Looking back from the crescent beach of Redonda Bay, one could miss entirely any signs that a 42-room, full-fledged resort was recently built into the thick jungle of Nicaragua's Pacific coast.
Aqua Nicaragua, a yoga-centric ecoresort just over two hours from Managua, opened last year.
The secluded resort offers treetop accommodations; a focus on yoga and meditation; and a commitment to the environment evidenced by the way it was built and operates.
Aqua, like many resorts, experienced its share of early growing pains. It is now focused mostly on its service levels after the team learned the hard way that the right ideals and best hardware do not by themselves mean a great experience for guests.
Most of Aqua's accommodations are literally treetop hideaways built on platforms.
Each private suite, built with contemporary designs and using local hardwoods, includes high-end amenities, and most have freshwater plunge pools and kitchen areas separated by a teak deck.
Aqua guests must be physically fit, or aspiring to be, because getting to and from many of the treetop rooms means climbing dozens of stairs. Beachfront villas require less walking but still a fair amount.
Guests should also be the kind who enjoy immersion into nature: Howler monkeys make for excellent theater as they swing by your deck at all hours. Living in the trees means the occasional jungle critter will make its way into rooms, too.
All of this adds to what Trevor Barran, a managing partner at Aqua, said the majority of guests come from big cities looking for, which is "an unplugged escape."
"Most of them say it's one of the few places where they can unwind," he said. "We have high-speed Internet, but [guests] don't use it a lot of the time."
Aqua fulfills its promise as an eco-resort, something many resorts that make the same claim ultimately fall short of. Aqua not only uses energy-efficient lighting and builds from local materials as much possible, but the resort planned all its structures and villas around the primary forest in ways that protect the monkey routes.
Its restaurant sources local ingredients, and many herbs and vegetables are harvested from its own gardens.
There are no plastic water bottles at Aqua, and guests are encouraged not to use the air conditioning (it's generally not necessary with the breeze in the treetop suites).
Aqua offers guests a tour of its green systems "so people can understand why we designed it as we did," Barran said.
Being ecofriendly at Aqua is "not an add-on or a concept," Barran said, but is integral to preserving the asset that makes its location special, which he describes as one of few places where you can still find "raw, undisturbed nature" but that also has beautiful beaches and is safe.
Aqua is popular with yoga and wellness groups, and its yoga deck is among its most alluring features. Perched above Redonda Bay, it offers striking ocean views and the calming sound of the sea. Programs include yoga, stretch, dance and meditation classes.
For wellness seekers, the resort's one restaurant, Bromelia, focuses on healthy cuisine and local specialties like ceviche, as well as a selection of curries and pizzas. Aqua also has a beach bar.
Being very secluded (the village of Gigantes is a 15-minute walk through the jungle) means dining options are very limited. It is worth bringing drinks, snacks and other provisions to have in the kitchens.
Aqua's service issues began early on when the resort had just opened in early 2011, and service was minimal: There were no phones in the rooms to reach the restaurant or front desk, no room service, nobody offering drinks on the beach. I stayed at Aqua during this time, and service was not bad; there just wasn't much of it.
That's changed now. The rooms have phones and free WiFi, room service is available, and there is a new beach bar that offers guests wait service on the beach.
Aqua's top priority is improving service levels as it aspires to four-star status. It brought in Aspen spa management for its spa and front desk, and it hired a Nicaraguan woman who grew up in the U.S. and worked in New York hotels to help bridge some of the cultural gaps Aqua identified in staff training.
"I'm confident that within the next couple of months we will have a seamless experience that fills in a few gaps that might exist," Barran said.
Travel agents who specialize in the area agree that its immaturity as a tourist destination is both a draw and a challenge.
"The eco-resorts like Aqua, Morgan's Rock [also in Nicaragua] and others are perfect for the seasoned traveler," said Cheryl Cantilli, owner of Journeys Unique Travel in Floresville, Texas, meaning "those who enjoy the experience of discovering new places and cultures and enjoy the immersion."
"Most people have a low expectation, quite frankly, and, once they arrive, are pleasantly surprised," Cantilli said. "It is not up to the standard of, say, Costa Rica yet, but they [eco-resort managers] are giving it a great effort. The infrastructure is still being developed. But I also feel now is the time to visit, before it is developed too fully, to get a real experience."
Other on-site activities at Aqua include dance classes, a chocolate-making course and guided hikes. Watersports equipment -- kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and snorkels -- are available at no charge.
Its beach, secluded in the bay, is almost always calm, one of a few good swimming beaches on Nicaragua's otherwise rough Pacific Coast.
Aqua offers 30 excursions, such as trips to the colonial town of Granada or the Mombacho volcano as well as horseback riding and fishing excursions.
In April, Aqua added a saltwater swimming pool as well as spa treatment cabanas on the beach.
Follow Johanna Jainchill on Twitter @jjainchilltw.