On a private island in Lake Nicaragua, the Jicaro Island Ecolodge is built with minimum impact to island flora and sustainably treats the water supply and electricity. Located 50 minutes from Managua International Airport, nine rugged casitas were built with timber reclaimed from trees blown down by Hurricane Felix. Ecolodge offers yoga, wellness treatments, bird watching, kayaking and swimming. Nearby attractions include the Mombacho Volcano Cloud Forest, zip-lining canopy tours, horseback riding and volcano sand skiing. Yes, sand skiing. jicarolodge.com
Nicole Dorsey-Straff, M.S., a Los Angeles-based exercise physiologist and wellness expert, is Organic Spa Magazine’s contributing editor of Play & Adventure.