If you came on a holiday to Nicaragua, chances are you are going to want some beach time. Well, you came to the right spot: Southern Nicaragua boasts some real beach gems. From kilometers of open coasts to sheltered bays – the beaches near San Juan del Sur are some of the most beautiful beaches in Nicaragua.
You could spend a full two weeks in San Juan without even visiting the same beach twice. To help you plan your trip, we created this San Juan del Sur Beach Guide for you.
Why does Southern Nicaragua have the best beaches for surfing?
The South of Nicaragua is unique when it comes to surfing. The conditions are one of the most consistent in the world: We get over 300 days of offshore winds, almost year-round pleasant water temperatures, a variety of surfing spots, from beginner to expert-level, and over 300 days of offshore winds – according to Surf-Forecast a measured 76 % of offshore throughout the year.
Furthermore, the new coastal road “Costañera” makes beach days more convenient than ever: Where you had to follow dirt roads through the jungle for miles at a time, you’ll now find a paved highway that makes it easy and quick to get to your favorite San Juan del Sur beaches.
The best beaches in San Juan del Sur
San Juan del Sur and the Rivas Municipality are home to plenty of beaches. Let us introduce you to the most beautiful and popular spots in detail.
Playa Maderas
Maderas is undeniably the most popular beach for surfers. Depending on the month you’ll get friendly 2-footers or powerful swells well over 5 feet. The beach break is very consistent and big fun in all different kinds of conditions.
Besides its surf, Playa Maderas is famous for its postcard views: The sun sets behind a shark fin shaped rock north of the beach, making for incredible sunset views. There’s a bunch of restaurants to choose from. Our favorite is Maderas Sunset all the way to the right: Amazing food, yummy smoothies (you must try the chocolatey surfer booster) and first row seats to the sunset included! The restaurant also offers a shaded area, beach lounge chairs and sun umbrellas.
At low tide, you can head for a walk north. After around 20 minutes you’ll reach Playa Majagual. Keep tide times in mind! At high tide you might not be able to cross some of the passages on the way.
Location: Maderas is situated around 7 kilometers north of San Juan del Sur. The road is paved all the way to the parking lot. It’s easy to reach by car, motorbike or shared shuttle.
Playa Remanso
Playa Remanso welcomes you with a laid-back atmosphere and friendly vibes. As it is a bay, the surf here is usually on the smaller end of whatever the report says. Even on bigger days Remanso is the ideal spot for beginner surfers. Although it can definitely get big on bigger swell days, the waves stay soft – and if it looks too challenging, you can always stay in the whitewater!
There’s a variety of beach bars and restaurants with great food and drinks options to choose from. For sunset, there’s often a bonfire going somewhere along the beach.
Location: You can reach Playa Remanso in around 15 minutes from town. Just follow the Costañera to the South for about 5 kilometers.
Playa Hermosa
Playa Hermosa is another spot with awesome surf. Unfortunately the restaurant is temporarily closed, but you can still visit the beach. At the south end, there’s a little surf shop set up with some loungers and a shaded area. You might be asked to pay to use the facilities. They sometimes offer filtered water to refill your bottle for a small charge – we advise you to bring everything you need for your beach day though, just in case. Apart from this, there are no other facilities at the beach.
Hermosa is a looong stretch of white sand beach that makes the perfect scenery for a walk. The surf here can be really fun and has a huge upside: The beach is big and there are several peaks you can sit at.
Location: At the Remanso roundabout, turn left and keep going until you see a sign that says Tribu. Now you turn right and swap the highway for a medium-sketchy dirt road. Go down the hill, and follow the road to the left.
Fun Fact: In 2010, season 21 of Survivor Nicaragua was filmed mostly at Playa Hermosa.
More SJDS beaches, a little more off the beaten path
- Playa Majagual: Located about 1 km north of Maderas. You can either hang at the south part with the charming beach restaurant Juanita’s Kitchen or at the north end with the El Ranchito restaurant.
- Playa Marsella: Very chill beach just south of Playa Maderas. There’s one restaurant and a long stretch of beach for walking.
- Playa Peña Rota: Located between town and Remanso, this is a cute little beach for relaxing. Peña Rota is truly off the beaten path and rarely ever gets busy. There’s a little bar with drinks and cold eats.
- Playa El Yankee: This beach is located approximately 11 km south of SJDS. Intermediate surfers and pros love it here – the north end is home to a fast-breaking left wedge that is likely to barrel on a medium to bigger day. There are no facilities and very little shade here, so bring everything you need.
