San Juan del Sur Surf Guide – All Spots/Seasons
San Juan del Sur surf has grown and grown in popularity in recent years, making this beach-fronted towns one of the centers of the sport in Nicaragua.
An introduction to San Juan del Sur surf
San Juan del Sur has risen and risen in popularity in the last 10-15 years, establishing itself as both a surf mecca and a digital nomad hub.
We’d say it’s probably a little better at the latter of those two, becuase there’s not actually a surf break on the doorstep. San Juan del Sur playa is more for fishing boats and beach parties, although we can hardly deny it makes an amazing place to return to after you’ve surfed the nearby breaks.
Talking of the nearby breaks…welcome to Rivas. For 20 miles to the south and 10-ish miles to the north, the shoreline here offers bay after beach after reef for surf-hungry visitors.
It has excellent (like EXCELLENT) consistency and a great variety of wave types, ranging from mellow beachies to beefy points that can keep more experienced rippers smiling as they sip their sunset cocktails back in San Juan del Sur once the day is done.
There’s decent public transport on offer to the beaches around town (especially Maderas). However, we still think the best way to go about organizing a surf trip here is to pick a good surf hostel/camp that offers transport to and from the neighboring breaks.
That way, you won’t have to hassle about how you’re getting to your dawn patrol and whatnot. It’s all done for you.
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!
This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Nicaragua
San Juan del Sur surf at a glance
The good:
The bad:
What’s in this guide to surfing in San Juan del Sur?
One-second planning
Where to fly? Ideally fly to Costa Esmeralda International, which is an hour to the north of SJDS. Managua, the Nicaraguan captial, and Liberia, in Costa Rica, are also options.
Where to stay? the SPACE.
Where to surf? Multiple beaches! The best: Playa Maderas, Coco, El Yanke.
Car required? Nope.
Where is San Juan del Sur?
San Juan del Sur is a coastal town located on the Pacific Ocean in the Rivas Department of Nicaragua. It lies to the south of the capital city of Managua, approximately 140 kilometers away. The town is nestled in a bay, and nearby to the north is the larger town of Rivas, about 30 kilometers away – there’s a good chance you’ll pass through there if you opt to travel overland from Managua or Costa Rica.
To the north along the coast from San Juan del Sur, you’ll find other popular coastal towns like Playa Marsella and Playa Maderas (one of the best surf spots in the whole region). To the south, the Costa Rican border at Peñas Blancas is roughly 45 kilometers away, making it a common route for travelers moving between Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
It’s best to fly into the newly opened Costa Esmeralda International Airport if you can, but there are hardly any connections. Much more likely is a link to Liberia in Costa Rica and then a border crossing (which isn’t too hard) or a flight to Managua and a bus/taxi from there (also not tricky).
Try using Kiwi to search flights – they have a unique algo that links together all airlines to get the best deal, not just the ones that use codeshares. It can turn up some great bargains.
San Juan del Sur surf spots
San Juan’s surf spots string up to the north of the town and down to the south, where they finally end with the Costa Rican border, around about 18 miles away. You will be traveling that shoreline on a surf trip here – either by boat, bus, or rental – because there’s no break on San Juan del Sur beach itself.
Playa Maderas
If you’re planning on hitting the San Juan del Sur surf this year, then you should definitely get to know about Playa Maderas. This A-frame break on the north side of the town is the premier wave in the area. It’s 20 minutes away but is the go-to option for surf schools and even local rippers, offering good consistency and shape throughout a long season.
Where to stay? Buena Vista Surf Club – we rank this among our top surf hotels in all of Nica; a series of lovely eco lodges tucked into the coast jungles right beside Maderas. You’ll walk to waves through tropical jungles each morn.
We’ve got a complete guide to surfing in Playa Maderas right here
Playa Remanso
Playa Remanso reminds us a little of Sri Lanka’s Weligama in that it’s usually a learner’s haven but can sometimes drop bombs in the middle of the wet season.
