Courtesy of Francis Ford Coppola Presents
The Turtle Inn welcomes guests to powder-soft sands in Belize
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
With the buzz of great values and laid-back tropical style, Nicaragua flashed onto the radar and was dubbed the new Costa Rica. Not so fast. Thanks to colonial charm and untouched natural beauty, Nicaragua deserves recognition in its own right. Ridgetop Pelican Eyes…Piedras y Olas Hotel & Resort overlooks fishing village San Juan del Sur, which sits in a bay rimmed with golden sand on the country's southwestern Pacific coast. The resort boasts starch-white villas set in tropical gardens, with vaulted cane ceilings and spectacular views. Other perks include sailing trips and several infinity pools, which are a welcome alternative to trekking down a staircase to the beach. To reach Pelican Eyes, fly into the capital city of Managua and the resort will arrange a shuttle for the 2-hour ride. From $240/night, includes breakfast; piedrasyolas.com
$789+: Granada, Ometepe & Managua 6-nt trip w/airfare LatinDestinations.com
$705+: Fly to Managua, Granada & Corn Islands for 7-nt w/air LatinDestinations.com
$1995+: Nicaragua 7-day beach & adventure tour w/volcano iExplore
