Rivas

Perched on a raw, wild cliff overlooking the Pacific, Mukul Resort brings a dose of open-air luxury to a quiet stretch of Nicaragua’s coastline. The spa’s six gorgeous suites each incorporate a different ancient healing tradition, along with powerfully healing Nicaraguan ingredients. Treatments here are over-the-top 120-minute mashups of herbal steaming, honey-cucumber tonics, lymphatic drainage, craniosacral therapy, and soothing masks made with regional flower essences, volcanic clay, and potent herbs.

Step into a rainforest tree house at Aqua Wellness Resort, a twenty-four room eco-friendly lodge, which specializes in healthy locavore dishes, sea kayaking, and surfing. Slightly more rustic than its neighbor, Mukul, Aqua offers views of Redonda bay and stellar wildlife spotting (there’s no shortage of howler monkeys and iguanas) as you walk along the network of wooden bridges that connect the resort grounds. The treehouses, which rest on stilts to minimize impact on the primary forest, feature cathedral ceilings, exposed rafters, and teak rainfall showers. The low-slung, platform beds are wrapped in white linens for a Zen-like vibe. Some of the suites feature an outdoor Balinese shower, too. Meals are served on the white sand beach at the open-air restaurant, which serves up a mix of Nicaraguan and American dishes. Chef gets his produce from a nearby organic farm while catch of the day comes from a neighboring fishing village. The menu changes daily depending on what’s freshest from the on-site herb garden, but they’re always happy to customize vegan or gluten-free options.