- Playa Escameca: The last bit of the road to Escameca is on private land, so you’ll have to pay a few dollars to get in. The beach is rather small, but offers a restaurant and at times fun waves.
- Playa El Coco: El Coco is a great spot if you want to venture a little further. It’s quiet and ideal if you want to beat the crowds. There is a restaurant, but it’s on the pricier side.
- Playa La Flor: This beach is home to the Refugio de Vida Silvestre La Flor. Every year, thousands of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles come to nest at this beach. Come just before sunset during the season (July–January), pay 200 Cordobas to enter and be part of this unique beautiful experience. You can drive your own vehicle all the way to La Flor (approx. 20 kms from SJDS) or ask us to connect you with a turtle tour.
Did you know? With the Costañera road you can now also reach the northern beaches in under 45 minutes. This makes Playa Gigante, Playa Popoyo and Santana easy and comfortable to get to.
How to get to the beaches
Most of the beaches near San Juan del Sur are super easy to get to now, thanks to the 2026 newly built highway. You rarely need a 4×4 vehicle anymore and can just drive your (rental) car or motorbike there without a problem.
Please be aware of Nicaragua’s traffic laws. Inform yourself about speed limits (maximum 50 km/h for cars and 40 km/h for motorbikes – yeah, you read that right). Drunk driving is not permitted. Wear a helmet, make sure you have your license and the vehicle papers with you. If the police catch you breaking the rules, you will be fined. And if you wanna have some drinks at the beach: Better grab a shuttle or a taxi.
At Hostel Pachamama we offer shuttles to the surrounding beaches. We don’t have a set schedule, but adjust the shuttle hours and destinations to the wants of our guests. If you’re a group of minimum 4 people, we can bring you wherever you want on your individual schedule. Prices start at 220 Cordobas (roughly 6 USD round-trip).
Hold up – and San Juan del Sur Beach?
San Juan del Sur itself is nestled into a gorgeous half-moon bay. It’s a great spot for a beach walk and our favorite for watching the sunset. Buy a drink at the beachfront Pronto shop, sit down at the steps in front of the volleyball nets literally 1 minute from Hostel Pachamama and enjoy the show.
If you prefer a chair and table, El Timon and Iguana’s are great spots with cheap happy hour drinks and appetizers.
SJDS Beaches overview: Where to go for what
Beach time should look however you want it to look:
- Surf surf surf – take a lesson or just rent a board and get out in the lineup!
- Relax, read and listen to the waves
- Sip a beer or a fresh fruit juice and try some local specialities (may we suggest Tostones con Queso and a whole fried fish)
- Take a dip in the ocean to cool off – always shuffle when you walk in, to avoid stepping on a stingray
- Play some beach volleyball or soccer
- Watch the sun go down
| Vibes | Activities | Beach Club/Restaurants | How far from town | |
| Majagual | Super relaxed | Sit in a beach chair, ocean dip | More than 2 | 8 km |
| Maderas | Lively, cool, surfy | Surf, walk, beach volleyball | More than 3 | 7 km |
| Marsella | Relaxed | Walk, chill | 1 | 5 km |
| San Juan del Sur | Depending on the day, super relaxed or lively | Walk, watch sunset, happy hour | Plenty | – |
| Remanso | Family-friendly, relaxed | Surf (great for beginners), beach bonfire | More than 3 | 5 km |
| Peña Rota | Relaxed, off the beaten path | Chill, enjoy the view | 1 | 2 km |
| Hermosa | Chill, quiet | Surf, long walks, sunbathe | No bar, just a surf shop with seats & some shade | 8 km |
| El Yankee | Secluded, surfy | Surf! | None | 12 km |
| Escameca | Relaxed | Surf, chill | 1 | 14 km |
| El Coco | Off the beaten path, quiet | Walk, relax | 1 | 16 km |
| La Flor | Quiet | Turtles! | None | 18 km |
| Ostional | Nice to visit if you want to explore the highway | Relax | More than 1 | 24 km |
You’re a San Juan del Sur beach expert now!
After reading our San Juan del Sur beach guide, you now know everything about beach life in southern Nicaragua. Ready to plan your trip? Book your stay at Hostel Pachamama now! We’re just steps away from SJDS bay and offer comfortable accommodation options and daily beach shuttles to the best beaches near San Juan. Have more questions? Send us an Instagram or WhatsApp message!
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