to
San Juan Del Sur (SJDS), Nicaragua.
It was – like so many of our travelers say
– transformative.
This past week, I joined 8 others and returned to SJDS. It
was my 7th trip back to a country that has brought so much love, friendship,
and even a career into my life.
To say it was magical is an understatement.
Here are my top reasons why you should book your tickets now to Nicaragua.
It will exceed every expectation
As we crossed the border I told our U30X travelers I was excited
to welcome them to my favorite country in the world. I could tell some of them were a bit
skeptical.
By the time we got back in the van for our airport drop off
people were talking about quitting there jobs to move to SJDS or buying
property. There are no words to describe what Nicaragua does to you. It gets
under the skin and into your heart and makes itself a permanent resident there.
You will never see such a beautiful sunset
I’ve been to beautiful beaches in places like Ghana, Bali,
and Costa Rica...but none of them compare to the beauty of Playa Hermosa.
To
get there, you romp through the jungle in a 4-wheel drive vehicle before coming to
a seemingly untouched beach.
The waves sequentially follow one another like a trance and it is hypnotizing.
But
the sunsets are what take this place to the next level. I've seen a lot of sunsets in many countries but the ones in Nicaragua are hands down the most beautiful I have ever seen.
The women will inspire you
Sustainable tourism is important to U30X and we always strive to provide impactful and cultural exchanges. These women in Nicaragua are micro-entrepreneurs.
One moment will stay with me forever: a woman said that when
she and another woman started their bag weaving business, the men degraded them saying they should be at home and their work had no value.
Now, they employ more
than 2 dozen women and work to save the turtle population.
When people come together in a common vision, their power is
so strong that no one can tear them down. This lesson rings true time and time
again when you talk to others starting businesses in Nicaragua. Their stories
will inspire you to seek out your dreams.
You will have behave like child
We also spent time at the local school playing soccer and
volleyball with kids of all ages. We set up an impromptu soccer goal post,
organized (I say that loosely), and began to play.
The silence of the afternoon was broken with laughs and
cheers when goals were made.
Afterwards, the kids ran to the seesaw and when one of our
travelers jumped on with them, the excitement and happiness poured out of their
tiny bodies.
We all were kids that afternoon and it was a firm reminder we should all be acting like it far more often.
I often ask myself why don’t more people travel to Nicaragua.
Is it the history from the 1980s that dissuade people, or people simply don’t know about the pristine beaches and all day, every day taco?
Whatever the reason is, I urge all of you to check out Nicaragua
as your next travel destination.
I'm willing to bet it won’t be your last time visiting...
