San Juan del Sur is a coastal town on the Pacific Ocean, in southwest Nicaragua. It is popular among surfers and is a vacation spot for many Nicaraguan families and foreign tourists. It has a population of approximately 16,000, consisting largely of families engaged in fishing or the tourism industry and foreigners from the United States, Canada and Europe. While the local economy was, for many years, based on fishing and shipping, it has shifted towards tourism in the last 20 years. One of San Juan del Sur’s claim to fame is that several episodes of the TV series Survivor were filmed near by. This destination is without a doubt Nicaragua’s best know and most popular beach destination.
A statue of the Christ of the Mercy can be seen high above the town on the northern end of the bay. It sits on one of the highest points on the bay and is one of the tallest Jesus statues in the world (134m/440ft). Jesus seems to be reassuring his followers that their faith will bring them peace and serenity in life.
Sunsets - Beaches - Surfing
These three words in essence are pretty much what San Juan del Sur is about. Combine this with a beautiful harbour, and you have a definite reason to make your way to this little paradise. Many people compare this location to what Costa Rica was like 25 years ago. Yes services and amenities are no where near those found in Costa Rica, but the trade off is that your time in San Juan del Sur will cost you less than 1/2 of a comparable beach holiday in Costa Rica. Maybe after checking out my photos you just might give Nicaragua a try instead.
Sunsets
Watching the sun set from one of the many waterfront restaurants is a popular event. Find one with a good Happy Hour and just enjoy the moment.
Beaches
A days road trip will get you to several of the areas most popular beaches. Head south a bit and you will come to Coco, Yankee and Hermosa beaches. These beaches have beautiful white sand and seem to go on forever. Maybe because they were not the best for surfing, they seemed very quiet. The best beach for surfing in the area is Playa Maderas. Now that is where the surf crowd gathers.
Surfing
Hanging out at Playa Maderas you get the full vibes of the surf community. Surfers definitely have their own way of life and even their own vocabulary. I would have been called a “Barney” - an inexperienced surfer, or someone who's no good at surfing. To save myself the embarrassment, I decided to save my attempt to learn to surf - for my next trip to Nicaragua.
Surfing is not just all about young people hanging out at the beach living the “hang out” lifestyle. It’s also about families being a part of the surf community and teaching their children how to surf.
Adios Nicaragua
Spending time in San Juan del Sur turned out to be a great way to finish my time in Nicaragua. In my first travel post, I mentioned that this country is not on most peoples “radar”. It should be - and I hope my posts have given you a sense of why you should make this your own adventure.
