Cascading over the Piton-esque hills flows a lush jungle, speckled with regal Spanish tile and contemporary marvels that mimic the blue sky, the tranquil community of Ocotal is where refinement comes to lay its weary head.
Though only just a few kilometers from the bustling sister town of Playas del Coco, the hamlet of Ocotal has the seclusive essence of an island inhabited by marooned intellectuals. Free from shops and other trappings, the only commerce here is the trading of tide times and that of a gourmet meal while watching the sun fade into the Pacific.
During the days, many find themselves either exploring the scribble of trails that zig about the hills or in a languid pace over pristine sands of Playa Ocotal.
The beach itself is a tapestry of palms and weathered wooden dinghies on the soft black volcanic sand, framed on both sides by lava formations with a story of their own. To the East, a hardened obsidian sculpture juts into the sea forming natural pools of warm sea salt for bathing when tides are low and geysering fountains emerge from the caves below when the ocean returns. To the West sits a temporal isthmus to a true desert island; where one can find only raw nature, an occasional savvy fisherman and the rare tourist wondering whether they might lose a flip-flop on the return.
Even though modern common sense usually dictates that living in an area where the main occupation is pondering the existential aspects of beauty is an entitlement afforded only to the elite, Ocotal refuses to prescribe to those notions. Homes and properties can be purchased or rented here for almost any budget. Studio lofts a short walk from the beach can be had for what would be the monthly budget allocated to your favorite coffee franchise. While those looking to reflect from an infinity pool up on high may need to calculate a few extra lattes into the equation.