THE ATLANTIC COAST

More than a getaway to the white-sand, coconut palm beaches traditional to the Caribbean, Nicaragua’s Atlantic coast is a swim through a cultural ocean unlike any other in the world, a fascinating conglomeration of history in the very blood, skin, and language of the people. The vast majority of Nicaragua’s 450 kilometers of Atlantic coastline are unexplored, undeveloped, and unapproachable. Edward Marriot calls it “Nicaragua’s jungle coast. Not the ‘Caribbean’—despite cartographers’ insistences—but, deliberately, the ‘Atlantic.’ No one here spoke of this ocean, with its broken, unlovely shoreline, as the Caribbean: that would have been too misleading, too obvious a misrepresentation. No, this was the Atlantic coast, with its mangrove swamps and alligators, hurricanes and stiff westers that washed up bales of high-grade cocaine, shrink-wrapped for export.”

  The Atlantic coast is languid and lazy, but it’s got an edge, too, and just a shadow of danger. In its entirety, Nicaragua’s Caribbean will absorb you. Walking the noisy streets of Bluefields, riding a panga up a twisting, jungle river, or sunning yourself on Corn Island, you may start to wonder if the rest of Nicaragua even exists. Welcome to La Costa, where residents have lived this isolation for their entire history. Fill your belly with fresh fish and rum, your ears with reggae and country music, and your journal with a new collection of rich adventures.

Palo de Mayo Festival: Sensual and rhythmic, Bluefield’s joyous Maypole celebration is one of the flashiest shows in the country. (read more)

Pearl Lagoon: The quiet lanes of this waterside village beg to be explored. Follow them all the way out to the beach. (read more)

The Pearl Cays: No sounds here but the creak of your swinging hammock and the waves lapping on the shoreline. (read more)

Picnic Center Beach: This Corn Island classic is an uninterrupted crescent of white-sand hedonism; a wonderful beach, a bed, and great food await. (read more)

Diving: Snorkel, swim, or scuba to visit the reefs and marine life just offshore Little Corn Island. (read more)