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Voykit pocket guide · 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.
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.
- Country
- Nicaragua
- 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
- Stay
- 3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- NIO
- Money
- Currency is the Nicaraguan córdoba (NIO, C$); US dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$900–1,600 excl. bed · Mid C$1,600–3,000 excl. bed · High C$3,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Claro and Tigo sell SIMs at the airport and in towns; bring your passport.
- Emergency
- Police 118 · Fire 115 · Red Cross ambulance 128
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · US-style plugs; power cuts happen in the rains.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10% often added; otherwise leave 10%.; Guides: US$5–10 per person per day.; Shuttle drivers: Round up.
- Water
- Not safe from the tap outside some Managua hotels; buy bottled or use refill stations.
- Toilets
- Western toilets; do not flush paper in many older buildings.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$40–80 |
| Local breakfast in a market soda | C$80–150 |
| Plate of fresh fish or seafood | C$250–500 |
| Beer: Toña or Victoria, bar / shop | C$60–120 / C$30–50 |
| Rum, Flor de Caña, bar pour | C$80–150 |
| Bicycle rental, one day | about C$180 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$500–1,200 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- 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.
Typical fares
- 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)
Get 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 and do
Known for
- Surf beaches north and south of the bay
- Sunset walk to the hilltop cross
- Fresh seafood on the waterfront
- Ruta del Tránsito gold-rush history
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Playa Maderas | Shuttle from a surf shop, or water taxi from the beach | About 30–45 min |
| Playa Gigante | Shuttle or 4WD north along the coast | About 1 h |
| Playa Santo Domingo | Shuttle or 4WD south | About 30–45 min |
| Popoyo | Shuttle or bus north via Rivas | 1.5–2 h |
| Rivas | Bus or colectivo from the terminal | About 30–60 min |
| Granada | Shuttle or bus via Rivas | 2–2.5 h |
Sleep
- 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.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Good morning | Buenos díasBWEH-nos DEE-as |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-see-as |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-to KWES-ta |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorla KWEN-ta por fa-VOR |
| Where is the beach? | ¿Dónde está la playa?DON-de es-TA la PLA-ya |
| I don't understand | No entiendono en-TYEN-do |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'buenos días'; avoid: Starting with a request before greeting
- Politics: Change the subject; avoid: Opinions on the government, in person or online
- Dress: Covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
- Photos: Ask first; avoid: Police, soldiers and rallies
Scams and watch-outs
- 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.
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.
One and two days
No timed day plan for San Juan del Sur yet. Suggested stay: 3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Surf beaches north and south of the bay
- Sunset walk to the hilltop cross
- Fresh seafood on the waterfront
- Ruta del Tránsito gold-rush history
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Nicaragua tourism board (INTUR): www.intur.gob.ni/
- OpenStreetMap — San Juan del Sur: www.openstreetmap.org/#map=14/11.2542/-85.8723
- Wikivoyage: San Juan del Sur, revision 5340212 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5340212
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
San Juan del Sur
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in town; most are in Managua. US, UK, Canada and Australia all handle citizens from Managua (check the current address and hours).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/san-juan-del-sur). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.