Sometimes the best trips are the ones you don’t spend months planning. In this case I let someone else do all the heavy lifting.

Living away from Australia, I work full-time and have a wonderful family, but like many people, I realised I didn’t have a large group of girlfriends to catch up with regularly… life gets busy, and social calendars don’t always line up.

One person I do reliably catch up with every month is my hair stylist. We’ve developed a friendship discussing holiday plans, travel and life experiences. I love her attitude to life, her motivation and like me she has packed a few lives into one. She also happens to be a yoga instructor (and realtor!). Every year or so she organises a yoga retreat, and after hearing about them for a few years, I finally decided it was time to join one.

My husband already had several golf and work trips planned later in the year, so instead of waiting for someone else’s schedule, I booked myself onto the retreat in Nicaragua, a beautiful destination for relaxation.

I’m so glad I did.

Arriving in Nicaragua

Our retreat was held at Costa Dulce Ecolodge and Retreat Center, near San Juan del Sur on Nicaragua’s Pacific coast.

After landing in Managua, I discovered another retreat guest was on my flight, so we shared the transfer to the resort together.

About halfway through the journey we stopped at a supermarket for a quick bathroom break. It still makes me smile remembering my new travel companion casually buying a six-pack of beer for the drive. It felt like the perfect way to break the ice and set the relaxed tone for the week ahead.

The drive itself was fascinating.

The countryside was filled with horse and cattle farms, lined with huge mature trees and wide open spaces. Every so often we’d pass through small villages where life looked much simpler, reminding me how different Nicaragua is from many of the destinations I’d visited before.

Spanish is very much the everyday language here, and outside the tourist areas English wasn’t widely spoken. I managed with plenty of buenos días and gracias, but it definitely made me wish I’d learned more than a handful of phrases before arriving.

Costa Dulce

We reached Costa Dulce after dark, so I didn’t fully appreciate the setting until the following morning.

My room was exactly what I hoped for – simple, rustic and incredibly comfortable. It had a king bed, an outdoor bathroom, a ceiling fan and huge screened windows that allowed me to fall asleep listening to the sound of the ocean each night.

The entire resort blends naturally into the surrounding landscape. It feels connected to nature without sacrificing comfort, striking a balance that really suited me.

Life at the Retreat

Our days followed a gentle rhythm.

Morning yoga, healthy breakfasts, walks along the beach, time by the infinity pool, optional workshops, evening yoga and communal dinners overlooking the ocean.

There were also opportunities to join sound baths, cacao ceremonies and trips into San Juan del Sur, but nothing ever felt compulsory. You could participate as much or as little as you wanted.

All of our meals were included and were fresh, wholesome and beautifully prepared. Eating together each day became one of my favourite parts of the retreat, and the retreat had brought together such a lovely group of eleven people that conversation always flowed easily.

Rather than feeling overly structured, the week gave everyone permission to simply slow down. The resort also offered surf camps and outings on a boat. We went out for an afternoon on a small fishing boat and our crew dived for fresh fish and made ceviche with fresh ingredients.

More than Just Yoga

I’ll admit, the amount of yoga was well beyond my normal routine.

At home I usually practise for around 20 to 30 minutes each day.

By the end of some days in Nicaragua I’d completed a morning practice and an evening yin class – close to three hours of yoga altogether.

There were definitely a few muscles I’d forgotten I had.

But it was also a wonderful opportunity to deepen my practice and learn movements I still use today.

A Different Pace of Life

Most of the week was spent at the resort.

I’d walk along the beach each morning, spend time by the pool, enjoy the occasional glass of prosecco and generally embrace a much slower pace than I do at home.

The resort even had its own small band, made up of local musicians who also took guests out on boat trips where they’d spear fish before preparing fresh ceviche for lunch.

It all felt very genuine rather than staged for tourists.

There were families staying at the resort too, with children happily running barefoot between the beach and the pool. It had a relaxed yoga and surf culture, but without feeling exclusive or intimidating.

If you’re someone who enjoys wellness holidays but still appreciates a comfortable bed, good food and modern conveniences, I think Costa Dulce strikes a really nice balance.

Exploring San Juan del Sur

We also spent some time exploring nearby San Juan del Sur.

It’s a colourful beach town with relaxed cafés, small boutiques and plenty of places to stop for lunch or a coffee. I loved some of the surfy shops there, and bought some great tshirts for my husband and daughter at We Stay Lost.

We experienced a few tropical downpours during our stay in December, but the rain usually passed quickly and never really interrupted the day.

Final Thoughts

Nicaragua feels quite different from neighbouring Costa Rica, but I found the Pacific coastline equally beautiful.

There were howler monkeys in the trees, uncrowded beaches and a slower pace of life that made it incredibly easy to switch off.

For me, though, this trip wasn’t just about the destination.

It was about taking a week for myself, meeting a wonderful group of people, trying something outside my usual routine and returning home feeling genuinely refreshed.

I’d happily go back again – and next time I’d seriously consider bringing my family so they could experience Costa Dulce too.

Mrs Globetrotter Tips

Best for: Solo travellers, couples, yoga enthusiasts and anyone looking for a slower-paced beach holiday.

When we visited: December.

Don’t miss: Costa Dulce, morning walks on the beach, yoga overlooking the ocean, a massage at the spa and a visit to San Juan del Sur.

Good to know: Basic Spanish is helpful outside the resort, although it’s easy enough to get by with a few simple phrases and a smile.

Would I return? Absolutely. It’s one of the most relaxing trips I’ve taken and somewhere I’d happily revisit.