We were afraid. All indicators lead us to believe that San Juan del Sur, billed as “Nicaragua’s first beach resort town” and favored by sun-seeking travelers, locals, and plenty of expats, would be an over-touristed, over-commercialized, over-priced abomination on the beach. As our San Juan del Sur travel guide reveals, we were wrong.
Playa San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua was cleaner and quieter than we expected.
Pleasantly surprised in San Juan del Sur
The beach here is a lovely arc of pale sand which was remarkably clean. Charming sun-bleached wooden fishing boats bobbed in the bay. A lovely beachfront strip of brightly painted businesses offered quaint B&Bs, seafood-centric, open-air restaurants and even some budget hotels and reasonably priced meals could be found close to the sand. No one offered to braid our hair or tried to sell us knock-off sunglasses or waved giant menus in our faces as if that’s what would make us choose their restaurant.
Sure you could drop a load of money at fancy resorts like the iconic Pelican Eyes Resort & Spa above town, dramatic Morgan’s Rock Ecolodge in a remote cove, or at the most expensive and most luxurious resort in Nicaragua, the recently opened Mukul Resort along an exclusive strip of coastline north of San Juan del Sur that’s been dubbed the Emerald Coast. All three are lovely options for the well-heeled traveler but what’s even more lovely is that San Juan del Sur still has great options for those on a budget too.
Family & budget-friendly hotel near San Juan del Sur
If your travel budget is somewhere north of a backpacker but south of the Emerald Coast, allow us to suggest Mango Rosa Adventure Travel and Surf Resort. Every room is a large standalone bungalow with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a fully equipped kitchen, access to BBQs, and private parking and rates start at US$98 for up to three people. Larger bungalows for families or groups of friends are also available.
We saw this pygmy owl in a tree just off the patio of our bungalow at Mango Rosa Resort near San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.
Mango Rosa is less than 10 minutes from the town of San Juan del Sur and is surrounded by jungle. We heard howler monkeys and saw a tiny pygmy owl right from the patio of our bungalow. Stellar surfing at Playa Maderas is just a 10-minute drive away.
The pool at Mango Rosa Resort near San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.
The resort itself has a great pool, a good restaurant, and a gregarious owner named Greg Bamford who seems straight out of Florida because he is (by way of Mexico, Hawaii, and the Virgin Islands). Cap’n Greg, as we like to call him, is a great host and an actual captain.
Marsella beach all to ourselves near San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.
Enjoying the Sunset Coastal Cruise along the gorgeous Nicaraguan coast with Mango Rosa Resort owner Cap’n Greg at the wheel.
Don’t miss the hotel’s Sunset Coastal Cruise fishing and sightseeing trip up the coast. You’ll get a chance to swim, catch dinner (included in the excursion price), and score a peek at the cliff-side bungalows of Morgan’s Rock from the water with a cold beverage in hand.
Catching dinner during the Coastal Sunset Cruise with Mango Rosa Resort near San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.
Most of the so-called Emerald Coast near San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua is undeveloped, though that’s changing.
Pelicans find a rocky roost along the so-called Emerald Coast of Nicaragua.
More dramatic views along Nicaragua’s Emerald Coast near San Juan del Sur.
Sunset over Playa Marsella near San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.
Sunset over Playa Maderas, Nicaragua.
Here’s more about travel in Nicaragua
Here’s more about Beaches in the Americas
This place looks awesome! I love the parking permit for surfers only! lol
i totally agree! I thought SJDS was going to be horrible based on the reputation for gap year travelers and surfers, but I found it to be charming and relaxing and just the right amount of traveler-i-ness.
I am SO glad to hear this. I visited in 1999 when it was really quiet, and lovely, and had also heard it had “grown” a lot (cruise ship port-of-call and all that). But it sounds like it has retained its charm, and I’m glad about that! Might even go back again now. :)
I rang in 2009 on the beach in SJDS. I was only there a brief time but to me it struck a nice balance. I’ve thought about going back for a longer repeat visit several times over. There’s a lot more of Nicaragua I’d like to see, too, but if/when I make it back, I’m sure I’ll call on that colorful town and beach again. Glad to hear it sounds like I would still enjoy it!
The trick with San Juan del Sur is to choose activities that suit your personality. Backpackers may enjoy the craziness of the pool crawl, Eco-warriers can find off-grid accommodations at a variety of budgets, vacationers who just want a resort experience can find that, and people who want to get more immersed in local life can find places where mass tourism has not reached.