Ziplining in Mombacho Cloud Forest, Nicaragua

Time to Add Sandboarding to Your To-Do-List

For only $25, you can sandboard down the black slopes of Cerro Negro, an active volcano in Nicaragua. You don't need to snowboard to look like a pro. You do, however, need to have a taste for adventure and be able to hike an hour up the 728 meters (2,388 ft) volcano while carrying a wooden board. Or you can do what I did, beg the guide to hold your board and give him a good tip. With only garden gloves and plastic goggles to protect you from the ash, you'll be speeding down the volcano in no time. Want more of an adrenaline rush? Try sandboarding with only the light of the full moon to guide you. Tierra Tour in Leon can take you on the half-day tour. For more info: http://tierratour.com

Forget Maine Lobster

Hotel Suyapa in Las Penitas, Nicaragua not only offers a gorgeous view of the Pacific Ocean, it also serves one of the best grilled lobster I have ever tasted (and I have eaten more than my fair share of lobster). For less than $10, you can eat barefoot on the beach while watching the sunset. Start your meal off with a frozen Macua, a refreshing Nicaraguan cocktail made from Flor de Cana aged white rum, guava nectar, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and orange juice. The food, the view, the drinks, and the few, if any, tourists -- what could be better? To find Hotel Suyapa: http://www.suyapabeach.com