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Major city · Nicaragua

San Juan del Sur

Give it 3 nights: surf and beach days, one sunset hike to the cross, one boat day north. Skip it if you want colonial streets — that is Granada.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
NIO
Best months
Nov–Apr (dry season; surf is smaller but the roads are passable)
avoid Sep–Oct (heaviest rain, dirt roads to the beaches turn to mud); Easter week for prices
Airports
MGA · LIR
Nights
3
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua (CA-4) giv…
  • Central America ↗Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua (CA-4) give one shared entry allowance, usually 90 days in total; leaving for Belize, Costa Rica or Mexico and coming back does not always reset it — check with immigration before a long stay.
  • Central America ↗Cross land borders in daylight and early in the day; many posts close or empty of transport by late afternoon, and the approaches are where robberies happen.
  • Central America ↗Several borders charge entry, exit or municipal fees in US dollars (Belize exit, Nicaragua entry and exit, Honduras entry); carry small, clean US notes and ask for a receipt.
  • Nicaragua ↗Check entry rules for your passport with a Nicaraguan embassy and your airline before booking; some visitors must register in advance, and entry can be refused without explanation.
  • Nicaragua ↗Avoid political gatherings and do not photograph police, the military or protests; foreign nationals have been detained or expelled.
  • Nicaragua ↗Do not bring drones or professional camera equipment without prior permission; they can be confiscated at customs.

San Juan del Sur is a small bay town on Nicaragua's Pacific coast, about 3 hours by road from Managua and 30 minutes from the Costa Rica border at Peñas Blancas. The town itself is walkable in 20 minutes; the reason to stay is the surf beaches north and south of it and the boat or 4WD trips to reach them. Three nights covers the town, two beaches and one sunset viewpoint without rushing.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about San Juan del Sur, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeC$40–80
  • Street or quick mealLocal breakfast in a market sodaC$80–150
  • BeerToña or Victoria, bar / shopC$60–120C$30–50
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekC$500–1,200
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personNIO 300
  • Mid-range bedDouble room, guesthouse or hotel, a night, per roomNIO 2,000
  • High-end bedDouble room, guesthouse or hotel, a night, per roomNIO 4,500

A day, not counting the bed: Budget NIO 900 · Mid NIO 2,000 · High NIO 4,500

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Surf beaches north and south of the baySunset walk to the hilltop crossFresh seafood on the waterfrontRuta del Tránsito gold-rush history
Airports
MGA Managua Augusto C. Sandino (About a 3-hour drive south; the usual arrival for Nicaragua.) · LIR Liberia, Costa Rica (About 2.5 hours south, crossing at Peñas Blancas; useful if you are already in Costa Rica.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

San Juan del Sur: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

31°C

23°C

1 rd

Feb

32°C

23°C

0 rd

Mar

33°C

24°C

0 rd

Apr

34°C

25°C

1 rd

May

33°C

25°C

8 rd

Jun

31°C

24°C

14 rd

Jul

31°C

24°C

12 rd

Aug

31°C

24°C

13 rd

Sep

30°C

23°C

17 rd

Oct

30°C

23°C

15 rd

Nov

31°C

23°C

5 rd

Dec

31°C

23°C

2 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is flat and small: any hotel, restaurant or bar is within a 500 m walk of the beach. For the surrounding beaches use a shuttle from a surf shop, a water taxi from the beach, a colectivo or a rented 4WD or motorbike — the side roads are dirt and often rough. Taxis wait around the park and the market.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Playa Maderas

go

Door to door: About 30–45 min

Shuttle from a surf shop, or water taxi from the beach

The closest surf beach north; go early, the shuttle back fills up.

Playa Gigante

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Shuttle or 4WD north along the coast

Quieter village with a right-hand wave; better as an overnight if you surf.

Playa Santo Domingo

go

Door to door: About 30–45 min

Shuttle or 4WD south

Long grey-sand beach, few people; take water and cash.

Popoyo

overnight

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Shuttle or bus north via Rivas

Too far for a relaxed return day; sleep there if you want the reef breaks.