Most of the time it’s a mellow beach wave that stays green for a nice long ride across the bay. It caters to all levels and is best surfed when the tide’s approaching. Most surf camps will come here with intermediate and lower groups, and it’s a convenient 10-minute drive from San Juan del Sur town.
We are big fans of the option of staying here if you’re the sort that prefers nature to city life. Some very nice accom options sit in the hills above the beach, letting you walk to the waves and get plenty of chill time in.
Playa Hermosa
Not to be confused with its more-famous bro across the border in Costa Rica, this Playa Hermosa is one of the stars of the San Juan del Sur surf scene.
It’s just over a mile in length, and has good wind protection on stronger days from the headland at the north end. The whole bay has peaks when there’s a big swell, and they can even get tubey and hollow in the middle of the rainy season.
Dry season, this one’s an unbusy spot with glassy A-frames that go right and left at about chest height. Get the groveler out when it’s smaller and you’ll have some nice ankle-burner fun.
There’s a small entry fee for Playa Hermosa ($3 last time we were there).
El Yanke
Also known as Playa Yanke or Playa Yankee, this one is a little more exposed to the open Pacific than its compadre to the north.
That means you get some bigger waves come through, especially when there’s a strong W element to the swell. The lefts tend to be the better ones and can wall up more than anything else in the area. About 20-30 minutes from San Juan del Sur town.
Playa Escameca
Beautiful Playa Escameca has a pretty decent right hand shore break that works best on high tides. It’s great for all levels – the learners can bail and practice, while there’s hotdoggin potential in the shoulders for more advanced people since it peels pretty nicely.
There’s also a nice A-frame peak in the middle of the bay that can get some size in the dry season. It’s almost always offshore here, since the nearby canyon filters the air down from the sierras right into the sea.
Where to stay? Verdad Nicaragua run a rejuvenating 8-day surf camp on this beach from thier very slick digs in the jungles just above. It’s PERFECT if you want R&R, lots of yoga, and don’t want to stay in the more lively heart of San Juan del Sur.
We’ve got a complete guide to surfing in Playa Escameca right here (coming soon)
Playa El Coco
Playa El Coco is about 30 minutes’ drive south of San Juan itself. There are a couple of good lodges where you can stay if you don’t want to make that drive but do want the break right on your doorstep each morning. That won’t be neccessary if you’re on a guided surf trip or a surf camp – they’ll often come down this way when the swell is good.
The reason?
It’s another sand-bottomed beginner and up spot, though not as busy as the other beaches closer to the town. Coco often offers lovely chest-high peelers that are great for longboarders or starters. It’s also BEAUTIFUL – one of our all-time favorite spots to surf on an early dawnie in Nica.
Where to stay? La Veranera is right on the beachside and it’s lovely. Charming rooms for couples, a gorge pool, and just all-round chill factor.
We have a complete guide to Playa El Coco (coming soon)
Sally Ann’s
The last of the well-known spots (shh – there are others!) before you pass into Costa Rica is Sally Ann’s. 40 minutes south of SJDS, this one’s a fickle but rather perfect A-frame that shapes up beautifully when there’s a good SE swell.
Morning sessions without any wind are best. They can see the spot offer up a circular tube to the right and a tighter hollow pocket to the left. It’s best for expert surfers, which makes sense since you’ll need to travel some to score it.
Surf camps in San Juan del Sur
Despite the rise of nothern Nicaragua as a surf destination in recent years, San Juan del Sur and its neighboring beaches remain the epicenter of surf camping in the country. There’s a fairly decent array of options, but nothing like the ridiculous array you get in, say, Bali, which is good because it means the breaks are rarely too crowded.
Some are newer than others. Some are better than others. Here’s our 2 cents on the finest in town right now…
- Dreamsea Surf Camp (8-day surf camp) – These guys have done a cracking job of making a lux-end surf camp package. This 8-day bonanza includes 10 hours of surf lessons, transfers to the breaks, daily theory classes, and yoga. The pad is also INCREDIBLE. You’ll have gorgeous boho cool rooms and a jaw-dropping pool.
