Town centre
Nightlife, foodThe bay, the bars and the shuttles.
Town guide
Things to do in San Juan del Sur
Nicaragua's Pacific surf and party town: a horseshoe bay of fishing boats and sunsets, surf beaches north and south, turtles nesting at La Flor, and the Sunday Funday pool crawl.
26
Hostels in the city
8.4
Average, from 5,835 reviews
30 min
To Costa Rica
3–4
Days
Surf by day, party by night
San Juan del Sur is a fishing town on a curved bay in the far south-west of Nicaragua, about 30 minutes from the Costa Rican border. It has grown into the country's main beach town, with hostels, bars, surf shops and yoga studios, and a weekly party scene.
The town beach is calm and good for sunsets, but the surf is at the beaches on either side: Playa Maderas, Playa Marsella and Playa Hermosa, reached by shuttle. Further south, the La Flor wildlife refuge is a nesting beach for olive ridley turtles.
Give San Juan del Sur three or four days, and stay longer if you are learning to surf.
Where to base yourself
Stay in town for bars, food and shuttles, or at Playa Maderas for the surf and a quieter scene.
Playa Maderas
SurfA surf beach 20 minutes north.
Playa Marsella
QuietA calmer beach north of town.
Playa Hermosa
Surf, day tripsA long beach south of town.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 11 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in San Juan del Sur
Take the shuttle to Playa Maderas to surf or learn, and spend a day at Playa Hermosa or Playa Marsella. Walk or drive up to the Christ of Mercy statue for the view over the bay.
On Sundays, join Sunday Funday, a pool-party crawl between hostels. Take a boat trip along the coast to snorkel, fish and look for dolphins and turtles.
In the nesting season, visit La Flor wildlife refuge at night to see turtles come ashore, with a guide.
Free things
And what it costs nothing to do
The town beach and the sunset over the bay are free. Walking the beach and the town costs nothing.
The beaches outside town are public, though some charge for parking or access.
Shuttles, surf lessons, the statue and Sunday Funday charge.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking
The market has cheap comedores with gallo pinto, fish and set plates for €2 to €4. Beachfront restaurants grill fresh fish and seafood.
Try ceviche and fish tacos.
Cafés and smoothie bars cater to the surf crowd. A 10 per cent service charge is often added to restaurant bills; if it is not, 10 per cent is a fair tip.
Nightlife
Going out
San Juan del Sur is the party town of Nicaragua. Bars along the beach and in town have music most nights, and Sunday Funday is the biggest event of the week.
Playa Maderas has sunset parties.
A beer costs €1 to €2.50.
Getting around
Getting around
Shuttles link San Juan del Sur with Granada, León, Managua airport (about 2.5 hours) and the Ometepe ferry at San Jorge. Chicken buses run to Rivas, where you change for the rest of the country.
Daily shuttles run to the surf beaches. The Costa Rican border at Peñas Blancas is about 30 to 45 minutes away.
Take taxis at night.
Costs
What San Juan del Sur costs
Hostel beds start at around €9 to €18 a night. Comedor meals cost €2 to €4.
Surf lessons cost about €25 to €40, board rental about €8 to €12 a day, beach shuttles a few euros, and Sunday Funday about €20 to €30.
US dollars are widely used here. ATMs are in town.
Safety
Safety and scams
Most visitors have no trouble, but theft from beaches and dorms happens, and robberies have occurred on isolated beaches and roads after dark. Take a taxi at night and do not walk the beaches alone late.
Rip currents are strong at the surf beaches, with few lifeguards. Drink spiking has been reported at parties; watch your drink. Foreigners are banned from any political activity in Nicaragua, including joining protests, so avoid demonstrations and do not post about politics while you are there. Drones are banned.
Drink bottled or filtered water; most hostels have refill stations. In an emergency, call 911, or 118 for the police.
Worth the trip
Beaches, turtles and islands.
Ometepe
Two volcanoes in a lake.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Surf, turtles and holidays.
Every Sunday
Sunday Funday
San Juan del Sur
Hostel pool-party crawl.
Roughly July to January
Turtle nesting
La Flor
Olive ridley turtles.
March or April
Holy Week
San Juan del Sur
The town fills up.
Hostels
Where to stay
The highest-rated hostels in San Juan del Sur, live from Hostelworld. Prices and availability are live on each property page.
Sustainable
Hostal Javier's House sjs
Dorms from €8 a night
See dates and book
Hush Maderas
Dorms from €18 a night
See dates and book
Hola Ola Hostel
Dorms from €14 a night
See dates and book
Surf Town Hostel
Dorms from €9 a night
See dates and book
Hostel Tadeo San Juan del Sur
Dorms from €7 a night
See dates and book
Hostel Pachamama San Juan Del Sur
Dorms from €7 a night
See dates and book
Sohla Rooftop Hostel
Dorms from €11 a night
See dates and book
Casa Oro
Dorms from €14 a night
See dates and book
Hostel SaltWater
Dorms from €9 a night
See dates and book
Hostal los Chamos
Dorms from €11 a night
See dates and book
Socialtel Maderas Surf Camp
Dorms from €9 a night
See dates and book
When to go
December to April is dry and sunny, with offshore winds for surfing. The biggest swells come roughly from April to October, with afternoon rain. Easter and Christmas are very busy.
Jan
Dry, busy
Feb
Dry
Mar
Dry
Apr
Easter
May
Swell
Jun
Rain, swell
Jul
Short dry spell
Aug
Rain
Sep
Wettest
Oct
Wet
Nov
Drying
Dec
Holidays
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs, rounded. Hot all year.
What your trip will cost
Per night, for one person, based on San Juan del Sur prices.
Treat these as a guide. Surf and parties cost extra.
—
- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
San Juan del Sur questions
The ones we get asked most.
What is Sunday Funday?
A weekly pool-party crawl between hostels.
Where do I surf?
At Playa Maderas, Playa Hermosa and Playa Remanso, by shuttle.
Is San Juan del Sur safe?
Most visitors have no trouble; take taxis at night and watch your drink.
How do I get there?
By shuttle from Granada or Managua airport, or bus via Rivas.
When do turtles nest?
Roughly July to January at La Flor.
How many days do I need?
Three to four.
When is the best time to visit?
December to April, or April to October for bigger surf.
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