Rivas

caution

Door to door: About 30–60 min

Bus or colectivo from the terminal

A transport town, not a sight; useful only as a connection.

Granadaovernight

Door to door: 2–2.5 h

Shuttle or bus via Rivas

Colonial city, 3 nights of its own; pair it with San Juan del Sur, do not day-trip it.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Waterfront and Paseo del Rey

Beach at the door, bars and restaurants on the same street; loudest at night.

Around the park and church

Two or three blocks back from the sand; quieter, still a 5-minute walk to everything.

North end of the bay

Villas and condos on the hill; views over the harbour, but you will want a taxi after dark.

Out of town (3 km+)

Resorts with pools and shuttles; cheaper per bed but you depend on the shuttle timetable.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
C$900–1,600 excl. bed
Mid
C$1,600–3,000 excl. bed
High
C$3,000+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room, guesthouse or hotel1 × 3 nights × NIO 2,000NIO 6,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × NIO 2,000NIO 12,000
Shuttle to a surf beach, return2 × NIO 300 · checkNIO 600
Water taxi to Playa Maderas, return2 × NIO 300 · checkNIO 600
Surfboard rental, one day2 × NIO 400 · checkNIO 800
eSIM, about a week of data2 × NIO 700NIO 1,400
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeNIO 2,140
Trip total≈ NIO 3,923 per person per day, bed includedNIO 23,540

2026 estimate in córdobas; US dollars are widely accepted. Flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeC$40–80
Local breakfast in a market sodaC$80–150
Plate of fresh fish or seafoodC$250–500
Beer: Toña or Victoria, bar / shopC$60–120 / C$30–50
Rum, Flor de Caña, bar pourC$80–150
Bicycle rental, one dayabout C$180 (check)
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekC$500–1,200

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

The town is small and generally calm; the real risks are rip currents at the surf beaches, unlit dirt roads after dark, and bars without posted prices — ask the total before you order.
  • Rates more than triple at Easter week and often at Christmas and New Year: book ahead or avoid.
  • Dirt roads to the north and south beaches flood in the rainy season; a normal car may not make it.
  • The beach in town is fine for swimming but the surf beaches have rip currents: ask locally before you go in.
  • Do not leave valuables on the sand or in an unlocked car at a remote beach.
  • Check current entry rules and any travel advisories before booking; the situation can change.

Emergency numbers

Police
118
Fire
115
Red Cross ambulance
128

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

San Juan del SurSan Juan del Sur

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

A esta dirección, por favorTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police118
  • Fire115
  • Red Cross ambulance128

Embassy

No embassies in town; most are in Managua. US, UK, Canada and Australia all handle citizens from Managua (check the current address and hours).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Bus Rivas → San Juan del Sur: about C$25, about 1 h (check)
  • Colectivo taxi Rivas → San Juan del Sur: about C$35 per person (check)
  • Water taxi to Playa Maderas, return: about US$8, about 30 min each way (check)

Say or show

  • Buenos días — Good morning (BWEH-nos DEE-as)
  • Gracias — Thank you (GRAH-see-as)
  • ¿Cuánto cuesta? — How much is it? (KWAN-to KWES-ta)
  • La cuenta, por favor — The bill, please (la KWEN-ta por fa-VOR)
  • ¿Dónde está la playa? — Where is the beach? (DON-de es-TA la PLA-ya)
  • No entiendo — I don't understand (no en-TYEN-do)

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for San Juan del Sur. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Nov–Apr (dry season; surf is smaller but the roads are passable) · avoid Sep–Oct (heaviest rain, dirt roads to the beaches turn to mud); Easter week for prices · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for MGA and LIR: border hours at Peñas Blancas, shuttle cutoffs, taxi fallback.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: waterfront, park and church, north bay, market.
  3. Beach pages with verified shuttle times, water-taxi departures and rainy-season road status.
  4. Eat pages with last orders and posted prices so the bar-price question is answered before arrival.

Meanwhile

Back to Nicaragua

Sources