Have you ever made it to your vacation destination and felt like you walked into another world? A real paradise? Your heart just feels at peace and those deep healing breaths come a little bit, easier?
We are so excited to share Rancho Santana in Nicaragua, the destination that gave us all the feels. I am totally in love with this place and already planning our next visit with the family. If you are wanting to book your stay at Rancho, read below for an exclusive promo code!
When we were first introduced to this beautiful destination, we were told the story about how it came to be. Six friends were on a surfing trip and fell in love with this large lot of land in Nicaragua. The man that owned the land showed them the beautiful 2,700 acres and his vision for it. These 6 friends eventually bought the land together which would become what is is now. The purchase was rooted in a promise the founders made to honour the authentic Nicaraguan spirit, to protect the land, and remain connected to the local community. What Rancho has created is far more than a vacation for visitors – it’s a whole experience of disconnecting to reconnect – it’s education for living more sustainably while immersed in Nature.
Rancho Santana is now celebrating their 25th year as a world class resort and residential community. The property has 5 beautiful beaches with epic surf breaks, horse stables, a spa, yoga studio with gorgeous views, and unforgettable sunsets.
Rancho Santana also has 4 restaurants that are farm to table. We actually toured the farm and gardens during our stay which was a great experience for our family. They even make their own cheese!
We are so thankful that we had the chance to create unforgettable memories together with our friends The Winnik’s here at Rancho Santana, you can check out Ambers Instagram {here}.
Accommodations
Rancho Santana has a variety of options for your stay depending on your preferences or family size. We stayed at The Residences of The Inn, a 3 bedroom one during our week long visit and it was perfect, with more than enough room for our family of four. I could easily stay in one of the inns again longterm! Some people stay within the residences or rent one of the privately owned homes, if you browse the rentals keep an eye out for the one with the outdoor pizza oven that overlooks the ocean!
Where to Eat
Let’s just start by saying that Rancho Santana has a true farm to table vibe, they make their own cheeses, everything from their fresh papayas, crisp lettuces to their eggs are from within the 2,700 acres. There is something about true farm to table, that makes every meal that much more elevated.
Most of our meals were enjoyed at La Finca Y El Mar, a quick walk from The Inn where we stayed. We enjoyed delicious lunches and dinners here, delicious burrata on fresh salads, fresh fish and more. Glasses of wine were enjoyed while the kids happily played bocci right outside the restaurant, you are right along the beach so you can hear the waves and catch a beautiful sunset as well.
We had all of our breakfasts at El Cafe, traditional breakfast bowls ands smoothie bowls, a wide variety of teas and delicious coffee.
For a delicious bite to eat after an epic surf, try La Taqueria. We had the best fish tacos here and they offer a table side guacamole wish is super fun for the kiddos to watch, you may have seen it in my Instagram highlights {here}.
Lastly there was La Boquita, here you will find sourdough pizzas and cocktails with the best sunsets!
It’s honestly hard to say which restaurant was my favourite as they all have amazing views of the ocean, a great atmosphere and the kindest staff…and all of them have great food too of course. You will absolutely want to check out all four restaurants when you visit! If you are craving a late night snack or want to cook inside your accommodations the Rancho has a small grocery store on site as well.
What To Do
Where do I start, there are SO many things to do at Rancho Santana! Do you want to surf? Great, Playa Santana is known as a surfing Mecca with both left and right barrels and Playa Rosada has a left point reef break. There is also Playa Los Perros for learning to surf as well, we made sure to sneak a lesson in with the kiddos during our stay.
There are 5 beaches at Rancho Santana, Playa Santana, Playa Rosada, Playa Escondida, Playa Duna and Playa Los Perros. There are unique features about each of them and we as a family loved them all!
We made sure to get in some horseback riding during our stay, Rancho Santana has beautiful traditional stables and the horses are in excellent care which was super important to us. We went for a sunset ride on the beach and the kids are still talking about it.
Another great activity during our visit was something called sand boarding, I never expected to try this while in Nicaragua but the team at Rancho organized our experience flawlessly. It was an early start with a drive to Playa Duna where we did a small hike to the tall sand hill and boarded from the top into the ocean, the amount of laughter from our kiddos during this experience was so contagious. I’d recommend this activity for a day during your visit that is less hot as it can be super toast climbing up the dune in the hot sun.
Rancho Santana has farm tours and garden tours as well so that you can explore the grounds, see where your dinner greens were grown, where the milk from your cheese came from, hold baby ducklings that pass by perhaps and of course help release baby turtles on the beach at the right time of year. We are so grateful that we were able to be a part of a turtle release, it was an amazing experience for all of the little ones.
Wellness
I have to say that this trip was one of my favourites, the feeling I felt and the vibe at Rancho Santana is unlike any other place we have visited. It is a great spot for a family vacation, a trip as a couple or even alone to surf or unwind. Everyone in the family enjoyed themselves, we relaxed and indulged in both great company and delicious foods. We attended a wonderful sunset yoga class and I even treated myself to a spa visit. At the spa I was able to experience their hot & cold baths, a massage with an acupuncture and reiki add-on. It was truly incredible!
Special Promotion
Did you follow along on our adventures in Nicaragua on Instagram? Have you been wanting to book your next vacation to Rancho Santana? We are so excited to share an exclusive promo, it was the top choice out of the 4 options we polled on Instagram.
Use the code Roxanne 5 when booking a 5 night stay and receive 2 additional nights FREE! Click {here} to book your stay, the code will automatically be added to your cart.
Fun Facts
- Yes, Rancho Santana has great wifi, many of you asked about this. We were able to work from the rancho without any issues. If you’re an avid surfer looking to work and play on vacation, I highly recommend Rancho Santana for your next board meeting!
- Rancho Santana makes sustainability a priority, solar energy services The Inn & Clubhouse amenities.
- Rancho Santana has a turtle protection program from predators and poachers.
- They currently grow herbs, fruits, and vegetables. From their farm, lamb, pork, beef and milk is sourced and used to produce everything from cheeses to yogurt & ice cream right on site. Anything that is not grown at the farm, they source locally fro trusted co-ops and local fisherman.
- Rancho Santana has an 18 hole golf course nearby for golfers.
- Rancho Santana is the largest employer in the South of Nicaragua and they run water, home and education projects in the community.
This blog post was made in collaboration with Rancho Santana Nicaragua, we are so grateful for the opportunity to work together and all opinions are our own.
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