- Verdad Nicaragua (8-day co-working surf camp) – We have a lot of love for this camp that shuns the buzz of the town itself and makes its home beside a beach just to the south. It’s for those who want a real escape, want surf within walking distance, AND fast internet and work time to get shit done.
Want more inspo? We have you covered – check our guide to the best surf camps in Nicaragua as a whole. It’s got extra options in San Juan but also camps all over the country. And we update it ever year to make sure you get the best picks!
A note on why we partner with BookSurfCamps.com: Book Surf Camps are probably the biggest online aggregator of surf camps and surf-yoga packages in the world. We sounded out a quite a few potential partners before we affiliated with them. But, in the end, the abundance of choice for beginners, intermediates, and female-only surfing sealed it. We also love the simplicity of their booking system and the trusted brand name, along with the focus on connecting with homegrown local businesses on the ground.
Want more San Juan del Sur surf camp options? Search the whole shebang below right now and book in a few clicks.
Best hotels (for surfers) in San Juan del Sur
San Juan del Sur is actually one of the most-visited towns in the country, so you can expect a mix of hotels to match.
The options below are the ones that we think stand out from the crowd, both in SJDS itself and close to the best breaks in the nearby beaches.
the SPACE.
the SPACE. is a super-cool hangout spot with a swim-up cocktail bar and loads of room for the laptop warrior digital nomad surfers out there. We really like the style (it’s got a hint of Bali to it) and the mix of suites and dorms to suit all budgets. Yoga classes and fitness facilities are also part of the package.
Casa ChaChaCha
Casa ChaChaCha offers just a handful of very nice, very modern rooms in a villa overlooking the whole bay. It’s stylishly done out and has fantastic pool and outdoor communal spaces. You can rent the lot as a big group or come for a quieter stay in a boutique hotel with just a couple of other people.
La Veranera
Before you book this – check the location. It’s not in San Juan itself, so you will be forgoing the buzz of the town. The compromise is hardly a compromise, though, since the hotel hides in the jungles RIGHT NEXT TO Playa Coco. It’s got spacious suites and surf two steps from the door, plus a seriously nice coast pool. It’s our pick for traveling surf couples who like chilling and nature.
We have PLENTY more hotel picks curated by our team over in our guide to the top surf hotels in Nicaragua, and not only in San Juan del Sur!
Surf lessons in San Juan del Sur
As the surf capital of southern Nica, it should hardly come as a surprise that there are schools offering standalone lessons or lesson packages.
For the most part, they follow a similar pattern to what’s on offer in other Central American learn-to-surf destinations: 2 hours in all, some on the sand practicing pop up technique and learning water safety, most in the water.
You’re likely to notice that most of the surf lessons take place on one of the beaches to the south of town (which are great for learners) or in Playa Maderas, just to the north, which is perfect for learning but also progressing.
Our picks would be:
- 2-Hour Guided Surf Lesson in Playa Maderas – For just $40 you can get a taster of surfing in Nica on one of the best beaches in the country in our humble opinion.
- Max 10-person group Surf Lessons in San Juan – These guys run small-group surf lessons on multiple beaches in the area. It’s a solid offering and you won’t have more than 10 people per group, which helps with the efficacy of the teaching.
When to surf in San Juan del Sur?
iStock.com / dimarikThe top time to surf in San Juan del Sur is the wet season, between May and August.
Yes, the weather isn’t as beach-worthy, but the waves are at their biggest, forming on strong SE Pacific groundswells that start very far away in the Antarctic latitudes.
There’s surf almost every day in the wet season, though it does vary – some sessions are chest high and small, others are barrels that peak overhead.
Beginners – like total beginners – can come to San Juan del Sur surf spots pretty much any month, except February, which sees a distinct dip in swell quality in our opinion. December-Jan tend to be the prime time for learners, as the weather is good and swells are nice and managable. You can also come in the height of the wet season as the local surf camps will know where to go for easier conditions.
Try to surf early in the day and later in the evening. Those tend to be best for dodging the winds.
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!
