San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua Nonetheless Feels Like a Secret Surf City

A fast, three-hour flight was all it took to commerce in North America’s unpredictable spring for the regular heat of Nicaragua’s dry season. It was April, and although the rains have been nonetheless weeks away, the scent of the tropics—sun-warmed earth, distant greenery, a touch of salt—was rapid and unmistakable, particularly after an extended Colorado winter.

However the journey wasn’t over but—my household and I have been headed to San Juan del Sur on Nicaragua’s southern Pacific coast, a fishing village turned surf vacation spot set on an idyllic crescent-shaped bay. 

And we weren’t alone. It appeared everybody we met alongside the journey—the household in line to board the aircraft, the couple on the baggage declare—was San Juan del Sur certain, and in contrast to us, they knew their method round. They spoke of the perfect surf breaks, the place to discover a good cup of espresso, and which eating places served the freshest gallo pinto, Nicaragua’s beloved rice-and-beans staple. Some lived there full-time; others cut up their 12 months between Nicaragua and the U.S. or Canada. The sense of return, of belonging, was palpable.

As our shuttle made the drive up the hill to our dwelling for the week, La Santa Maria Boutique Lodge & Residences, I began to grasp why. From our hilltop vantage level, San Juan del Sur unfurled beneath, resulting in a big swath of sandy seaside and a glittering ocean. Inexperienced hills framed the view, offering a stage for the setting solar.

It was stunning, positive, however within the coming week, I’d study that San Juan del Sur is far more than an expat surf vacation spot or a stopping level for wellness seekers. It is a group with deep authenticity and a disarming come-as-you-are spirit. 

“San Juan del Sur is a type of particular locations the place the pure magnificence, laid-back way of life, and welcoming group all come collectively. You’ve received gorgeous seashores, unimaginable sunsets, nice surf, and a city that also feels genuine,” shared Julio H. Arguello, CEO and founding father of La Santa María Boutique Lodge & Residences, in an e mail with Journey + Leisure. “It’s particularly interesting to these trying to decelerate a bit and revel in a extra intentional way of life.”

For now, San Juan del Sur stays in a state of changing into—not fairly polished, not fairly undiscovered. And it’s that liminal high quality—the sense of one thing each preserved and evolving—that offers it its simple appeal.

The place to Keep

La Santa María Boutique Lodge & Residences

La Santa Maria Boutique Lodge & Residences sits perched above the noise, on a hillside with views of the ocean. There are normal resort rooms and conventional, facilities, however the 7.5-acre property feels extra like a neighborhood than anything. Children roam the grounds alongside peacocks and parrots, whereas an on-property coworking area sits adjoining to a tempting infinity pool. Along with normal resort rooms, there are stand-alone villas with non-public swimming pools and flats for longer stays.

“For expats, it’s the right touchdown pad: You get high-end facilities like a pool, a health heart, a coworking area, and concierge providers, paired with the consolation and privateness of a residence. However what really units it aside is the sense of peace and tranquility you are feeling the second you arrive,” mentioned Arguello. 

As protected and much away from all of it as La Santa María feels, in fact, it is lower than a 10-minute stroll to the seaside and the guts of San Juan del Sur.

TreeCasa Lodge & Resort Nicaragua

TreeCasa is situated roughly quarter-hour north of San Juan del Sur within the hills. The true draw, nonetheless, is its landscaping, which envelopes the property and surrounds the three swimming pools, the restaurant, and the on-site orchard and backyard.

Equally, every room is located among the many timber, however it’s onerous to high Casa Árbol, a two-story tree home with open-air showers and a wraparound deck. 

Greatest Issues to Do

Surf

San Juan del Sur might have began as a fishing village, however it’s extra of a surf city nowadays. The little crescent-shaped bay is surrounded by seashores with constant waves for all skills.

“There are seashores excellent for freshmen, others good for superior surfers, and a few the place surfers of any degree can take pleasure in nice situations,” mentioned Pedro Gómez Dávila, who grew up in San Juan del Sur and owns Tribu Surf. “San Juan del Sur’s location can be distinctive, because it sits throughout from a lake, which influences the native winds. For a lot of the 12 months, the winds are onshore winds, contributing to the right waves and excellent browsing situations year-round.”

In 10 to twenty minutes, you could be at at the least 5 completely different surf spots, choosing and selecting the day’s location primarily based on climate and wave experiences. For my surf session with Tribu Surf, we went south to Playa Remanso, recognized for its beginner-friendly break.

Parque de Aventura Las Nubes

Simply over 5 minutes from the guts of San Juan del Sur is Parque de Aventura Las Nubes, a tropical nature protect that protects sloths, monkeys, wildcats, anteaters, armadillos, and greater than 100 species of birds. 

From the very best level of the park, which runs alongside the Continental Divide and appears out over the seashores of San Juan del Sur, a sequence of zip traces take guests by means of the cover, offering occasional glimpses of monkeys and sloths from the property’s viewing platforms.

