The Benson Preferred Guide
Tola, Nicaragua
Emerald Coast, Nicaragua
The Benson Preferred Guide to Tola, Nicaragua (Rancho Santana Preview)
Why Should You Visit Tola, Nicaragua?
Some destinations immediately feel overrun by tourism. Others feel like you've discovered them just before everyone else does. From what we've heard, Tola, Nicaragua feels like the latter. We're excited to experience it for ourselves.
We've spent years traveling throughout Central America and have fallen in love with places that strike the perfect balance between adventure, authenticity, and luxury without pretentiousness. Everything we've learned about Rancho Santana suggests it may fit that description perfectly.
If Costa Rica and Baja California had a quieter, more adventurous cousin that hadn't yet made it onto everyone's travel radar, this might be it.
We're looking forward to practicing surfing, riding horses along the Pacific coastline, exploring volcanoes, fishing offshore, and discovering what makes Nicaragua such a beloved destination among adventurous travelers.
This is one we're particularly excited to experience alongside our members.
Who Is Tola, Nicaragua Perfect For?
Tola is perfect for:
- Couples looking for an adventurous beach escape.
- Families who love outdoor activities.
- Surfers and aspiring surfers.
- Travelers who appreciate authentic experiences.
- Horseback riding enthusiasts.
- Deep sea fishermen.
- Wellness and spa enthusiasts.
- Travelers who love discovering destinations before they become mainstream.
If your ideal vacation includes equal parts adventure and relaxation, Nicaragua's Emerald Coast deserves a closer look.
What Are the Best Things to Do in Tola, Nicaragua?
The list of experiences we're most excited about includes:
- Learning to surf better.
- Exploring Rancho Santana's five beaches.
- Sunset horseback riding along the Pacific Ocean.
- Deep sea fishing.
- Volcano boarding at Cerro Negro.
- Hiking and mountain biking.
- Wellness and spa experiences.
- Relaxing by the pool and hot tub.
- Discovering Nicaragua's local cuisine and culture.
- Simply slowing down and enjoying the beauty of the property.
One of the things we're learning as we research Rancho Santana is that it isn't a place that asks you to choose between adventure and relaxation. It appears to offer both exceptionally well.
What Is Tola, Nicaragua's Signature Experience?
For us, it sounds like it will be surfing.
Neither Diana nor I are moving to Hawaii anytime soon to become professional surfers, which may make this recommendation even better.
One of the things we're most excited about is taking surf lessons and embracing the beginner's mindset that travel so often invites us into.
Rancho Santana offers waves suitable for a variety of skill levels, making it an ideal place to learn or improve your skills.
There's something appealing about spending the morning surfing the Pacific Ocean and the afternoon relaxing by the pool overlooking the coastline.
If we're being honest, we're probably going to spend just as much time laughing at ourselves as we are standing on our boards.
Where Should You Stay?
Rancho Santana is one of our Benson Preferred Properties and may be one of the most intriguing properties we've added to the collection.
The resort sits on approximately 2,700 acres of Pacific coastline and offers access to five unique beaches. It combines luxury accommodations with an adventurous ranch-like atmosphere that immediately caught our attention.
We're especially excited about:
- Exploring all five beaches.
- Oceanfront dining experiences.
- The wellness offerings.
- Surf experiences.
- Horseback riding.
- The incredible Pacific sunsets.
Everything about Rancho Santana feels intentionally understated and beautifully authentic.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Tola, Nicaragua?
- Peak Season: December through April offers warm, dry weather and ideal beach conditions.
- Shoulder Season: May and November can offer excellent value with fewer crowds.
- Green Season: June through October brings lush landscapes and occasional tropical rain showers.
Best For
- Surfing: Year-round.
- Beach Days: December through April.
- Horseback Riding: Year-round.
- Fishing: Year-round.
- Volcano Boarding: Dry season recommended.
- Wellness & Relaxation: Year-round.
- Best Value: May and November.
Insider's Secret
Consider making volcano boarding at Cerro Negro part of your Nicaragua adventure.
This isn't an activity you'll do directly from Rancho Santana. It's approximately a three to three-and-a-half-hour drive each way and deserves an entire day or even an overnight stay in León if you have the time.
The experience involves hiking to the summit of an active volcano before racing down its volcanic ash slopes on a specially designed board.
We're excited to try this ourselves on a future trip and have a feeling it's going to make for one incredible travel story.
What Is a Great 5-7 Night Itinerary for Tola, Nicaragua?
- Day 1: Arrive and explore Rancho Santana's beaches.
- Day 2: Surf lessons and sunset dinner.
- Day 3: Horseback riding and wellness experiences.
- Day 4: Deep sea fishing excursion.
- Day 5: Volcano boarding adventure.
- Day 6: Relax, hike, or mountain bike throughout the property.
- Day 7: One final beach day before heading home.
Leave plenty of room for spontaneous adventures along the way.
Founder Favorite
This is admittedly a little different than many of our Founder Favorites because we're still waiting to experience Nicaragua for ourselves.
My Founder Favorite is the anticipation.
Some of my favorite travel memories have come from destinations I knew very little about before arriving. There's something exciting about discovering a place together for the first time and coming home with stories you never saw coming.
Tola and Rancho Santana feel like one of those destinations.
Member Tip
Don't treat Nicaragua like an all-inclusive beach vacation.
Treat it like an adventure.
Leave room in your itinerary to explore, try something new, and embrace experiences that may be completely outside your comfort zone. Learn to surf. Ride a horse on the beach. Climb a volcano.
Travel is often at its best when we're willing to become beginners again.
Our Favorite Experiences
Our favorite experience hasn't happened yet, and we think that's perfectly okay.
We're genuinely excited to discover Nicaragua alongside our members and to continue updating this guide as we experience everything Rancho Santana and the Emerald Coast have to offer.
The Benson Preferred Guest List has always been about sharing extraordinary experiences. Sometimes that means recommending places we've loved for years. Other times it means inviting our members to join us in discovering someplace entirely new.
Tola, Nicaragua is one of those places.
We're looking forward to sharing what we find when we get there.
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Places that made the list.
Making memories and living life more fully.
Bull Sharks in Playa
They gather off this coast for a few months a year. Close enough to count the scars, calm enough to stay a while.
The walk at golden hour
Costa Rica’s Pacific coast empties out just as the light gets good. Most evenings, the beach is yours.
Hot chocolate at the bottom
The part of the day nobody photographs, and the part everybody ends up remembering.
First chair, fresh snow
Up the mountain before anyone else, on a morning that still has every track left in it.
And so much more…
Hosted personally by Paul & Diana Benson.
We're lifelong adventurers who believe travel is one of life's greatest investments. Not because of the places you'll go, but because of the memories you'll create and the people you'll share them with.
The Benson Preferred Guest List is simply our way of sharing some of our favorite places and experiences with our circle of friends, family, and people we're glad to know. Read more about our story →
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