For decades, travelers seeking sun, sand, and the supreme biodiversity of the most pristine ecosystems in the Americas have often overlooked Nicaragua in favor of neighboring Costa Rica. However, as Nicaragua celebrates a coveted spot on Travel + Leisure’s list of the 50 best places to visit in 2025, that trend is poised to change.
“Many parts of Costa Rica have become busy, built-up, and expensive over the years,” says John Kendall, a boutique hotel owner with years of experience in Nicaragua’s emerging travel industry. “Meanwhile, Nicaragua still has a raw, real magic to it that travelers are only now starting to see.” Nestled along the sands of Little Corn Island, Kendall’s Yemaya Reefs is one of those magical places—a destination so stunning it has been named among the most beautiful places in the Caribbean.
With a brand-new coastal highway set to connect hundreds of miles of beachfront along the Emerald Coast, it will soon be easier than ever to experience destinations in Nicaragua once reserved only for the most adventurous visitors. Amidst growing demand from both luxury-minded travelers and intrepid backpackers who first told tales of the country’s incomparable beauty, Nicaragua now stakes its claim among its neighbors as a destination worth traveling for.
Top 5 Can’t-Miss Experiences
- Private Island Retreat at Jicaro Island Lodge: Head to the heart of Lake Nicaragua to sink into a private island paradise at Jicaro Island Lodge.
- Surfing the Emerald Coast: World-class waves draw surfers to the Emerald Coast, where brand-new accommodations elevate luxury travel in Nicaragua like never before.
- Culinary Delights in Granada: Located in the heart of colonial Granada, innovative kitchens highlight local ingredients and farm-fresh cuisine.
- Jungle Adventures and Wildlife Encounters: Biodiverse cloud forests near Matagalpa and remote nature reserves along the Rio San Juan welcome jungle adventures and wildlife encounters.
- Exploring the Corn Islands: Crystal-clear waters lap at powdery sands in the Corn Islands, considered some of the last truly untouched islands in the Caribbean.
Best Hotels & Resorts
- Jicaro Island Lodge: Part of the Cayuga Collection of sustainable luxury hotels in Central America, Jicaro Island Lodge is a luxe, private island hideaway surrounded by the serene waters of Lake Nicaragua. Among volcano-studded landscapes coated in forests, the island’s nine casitas welcome both adrenaline seekers eyeing water sports and hiking trails, as well as those looking to spend long, lazy days floating in the infinity pool or balancing in a hammock, book in hand.
- Yemaya Reefs: Feel the stress melt away instantly at Yemaya Reefs, the gem of Nicaragua’s Corn Islands in the heart of the Caribbean. The boutique property, named for the colorful corals that sit just offshore, features 20 oceanfront casitas, each perfectly secluded amidst lush jungle foliage that opens onto golden sands. Yemaya Reefs also features an intimate spa, a yoga shala, and an Afro-Caribbean-inspired dining concept. It is part of the Colibri Boutique Hotels collection, which includes four stunning sister properties in Tulum.
- Rancho Santana: A sprawling 2,700-acre resort and residential community nestled among sea and sand, Rancho Santana is the star of the surf-obsessed Emerald Coast. However, there’s much more to Rancho Santana than just catching waves, with an expansive spa and impressive wellness program, five distinct beaches, a turtle sanctuary, and more than 20 miles of hiking trails to keep guests busy. The property even maintains its own 80-acre working farm, from which it sources most of the ingredients used across numerous dining concepts that range from fine dining to casual taco spots.
- Morgan’s Rock Hacienda & Ecolodge: Located just north of San Juan del Sur, Morgan’s Rock Hacienda & Ecolodge is renowned for curating an immersive and sustainable jungle experience that feels singular in Nicaragua. The property’s 15 bungalows and three villas were designed to preserve as much old-growth foliage as possible, using natural materials and incorporating design elements like thatched roofs that provide shade for private pools. Every angle highlights views of verdant jungle canopy and frames a tranquil crescent of sand below.
Best Things to Do
- Explore the Jungle: Immense biodiversity and vast swaths of raw, untouched jungle make Nicaragua a dream for adventurous travelers. Take a tiny boat from Lake Nicaragua to the ultra-sustainable Guacimo Lodge for an immersive experience among tropical birds and monkeys in the Indio Maíz Biological Reserve. Up north, Matagalpa is the gateway to cloud forests native to the Peñas Blancas Massif Nature Reserve, which is packed with hiking trails to hidden jungle waterfalls in an area known as the “Land of Eternal Spring.”
- Visit Historic Cities: Many of Nicaragua’s cities still bear the richly layered architectural legacy of their colonial past, lending them an undeniable and colorful charm that visitors love. Granada is one of the oldest cities in the Americas, having just celebrated its 500th anniversary. With a canary-yellow church at its center, it’s just as vibrant and vivacious as you’d expect. From there, head to León to take in the view of whitewashed domes on the roof of the city’s church, set against brilliant blue skies.
- Go Surfing: Summertime swells draw surfers from far and wide to Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast. San Juan del Sur on the sunny Emerald Coast reigns supreme as a destination for surfers of all skill levels. Alternatively, travel with Rise Up Surf, a company with years of experience curating laid-back surfing and wellness retreats in stunning spots up and down the West Coast.
- Try Volcano Boarding: If surfing isn’t your scene, don a jumpsuit and grab a board to slide down the black-sand slopes of Cerro Negro instead. This active volcano is considered Central America’s youngest, having first appeared in 1850 and erupted dozens of times since. Volcano boarding is better left to only the most adventurous, as speeds can get up to 40 miles per hour for the five-minute ride to the bottom of the volcano. It’s just as wild as it sounds.
Best Restaurants
- NM, Granada: “True fine-dining options in Nicaragua are still few and far between,” says Karen Emanuel, owner of Jicaro Island Lodge, with inspirational spots like NM in Granada charting a new path in local cuisine. Deeply faithful