“All of our actions are on the highest of our mountain, which is the very best level of San Juan del Sur, the place you possibly can see the Pacific Ocean seashores, a Nicaraguan lake, and as much as 4 volcanoes,” mentioned the park’s proprietor, Adolfo Morice, in an e mail to T+L.

Huge Sky Stables

There is a distinct Wild West really feel to Nicaragua, which is why the presence of Huge Sky Stables, 20 minutes south of San Juan del Sur, feels so pure. With a secure of roaming horses and a curated assortment of cowboy boots and pearl-snap shirts accessible to borrow, it’s simple to really feel prepared for the day’s trip, which might run alongside the river in the hunt for monkeys or a cruise alongside the seaside. I visited within the night, simply in time for a shady stroll down the riverbed and a canter on the seaside at sundown. 

Christ of the Mercy

It’s unimaginable to overlook the statue of Jesus Christ overlooking San Juan del Sur—arms open above a cliff that frames the northern fringe of the bay. The landmark, which feels just like Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer, is much more memorable in case you make the trek at sundown and watch because the solar dip into the ocean. A taxi can take you a lot of the method as much as the statue, however the actual reward comes from having fun with the breeze after making the 45-minute hike to the highest.

The place to Eat

Ding Restore Cafe 

Ding Restore Cafe is the one place I visited twice, which is saying one thing in a city with actually nice meals. The eatery labels itself as a “well being meals restaurant” and serves up a superb checklist of smoothie bowls, sandwiches, breakfast burritos, and the perfect espresso I’ve ever had. Plus, they’ve outside seating adjoining to a skate bowl with skateboards for lease.

Simon Says

This little eatery is accessed through a doorway within the heart of city that results in an open-air oasis constructed round timber and hanging crops. There is a $10 all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet and a lunch and dinner menu that options native, fresh-caught fish. 

El Timón

For a literal style of San Juan del Sur’s fishing village roots, drop by El Timón, which is famend for its contemporary fish and on-the-beach location. The beloved eatery has been serving up Nicaraguan fare since 1979 and stays a must-visit for a welcoming, old-school method to beachfront eating.

La Tostaderia 

La Tostaderia has an exterior that’s lined with palm timber and an inside that attracts you in with its bright-blue partitions and laid-back really feel. Together with a breakfast and lunch menu, the hooked up bakery doles out freshly baked beignets, cinnamon rolls, and croissants.

Greatest Time to Go

The perfect time to go to San Juan del Sur is from Might to November, when the rains have arrived and the panorama turns lush and inexperienced. Even within the coronary heart of the season, which runs from Might to August, Arguello shared, “The rain normally comes within the afternoon or at night time, so you continue to get loads of sunshine throughout the day.”

Dávila mentioned, “What I really like most in regards to the wet season is the constant surf. For me, there’s nothing fairly like browsing highly effective waves surrounded by inexperienced hills and wealthy pure magnificence. The wet season is really one of the vital stunning and invigorating occasions of the 12 months in Nicaragua.”

The surf is nice within the wet season, however it’s usually good year-round. In keeping with Dávila, “Constant offshore winds, current a lot of the 12 months, create world-class situations for surfers of all ranges.” Throughout my go to in April, the height of Nicaragua’s dry season, the waves have been constant and we even received a style of the larger surf when a swell rolled in.

Find out how to Get There

Attending to Nicaragaua from the U.S. is as simple as hopping on a three-hour flight from Miami or Fort Lauderdale, or a three-hour, 15-minute flight from Houston, like I did. It’s one of many many causes so many People and Canadians spend months in Nicaragua yearly. And the journey is barely getting simpler now that Avianca, which is in Star Alliance with United, began providing new direct flights from Fort Lauderdale.

From Managua, it is a 2.5-hour drive south to San Juan del Sur, which sits close to the border with Costa Rica. The shuttles and taxis are plentiful—I booked with Bigfoot.

An alternative choice is to fly into Liberia, Costa Rica, and make the journey north to San Juan del Sur, which can be round 2.5 hours by automobile.

What to Know Earlier than You Go

Should you plan to solely go to San Juan del Sur, reserving a shuttle or taxi immediately from the airport is the simplest possibility. Nevertheless, if you wish to discover past the surf city, you’ll need to lease a automobile. A new coastal freeway is underway, however most of the seashores nonetheless require a four-wheel drive car.

It is also essential to notice that in 2018, there have been a sequence of protests towards the federal government, and the subsequent fallout has been noticeable, with only a few constructive headlines in regards to the nation. Nevertheless, tourism is maintaining many individuals afloat, and the Nicaraguan individuals couldn’t be extra welcoming. I had no security considerations whereas touring with my husband and 3-year-old daughter.

“Nicaragua is a protected nation, and it isn’t as unsafe because the information typically portrays it or as some individuals all over the world attempt to make it appear,” mentioned Dávila. He added, “There’s an amazing sense of safety within the San Juan del Sur space.”