hammocks, swinging towards fanciful
views of endless ocean. Little Corn is
a sensual island, a place where young
lovers escape the real world. It is evocative and heady, a sweet paradise where
fantasy surpasses reality, enhanced by
wilderness, natural beauty, affordability
and simplicity at its core. Blend into
island life, shedding excess or pretence,
to co-exist with hard-working islanders.
Whilst sauntering over rocks one
evening to barren inlets at dusk, I watch
local fishermen haul in lobster, whilst a
young couple kiss inside a temporary
pitch on the beach. Later, the fishermen
share with them a freshly-barbecued
seafood dinner, before leaving them to
their remote love cocoon.
Here, beauty also has a conscience,
reflecting Nicaragua’s emergence as
a tourism destination. Serious about
conserving nature and supporting the
economy, Yemaya employs mostly local
staff and 10% of the island. Top of the
game-plan, as acting manager Erin
Miller enthuses, is to empower the local
community, which Yemaya does by
keeping the economy buoyant through
jobs and tourism. Yemaya is amongst a
growing number of Nicaraguan properties also hosting expert yoga retreats
with internationally celebrated wellness
gurus. Nicaragua is becoming synonymous with the wellness trend.
The secret of Cental
America
‘Nica,’ as it’s affectionately known,
is in that blissfully sweet spot right,
teetering on the brink of tourism yet
still under-the-radar. Engraved within
the plethora natural wonders is the
signature luxury of space. It has been
a relative secret in the tourism world
but Nicaragua is now stepping into
the spotlight. Visitors are filtering in to
discover a charming Central American
country free of tourism en masse, and
now touted as the safest destination
in Central America. Controversial
current plans to splice the country by
building a shipping canal through its
core, is keeping Nicaragua firmly in the
spotlight.
Plans are still unravelling to open
up Northern Nicaragua to tourism.
Matagalpa is surrounded by unexplored
primeval forest, typical villages and an
unfettered way of life.
Tourism is emerging in an exciting
way and with a rare modesty in
Central America that commands
respect. Understated and under-rated,
Nicaragua’s lure is undeniable. It’s time
to take notice.
Anisha Shah is a luxury and emerging destinations travel
journalist. Her background as a BBC TV and radio news
reporter, combined with a longstanding love affair with travel,
sees her first on the scene of new and exciting travel hot
spots, sourcing inspiring stories. Her work has appeared in The
Huffington Post, Yahoo Travel and Prestige Asia.
Follow Anisha on Twitter: @anishahbbc.
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