San Juan del Sur is the perfect solution for the avid surfer, whether you are a pro or not. Located along the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, San Juan del Sur is a favored spot to go surfing as it is less expensive than other surfing locations around the world such as Costa Rica, Hawaii and Australia (Hawaii style waves, Nicaragua style prices).
There are a variety of places within San Juan del Sur and surrounding area, so you have plenty of locations to choose from:
Playa Remanso: Playa Remanso is the closest surf location to San Juan del Sur, being only 10 minutes south of downtown. This beach is perfect for you beginners out there as there are many rolling waves which are relatively small being maybe being half a meter high to 1 meter high.
Playa Yankee: Located roughly 35 minutes to the south of downtown San Juan del Sur by car, this beach is less crowded than other beaches in the area making it perfect for practicing without an audience. The waves here can be anywhere from 1 meter high to 3 meters high making it a nice starter beach to get your feet wet. Please note that there is noone in the area that rents surf boards, so you will need to either have your own or rent one from San Juan before heading out there.
Playa Iguana: This beach has two excellent locations where you can catch some waves: Colorado and Panga Drops. It is important to note that these are private locations that are reserved for Guests of Playa Iguana.
Playa Coco: One of the most developed surf spots, boasting some places to stay as well as a full service restaraunt/bar, Playa Coco is only good for beginners. There are no really high waves to keep the experts happy, but for the beginner you can get your surf legs easily at this spot. Even though this spot has some places to stay and a restaraunt, there is no place to rent a board so remember to get one before leaving San Juan del Sur.
Playa Maderas: This surfing spot is the most frequented surf spot in the San Juan del Sur area. It is located 20 mins North of downtown San Juan del Sur on a rather bumpy road, only acessible by 4 wheel drive vehicles. Playa Maderas is so popular because most swells that come towards Nicaragua are picked up at this beach. The waves on this beach can be anywhere from 1 meter high to 6 meters high.
Once you have selected a location to surf at you will need a board if you do not already have one. You can pick one up at Mope’s Surf Shop, located right on the San Juan del Sur Bay. As an added bonus Gerardo, the owner, is a ral life surfing legend, who is more than happy to ladle out some tips and tricks to help get you started surfing.