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Find your peace in San Juan del Sur

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A large bay with amazing mountains on both sides, boats that float peacefully in the water and a relaxed atmosphere. San Juan del Sur in southwest Nicaragua is known as a surfers paradise. The small fishing village lies in a picturesque bay and has a lot to offer. From zip lines in the surrounding hills and a diverse nightlife to beautiful, quiet beaches and yoga. Nicaragua is not super touristy, so the relaxed surfers' atmosphere can still be found here. 

Beaches

In the area of San Juan del Sur you will find pearly white sandy beaches in idyllic bays. These secluded beaches offer an oasis of tranquility and great waves for surfing. The beaches on the bay itself are perfect for swimming, sunbathing and there are nice bars on the boulevard. Playa Maderas is the perfect place to (learn to) surf, but also to relax. If you walk north along the beach, you will quickly come to bays which you have all to yourself.

Shop, eat and buy fresh fruit at Mercado Municipal

There is a covered hall in the center of San Juan del Sur. Here you can try and buy local food. There are also all kinds of clothing for sale. Undershirts, swimwear, t-shirts and much more for a cheap price. We recommend to visit this market at least once. 

View

If you go climbing it takes you to Cristo de la Misericordia, the large statue of Christ overlooking the bay - the view is absolutely worth it.

Nightlife

San Juan del Sur is also known for its nightlife. There are nice restaurants and cocktail bars on the beach and you can also go into the small streets of the fishing town until late at night. On Playa Maderas itself you will find an atmospheric beach bar where you can enjoy the view with a cold beer in your hand. At sunset, the DJ of the beach bar starts his beats. If you are into that, than this could be the ultimate moment of happiness. 

Yoga

For those who want to take it a bit slower and want to dive more in, the beaches around San Juan del Sur are of course also perfect to come to rest. Those who really want to support that can follow a yoga class in the area. There is a good yoga school in San Juan del Sur where you can follow private lessons, courses and group lessons. There are also many accommodations that provide yoga classes.

Where to stay

Nearly half of the 4,000 acre property of Morgan's Rock has been designated a Private Reserve (Reserva Silvestre El Aguacate). Through reforestation, tree planting, environmental awareness and education they help to defend this important natural area against poaching, illegal logging and deforestation. Thanks to the planting of hundreds of thousands of trees and an ongoing vigilance to keep poachers off of the land wildlife has increased all over the property since the lodge opened in 2004.
The view and the bungalows offer a room open to nature. Everything is well done and super private. It really is an amazing place. An once in a lifetime experience. On booking.com they get an average rating of 8.9.

Best time to visit

During the dry season (January - June) there is virtually no rain and trees and plants start to dry out. Once the rains come around June, July, everything starts to grow and the yellow plants and trees turn green and start blossoming. In August, September and October it often rains once a day. Fortunately, it just rains for a short period of time and these are often spectacular, tropical downpours. Click here for more climate information.


This article was last updated on December 04, 2020.