If you had asked me any time in the last couple of years what word I associated with San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua—I’d have said surfing . With waves on my mind, the region was the highlight of the surf trip I was planning with my husband. Sure, I wanted to see more of the...

While my personal wardrobe may lack variety in the color department, I always appreciate the use of bright hues everywhere else. On a recent trip to Nicaragua, I couldn’t stop smiling at the tropical colors on buildings, in clothing, on pottery and in fruit juices. The vividly painted adobe walls of the colonial city of...