The “L word” is off limits at Maderas Village. Any mention of having to leave is instantly silenced with a reminder to live in the moment and savour the memory – ingraining the sunset, your cold Tona beer and the conversation with new friends. In fact, the words “I pushed back my ticket” are not uncommon from guests of the eco-tourism destination, even if it means swapping their private tree house-like casita for a dorm or hammock. Located thirty minutes from beach town San Juan Del Sur in Nicaragua, Maderas Village offers a completely relaxed sanctuary from the pressures, pace and craziness of sometimes-consuming young professional (YP) city lives. Described as a retirement community for young people, or a summer camp for adults (complete with the guitar sing-a-longs, camp fires and a refined mess hall experience), you either get the vibe at Maderas Village or you don’t. In short, if you don’t leave feeling more like yourself than you have in a long time, you’ve missed the whole point.
“It is a place to reflect, create, discuss, lose yourself and rediscover yourself, “says Matt Dickinson (or “Dickie,” as he is better known), a 30-year-old Toronto native and one of the principal owners at Maderas Village. “Both the partners and people who have been residents for a while act as what I call “tone-setters,” people who understand the vibe and influence the attitude of newcomers,” he continues. The Village was designed and built by the three principal owners: Dickinson and fellow young professionals Dave Grossman (New York) and Anthony Hermans (Belgium).With professional backgrounds that include commercial real estate, law and finance, and real estate development and construction, all of the owners met in Nicaragua while searching for an alternative to their corporate world lives.
The Village is also run by four partners who similarly found their way to Maderas from various North American cities; Black Jesus (Philadelphia), DeWitt Foster III (Dallas), Bennett Brown (Collingwood) and Chris Maggliore (Las Vegas), whose roles range from social director and guest services to finance manager and CFO. Admittedly living the dream that many pavement-pounding YPs can only fantasize about, these guys are anything but lazy beach bums. Foster runs two NGOs, The HighPlace Foundation and Las Poderosas, empowering local at-risk female youth. Grossman and Dickinson also own a boutique furniture company, Madero Collective, which produces unique pieces with Nicaraguan timber and employs 15 local workers. Owners and partners frequently participate in the initiatives of The Latitude Project, interacting with the families the organization helps. Maderas Village also has 20 Nicaraguan employees, who couldn’t be more accommodating.
The instant you arrive you are encouraged to grab a drink and join one of two long wooden communal tables, where guests are found typing away on laptops, taking their time with fresh meals, playing cards, or having cocktails, depending on the time of day. This is the common area, the focal point of the village. It is where an assortment of dishes are served throughout the day, including a communal pescaterian dinner starting 7:30pm,where ladies are served first, electronic devices are out of sight, and good, old-fashioned conversation about everything under the stars happens. If there was ever a time to bust out of your social shell, it is at Maderas Village.
A typical day can begin with a few hours of “office time” (thanks to modern communication), followed with a revitalizing yoga session with Rachel Haskovec (a striking Colorado native with infectious energy), a surf lesson, shopping around town (an “adventurous” shuttle ride takes you round trip for 5 USD) and a sunset cocktail on the beach. San Juan del Sur offers a variety of ocean-side restaurants, dirt cheap Coronas, multi-coloured assortments of knockoff Ray Bans and a bustling beach. From town, shuttles are taken to things like zip lining and snorkeling. Other daytime activities include things like an afternoon sunset catamaran cruise with fellow Maderas Village guests, complete with unlimited drinks and ceviche you’ll never forget; or the popular group Frisbee golf followed by fresh lobster. No matter the day, isn’t uncommon for the evening to end with a late night swim party in the ocean.
A short eight-minute walk from the Village, Playa Maderas beach has a relaxed hippie vibe, complete with a tight rope and no shortage of citizens of the world (surely facilitated by $2/night camping) and typical surfer dudes who couldn’t be happier. It offers massages, yoga, and what are hailed as the best fish tacos in Nicaragua from Tacos Locos, a happy hour favourite for drink sipping and sunset watching. Thanks to the distinctive rocks that shoot up from the Pacific, once you witness a Maderas sunset, you’ll forever recognize it from any sunset shot.
Other highlights of our Maderas Village trip? Waking up to howler monkeys, holding neon crabs, Maderas’ three in-house dogs (and an affectionate cat), 12 hammocks, our $250 food and beverage tab for the entire week… and, of course, the food itself. From fresh smoothies and fruit each morning to dishes that rival those at our favourite Toronto restaurants, the food is anything but reminiscent of summer camp. Daily dinner entrees included shrimp curry, jalapeno chicken, sautéed shrimp and rice, sushi and lasagna, among others. Giving the local staff a break, a weekly pizza night is offered where guests pile into benched pickup truck beds and head to the home of Sergio, who makes incredible diet-breaking worthy pizza from his wood oven stove.
So, what’s the crowd like at Maderas? As the ages of the owners falls between 30 – 39 years, the average guest is typically between 25-40 (coincidentally, the same demo as our Notable.ca readers). During our stay, Maderas guests included fellow young people who worked in media, accounting, public health, professional sailing, oil mining, digital advertising, entertainment, finance, marketing, public relations and even two refreshing university students – a harmonious medley (and amazing dynamic) of young people who may not otherwise meet.
“My job as a freelance journalist allows me to change locations on a whim – since 2010, this translates to packing for three months within airline baggage restrictions and heading to a remote surf spot,” said journalist Mairi Beautyman. “Part summer camp, part treehouse, and at the end of one of the worst unpaved roads known to man, Maderas Village positions my office on top of a hill facing the Pacific ocean, surrounded by trees home to Howler monkeys and Yellow-Naped Amazon Parrots.”
“As a vacation away from my high-stress job, there is no other place that has offered me such a perfect balance between fun and excitement and a spiritual recharge,” said Liam Hancock, a Toronto YP in finance. “The days are so full, that in one week you experience the adventure, culture and beauty of an unspoiled country and also make friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Maderas has accommodation to suit any style, from the backpacker on a budget to the more refined traveller, whether single bed accommodations in shared rooms ($25/night), private rooms with shared bathrooms ($65), private rooms with private bathrooms ($75), private Casitas ($100), Cabanas ($125), or the Penthouse Suite ($125).
The Maderas Village opened December 2011 (the main house operated as a hostel for a year and a half prior to this) but is still what the owners call a work in progress. “We still have at least another two years before we’ll have everything exactly the way we want it to be,” said Dickinson. “We have ambitious plans for these next two years, including the landscaping of the Village with the goal of creating a jungle oasis that’s aesthetically pleasing and functionally sound; building a pool with a lounge area and secondary dining area; and constructing an additional unit with a creative studio for recording music, painting, writing, working, or simply completing a thought.”
A new eco-friendly irrigation system will keep Maderas green, even in the dry season. “We also have an additional two acres of land adjacent to the Village that we plan to split into 4-5 lots and build villas on for people that are looking for a logical alternative to typical cottage country areas,” adds Grossman.
Selfishly, a part of us never wants Maderas Village to change; its rawness gives it character and makes it so welcoming. So welcoming that we can’t wait to go back. A trip to Maderas, after all, results in a whole new group of friends (you’ll rediscover a use for Facebook), future travel companions, new cities to visit and lifelong memories. A few pointers: 1) Definitely stay at least a week to get the full feel. 2) If you’re uptight or closed off, it isn’t for you. 3) A backpack is enough, learn from our mistake.
Click here to see the full gallery of our experience at Maderas Village.
Photos by Jeff Parazzo