Its safe to say that our front and backyard is, hands down, one of the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. The property is in the heart of the jungle and on the edge of a volcanic crater. It’s hard to say what my favorite part of the property really is, so I just say everything outside. From the crystal clear lake in the crater to animals that wake us up in the wee hours of the morning to the many different amazing tropical plants, this place truly makes me feel like we’re living in a Paradise.

Lets start at the bottom, which to many, is the most impressive part of the property and the  reason why people come to hang out here: the lake. The lake is surrounded by a large ring of vibrant green jungle. It’s 1500 feet deep, which is the lowest point in Nicaragua and is home to very rare fish that have only been found right here in this lake. Think about it, fish that only exist in a lake that is in an inactive volcano crater and was filled by only rain water came from… where? An interesting Darwin case indeed and fascinating place that brings many biologist from around the world here to study. The water is the cleanest in Nicaragua and you can open your eyes, without irritation, and see the fish all around you. No goggles needed. It’s awesome.

In the lake, just off the shore of our property, is a large wooden square dock floating in the water. This is Jon and my favorite place to relax and hang out. You’re literally floating in the middle of the crater with the whole green ring surrounding you. Jon loves to jump off the dock into the water while I just lay out and get some nice Vitamin D from the sun.

Along with the dock, we’ve got some fun toys to play in the water with. We’ve got several kayaks, both single and double, to paddle around the crater. Some of our guests have made the long kayak trip to the other side of the crater, which is the preserved and protected wild side of Laguna de Apoyo with white faced monkeys, toucans and natural hot springs. We also have inner tubes which allow us to float and relax in the water.

As you walk up the stairs from the lake, you’re right back in the green jungle. There are various different tropical trees, plants and flowers of all colors, shapes and sizes. I personally love the green bushes that look like someone splattered them with bright yellow paint–they’re truly nature’s art.

I also love the green leaves that sprout up everywhere that look like they’ve been carefully painted with pink and white dots.

The flowers are, as you can imagine, bright and colorful. I love the ones in our garden on the terrace because they attract the various beautiful butterflies in the jungle.

There are coconut trees everywhere as well as mango trees. Whenever Jon hears a thud on the ground, he takes off running to hunt for the fallen fruit. They’re always fresh and delicious, unless a little white squirrel took a few nibbles out of it first.

There are other massive trees all over the property: some have spiky thorns on the trunk, while the beautiful willow trees make for the perfect place to go tree climbing.

Last, but not least, are the outdoor hammocks. I’ve come to the conclusion that I could easily trade out a bed for a hammock to sleep in every night. The hammocks are my favorite places to curl up with a good book, take a nap, listen to music, write and just relax. There’s something so soothing about just hanging in a soft fabric hammock that I’ve just fallen in love with.

Perhaps it’s the whole package of the jungle, lake and garden that I’ve fallen in love with, but can anyone really blame me? The best part of our new home, to me, is definitely the great outdoors.

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