From the shore nearby, nobody can see the hotel. Aqua Wellness Resort is built so congruously into a hillside above Playa Gigante on Nicaragua’s Pacific coast that the jungle cloaks it from outside observers.
A short walk from the beach toward the Nicaraguan jungle and the immense lodging reveals itself. Aqua’s extravagant design sends a message that the country can compete in the luxury ecotourism market.
“One of the big things is Nicaragua really has a lot of this natural beauty,” says Dan Rubano, Aqua’s owner. “So our big focus is really reintroducing people back to nature.”
After six years of planning and construction, the new resort opened in January, offering 34 rooms in 16 villas set in the thick of the jungle. Elaborate paths wind through the trees, leading visitors to the beach, their cabins, the hotel’s restaurant or a wooden yoga platform overlooking the ocean. The goal of Aqua, explains co-owner Trevor Barran, is to be a rare example of “luxury sustainable development” in Nicaragua.
Aqua’s location minutes away from a popular surf town lends itself to a bevy of outdoor activities. Yoga, however, earns the biggest emphasis. The resort markets itself as a yoga retreat, with onsite yoga and wellness instructors offering classes in a variety of yoga techniques, from beginner to experienced. Vacationers receive yoga lessons on a huge, rectangular platform lifted high above the forest floor, offering a magnificent view of jungle and ocean. The sound of crashing waves and feel of cool breezes amplify the relaxing effects of the yoga workout. Already, Barran says, Aqua has received reservations from dozens of yoga groups wanting to use the venue as a yoga retreat.
Not into yoga? More traditional beachside endeavors can be enjoyed on your own or arranged through a tour for an additional cost. Those activities include sportfishing, hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboating, horseback riding and surfing the popular waves at Playa Gigante. Longer day trips include volcano tours, boat trips to private islands and excursions to coffee plantations and Nicaraguan tobacco-rolling establishments.
* Registration Now Open *
Join Carla & Jeff on a 6 day yoga retreat in fabulous Nicaragua! The theme for this retreat is Yoga Consciousness. Using asana practice, meditation, deep relaxation, discussion, reflection and interpersonal exercises we will explore our connectedness to the self and the world around us. We will examine how the layers of yoga practice deepen self-understanding and evolve both the individual and collective consciousness.
Your retreat package includes 6 days of yoga, 6 nights accommodation plus 2 meals a day atNica Yoga Retreat Centre in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua as well as surf lessons, a zip line excursion, some local exploration and a sunset cruise on the ocean.
Cost: $1,300 USD before December 1, 2011, and $1,550 USD after December 1st. Please contact us for costs for families and non-yoga participants.
Space is limited! A non-refundable deposit of $350 will reserve your spot. Balance is due January 15, 2012.
To register contact Carla or call 250.277.2105
Carla Wainwright
SOYA, E-RYT500, IYTA
…began practicing yoga in 1996. She has studied with Mugs McConnell, Shirley Daventry French, Erich Schiffmann, Shiva Rea, Rod Stryker and Geeta Iyengar. She is a graduate from the SOYA Yoga Teacher Training Program, a member of Yoga Alliance (ERYT500), a certified International Teacher of Yoga (IYTA) and a founding owner of Chinook Yoga. She teaches a wide range of classes, has led numerous retreats internationally and is part of the Primary Faculty of the SOYA Yoga Teacher Training Program. Carla’s yoga exploration looks at opening and connecting to the etheric body as a means to connect to the higher Self. In addition to teaching yoga,
Carla works as a Doctor of Medical Heilkunst and Homeopathy, one of the creators of the Dharma Deskand is a busy mom of three wonderful children.
Jeff Lutes
SOYA, RYT200
…is an enthusiastic teacher of Hatha yoga with a little vinyasa, power yoga, the yoke, and good times thrown in. He is also an owner of Chinook Yoga. Since his first experience of doing Yoga with a friend’s book on a cold winter’s night for five hours, his practice, with ebb and flow, has been a happy and fulfilling relationship in understanding himself and the world around him. He has completed a SOYA Teacher Training as well as a Teacher Training with one of his mentors, Erich Schiffmann. His practice and classes are focused on exploring where one can go with body, mind and spirit.
Losing weight in a safe and healthy way often requires changing the way we eat and the foods we eat. Read the tips below to help you get started on your weight loss journey.
The first tip is to drink plenty of water. Water serves many functions in your body including the flushing out of toxins. Water can also help discourage you from overeating because it will help fill you up and more importantly water contains zero calories! You should try and get into the habit of starting your day with a glass of cold water and having a glass prior to each meal.
The next tip is to eat plenty of fruit. Fresh fruit is great, but you should try and avoid processed or canned fruit in syrup as this contains a lot of sugar, thereby cranking up the number of calories. However, canned fruit in natural juice would be a safer choice but be sure to check the label for sugar content. Fresh fruits also contain more fiber which is an integral part of successful weight loss because your body needs fiber to function properly.
One common problem a lot of people have is eating which is motivated by feelings. Emotions such as anxiety, anger, sadness and sometimes even happiness can cause a person to eat more than they need. If you realize that your eating is often driven by your emotions you should speak to someone about it as soon as possible. There are many health professionals who can help you cope better with your feelings, which, in turn, will help you to sever the connection between your emotions and your eating behaviors.
It is also common for people to eat more when they are bored. If this is you, you need to find something else to do to occupy your time. Ideally this would be a physical activity like going for a walk or working out.