Bars and restaurants along the beach.
One of the best Central American beaches for surfing in the Pacific Ocean is San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. This town is located about 2.5 hours south of the capital, Managua, and about 30 minutes north of the Costa Rican border. In addition to surfing, San Juan del Sur is a great destination for younger travelers who enjoy bars and nightlife. There are also plenty of options for families and travelers with other interests. Read on to learn more!
Surfing
One of the reasons why San Juan del Sur is such a popular destination for surfers is due to the numerous beaches in the area. There are about 15 beaches, besides the main San Juan del Sur beach, to choose from.
Playa Maderas is one of the best beaches for surfing. The waves provide enjoyment for surfers of every skill level. For beginners, there are plenty of surf classes available to teach you the basics. Expect to pay around $30/person for these classes.
Playa Hermosa is also a great choice for surfing. It is slightly less crowded than Playa Maderas. It can be difficult to get to, as you will likely have to rent a vehicle that can cross the numerous streams on the way to the beach. You will need to pay 90 Córdobas (about $3 USD) to enter the beach.
Between the San Juan del Sur beach and Playa Hermosa lies Playa Remanzo. You can also find surfing lessons here. The waves here are not as rough as in other beaches, so this is a better option for beginner surfers. There are also plenty of bars near the shore for when you want to get out of the water and relax.
Why Else You Should Go
Besides surfing, San Juan del Sur is a popular destination for a number of reasons. Many Nicaraguans and Central Americans visit the beach for vacation. You can watch sea turtles hatch at La Flor Beach Natural Reserve. For those who want to explore away from the beach, there are tours that take you horseback riding around the region. It is also a popular and inexpensive location for foreigners to study Spanish.
There are a few different beaches you can visit while there. The most popular is the San Juan del Sur beach, and here you will find numerous bars and restaurants both on the beach and close by. There are vendors selling everything from souvenirs to street food. My favorite food I tried were tajadas, or fried plantain chips.
San Juan del Sur also has some amazing views! If you don’t mind a steep climb, then it’s worth the effort to see the Mirador del Cristo de la Misericordia. This is the view from the top of the hill where a large statue of Jesus overlooks the bay of San Juan del Sur. The walk isn’t too challenging, and the part that is steep is over very quickly. It will cost $2 USD once you get to the top, but the view is worth it. You will even be able to see the northwest tip of Costa Rica if you look out into the distance!
Where to Stay
There are no shortage of places to stay for all types of budgets in San Juan del Sur. If you want to stay at a large hotel, you can easily pay over $100-$150/night. Some smaller hotels go for $40-80/night. If you are looking for something more extravagant, you can stay at the luxurious Morgan’s Rock Hacienda and Ecolodge resort for about $400/night!
If you are traveling on a budget and want an inexpensive place to stay, most hostels offering dorm rooms in San Juan del Sur go for about $10-$20/night. Not only are you saving money to spend on experiences or to prolong your trip, but you will also be able to easily meet other travelers as well. You can book your room online before your trip, or, if you are feeling adventurous, you can look for a place once you arrive. You may find a smaller hostel that isn’t listed on Hostelworld or other websites, and these will often be cheaper. A potential downside would be not having access to guest reviews. Be sure to consider if saving a few dollars would be worth that risk.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit San Juan del Sur would be from December to April. These months are ideal because they fall under the dry season. The weather is often ideal during this time, with the temperature reaching the mid 80’s from December to March and low 90’s in April. The rainy season occurs from June to November. However, from my experience, it will likely rain at some point most days during the rainy season, but the rain usually doesn’t last more than an hour or two.
Most tourists visit San Juan del Sur during the dry season, so you can expect it to be more expensive during these months. The low season is from June to August, so you will save some money on hotels during this time. Another consideration is the amount of other tourists that will be present during your stay. If you want to enjoy a relaxing stay with fewer people, it would be a good idea to save some money and travel during the low season. If you want to experience some of San Juan del Sur’s famous nightlife, then it may be worth spending some extra to travel during the dry season.
