Tow)
AmaPrima
Bhutan: The Eternal Kingdom Beckons
The Greening of the Caribbean
The Saint Lucia Travel Agent Specialist Program
Merida: Gateway to the Yucatan Experience
Nicaragua Now
Las Vegas Embraces the Future
Tasmania: A Devilish Destination
Zimbabwe: Southern Africa's Comeback Kid
Georgia: Off the Radar

Recommend November 2013