If your idea of heaven on earth is similar to mine; swim suit temperatures, deserted beaches, soft warm breezes, cold drinks, and a view, then you would agree that I have found a slice of it here. I am on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, not just off the beaten path, but also off the paved roads.

This particular slice of heaven is called Orquidea del Sur (Orquideadelsur.com). It’s remote, but it didn’t take all day to get here from the US. A less than four hour flight from Atlanta will get you to either Managua or Liberia, Costa Rica.

We flew into Liberia and were met by our handler, Fermin. He drove us up to the Nicaraguan border. There, after walking across the border dragging our bags, we were placed in the care of our Nicaraguan handler, sent by the resort. After paying the required $12 and having our bags X-rayed, we were back on the road. It took approximately one more hour to get to Orquidea del Sur.

The lovely resort is run by our gracious hosts Gabriel and Robyn. With stunning views of the Pacific, good food, and howler monkeys for entertainment, we enjoyed a few days of relaxation.

I am the “Plus 1” on this trip, a guest of my travel companion who is here on business. That business is Roving Blue, a water purification technology company (rovingblue.com). I have used one of their products during my travels. Among other products, they developed and market the O-Pen, a compact personal water purifier. For travelers (you’ve seen the signs – Don’t Drink The Water), campers, hikers, anyone concerned with water purity, it’s a light, portable ozone generator that kills bacteria and viruses on contact.

The Roving Blue team

With the business meeting completed, the fun began.