Playa Maderas surf is actually one of the highlights of Nicaragua. This bay north of San Juan del Sur hosts a truly fine A-frame wave.
An introduction to Playa Maderas surf
The Playa Maderas surf break is one of the most used on the string of bays that runs north from the now self-proclaimed surf hub of San Juan del Sur. We actually like the quality of the wave, which is a shapely A-frame with peeling rights and more frothy lefts. It’s great for learning on but also gets some bigger days for the rippers in the wet season months when the SE swells are really going for it.
More than anything, though, Maderas stands out because of the vibes. Yes, nearby San Juan (20 minutes drive down the tracks) is a buzzy spot with digital nomad villas and arty cafes. But Maderas retains a real jungle charm. You’ll wake to howler monkeys and end the day sipping fruit cocktails in the beach bars. There’s also a fantastic selection of fancy new yoga and surf lodges a walk from the wave that we don’t think you can go wrong with (more on those laters).
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Nicaragua
Playa Maderas surf at a glance
The good:
The bad:
What’s in this guide to Playa Maderas surf?
Where is Playa Maderas?
You go 20 minutes, first on the 72 highway and then onto a rocky dirt track through the coastal jungles, to trade San Juan del Sur (the main town in the region) for Playa Maderas. That places the surf spot in the far southwest of Nicaragua more generally, a mere 50 clicks by road from the border with Costa Rica. Some people even choose to travel in from the country to the south, on transfers out of the Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia. Connections are actually easier from Managua though, but you might find getting flights to Nica is a little more tricky (and expensive).
A guide to the Playa Maderas surf spots
Playa Maderas itself is actually the star of the show here. There aren’t all that many other breaks in the vicinity, unless you’re willing to venture all the way around to Manzanillo, but that requires a big detour. The others are to the south, on the 30-mile run between here and the Costa Rican border. They have more quality in general.
Manzanillo
Manzanillo might look like it’s close to the Playa Maderas surf on the map but it’s not really. You need to make a hefty detour around the country to get here and the reward is a pretty fickle point break that only gets firing on big SE swell days midway through the wet season. It’s there if you want to carry on your surf trip going north Popoyo way, but it’s not really worth it for a day trip or anything. Stick to Maderas itself.
Playa Maderas
Here is it…the beach we’re on about. Honestly, it’s a bit of a paradise on the Pacific. Wild jungles alive with monkeys and chirping birds roll down the hills right to the rock-studded bay. The wave is right there out front, a short 20-meter paddle. It’s a good-quality A-frame that we think is a learner’s dream, but a learner who’s already got some intuition in the water since this is no Kuta. It’s got shape, holds green to the right for a nice ride, and is great for practicing pop ups, bottom turns and stances on. It’s hardly a surprise it’s a fav with the local surf schools!
Maderas can get pretty big some days, too. That comes when the SE swells are in town during the rainy season (which isn’t actually THAT rainy) between May and November. The wave works best on a mid to approaching tide and its always finer in the early hours before the winds and crowds appear out of SJDS.
San Juan del Sur
San Juan del Sur is the main surf town on this corner of the Nica coastline. Funny thing is, it actually doesn’t really have a break of its own. Instead, it makes do by offering cracking hotels and surf lodges and good road links to Playa Maderas (in 20 minutes) and whole string of beach breaks and points to the south (in 10-40 minutes).
We’ve got a complete guide to the surf in San Juan del Sur
El Remanso
El Remanso is further south and within touching distance of San Juan del Sur town center – we’re talking like 10 minutes down the jungle tracks. It’s a gorgeous bay with a few palapa-style hotels backing the sands and a halo of forest-clad hills all around. The break is right there in the middle and it’s a very forgiving shore licker with a decent bit of power. Good for all levels and nice vibes on top.
Tamarind
A rippable right and left with a frothy lip that’s good for more experiences surfers, Tamarind can even get hollow on the bigger days when there’s an easterly offshore in the mix. It’s a trip to the south of San Juan, about 45 minutes from Maderas itself.
Where to stay when surfing in Playa Maderas
One of the great things about surfing in Playa Maderas is the range of hotels that await. There are lovely eco resorts and what not in the jungles here now. To be frank, they are just as good for chilling in a hammock as they are for hitting the waves. We especially love the yoga vibe that some of them have. Mhmm…you’ll leave with the Zen in tact!
Villas Playa Maderas
Whether it’s a post-Christmas detox or a health vacay in the tropics, the Villas Playa Maderas is one of the best holistic surf camps we’ve come across. Morning yoga and organized fitness classes are part of the experience and the pool is beautifully set on a perch above the waves of the beach below. Rooms are very nice indeed, with walk-in showers and some exotic touches. This is the best place to stay in the town!
Arte-Sano Hotel Cafe
We spent some lovely nights at the Arte-Sano Hotel Cafe. The view is worth it on its own – it gazes through the palm groves to a set of jungled hills and rolling Pacific waves. It’s also more chilled than many of the other options on this list. It’s out pick for surfing couples in Maderas.
the SPACE.
the SPACE. is a San Juan option, so bear in mind that you’re going to need to travel 20 minutes to get to the Playa Maderas surf itself. No matter if you want something a bit more lively, though, because this is one of the hippest surf camps in the country right now – just check out that swim-up pool!
Step-by-step guide to planning your Playa Maderas surf trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the Playa Maderas surf…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step four: Enjoy!
The best Playa Maderas surf season
Playa Maderas is at its best for surfing when the strong S-SE swells are coming up from the deep Pacific Ocean. That aligns roughly with the Nicaraguan wet season, meaning bigger waves and better days are more common from May to October. We say bigger days because the surf never really turns off here, it just drops in size. The dry months from November to March often have ankle burners coming into the bay, which can even be better for the learner groups in the surf camps of nearby San Juan del Sur. If you do come then, be sure to pack a sun screen (it’s hot) and expect potential flat spells between sessions.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
