Late

Late
last summer I ventured solo to Maderas Village – a modern
jungle hideout nestled in the Pacific coastal hills along Playa
Maderas, in Nicaragua.

From the capital city of Managua, I caught a 2-hour ride south
towards the Village. We sped deeper into the country and I quickly
became entranced with what was passing outside my window. There
were deep greens and browns, small villages with fire pits
smoldering red, schoolchildren in crisp white and blue uniforms,
motorcycles darting through traffic and occasionally lakes and
volcanoes in the distance.

We pulled up a steep drive and arrived safely at Maderas
Village. I was quickly greeted with a drink, shown my room and left
to explore what would be my home for the next week. The cabanas,
casitas and open-air shared spaces of the Village fit seamlessly
into the surroundings. Jungle canopy was all around, howler monkeys
perched in the trees, ocean waves could be seen in the distance and
there was a deep sense of relaxation throughout.

Playa Maderas is a respected surfing destination and the
Village, which opened in 2011, is a hotspot for travellers with a
creative and entrepreneurial itch. During my stay I met musicians
using the newly opened recording studio, writers, agency creatives
working remotely and long-term travellers unsure of their next
destination.

As the days went on, I was free of a schedule and began to lose
sense of time. The Village became my base. I would head into nearby
San Juan Del Sur and photograph the bright colours, old textures
and people I met. One day I jumped aboard a catamaran with a few
newly made friends, drank Toña beer and swam in the ocean until
dark. Many mornings I woke early to walk the beach alone or spent
hours in the hammock with my headphones and the ocean breeze.

I left Maderas with a fresh sense of discovery, a mind void of
stress and anticipation for another journey.

@bradtorchia |
bradtorchia.com