Whether you prefer wild remoteness or great waves and a cold beer, we’ve got you covered with this guide to the best San Juan Del Sur beaches!

Updated March 2024

San Juan Del Sur has been a stalwart on the Nicaragua backpacking trail for decades now, providing a home to weary travellers in search of some sun, surf, and shots. Yet whilst many still choose to base themselves in the small beach town, for the last few years backpackers and digital nomads have been following the surfers and venturing further afield to the many beautiful stretches north and south.

But in an area of the country famed for its beautiful beaches, how do you pick which is right for you? And, if you decided to call San Juan Del Sur home for a few nights, how do you decide which beaches to venture to on a day trip?

To help you pick the perfect beach for your day trip or coastal base, we spent a week in the area across San Juan del Sur and Playa Maderas, travelled along dusty roads atop a too-big motorcycle to scout everything out, spent hours lazing upon the sand and took in sunsets from all vantage points along the southern Pacific coast. It was a hard job (!), but we think we’ve come up with an excellent selection of San Juan del Sur’s best beaches, whether you’re searching for surf, solitude, or a beachbum day with a beer or two.

Enjoy!

Playa El Coco

A really nice spot, but with only a handful of beach-facing facilities and accommodation options this would be quite a remote base without your own transport. That may be exactly what you want as a couple or traveller looking to disconnect, but for some backpackers it would be too low-key an atmosphere.

It’s important to note that whilst the calm waters make Playa El Coco a fantastic place to swim, it does mean that this is not a spot for surfers!

Location | Find it here on Google Maps.

How to Get There | Given the lack of surf, there are no shuttles out to Playa El Coco. Instead you’ll need a motorbike or ATV. The drive from San Juan del Sur should take no longer than 45 minutes but do note that large stretches of the road are unpaved, and therefore require a degree of confidence for motorbike riders. We definitely had a few hairy moments!

Facilities | Unfortunately Playa El Coco and its facilities don’t appear to have fared very well after several years with limited numbers of tourists. A restaurant by name of ‘Restaurante Puesta del Sol’ appeared to open when we were there, but is now marked as permanently closed - please let us know if you experience otherwise!

There is no official parking, but plenty of space to park up a motorbike or ATV on the side of the road.

Where to Stay | Playa El Coco would make a wonderful short term base for those who want to feel a little off-grid, and there are several accommodation options along the beach - the beautiful La Veranera is definitely our pick.

(just in case anyone’s confused, the photo below is Playa El Coco!)

Playa Escameca

Located within a private gated development known as Costa Dulce, Playa Escameca is an off-the-beaten-track, hidden away cove that most who visit the region will never even hear about. Home to waves suitable for everyone from beginners to advanced, it’s also a gorgeous spot to while away the days without the crowds.

The only difficulty is accessing it.

Due to the access road passing through the private Costa Dulce community, you have two options to visit Playa Escameca: pay a $5 USD access fee and drive down, or park higher up and walk in along a trail.

As we had our own wheels on the day we chose to visit, we dutifully paid our entrance fee and set off along the very steep, very dusty road that leads down to the beach - only to have to turn back after a few hundred metres. The truth is that this road is in equal parts horrendous and terrifying and should only be attempted by those who are very comfortable on the back of a motorcycle or have a car.

If that’s not you, you’d be best walking or considering a different easy and free to access beach in this post!

Location | Find Playa Escameca here.

How to Get There | As we mentioned, there is a $5 entrance fee that must be paid to an attendant drive to Playa Escameca; it’s obvious when you reach the kiosk as there’s a barrier down.

Alternatively, you can park up your vehicle before this, and continue along the road on foot. Not long after the attendant to whom the driving fee is paid, you will see a sign pointing to a trail through the scrubland that eventually leads out the beach.

It’s also possible to take a shuttle from Casa Oro ($10 per person, round trip) but this requires a group of at least four people.

Facilities | The are no facilities at this beach so take everything you need (and remember to bring it back with you!).

Where to Stay | The Costa Dulce community is home to a number of surf, yoga and wellness retreats which cater particularly to those visiting Nicaragua for a shorter one or two week vacation: the exceptionally highly rated Verdad is one of best examples of this.

Playa El Yankee

Playa Yankee is an excellent choice for two types of people: surfers and those that enjoy isolated beaches.

Whilst we are in no way, shape or form qualified to give surfing advice to anybody beyond beginners, we do know that the wide, wild stretch of pale sand that is Playa Yankee is a favourite spot amongst more experienced surfers who rock up in their pick-up trucks for the day.

And for those that simply want to enjoy being alone, well, from our explorations, there are few San Juan Del Sur beaches that offer up as remote a vibe as this!

Location | Find it here on Google Maps.

How to Get There | From San Juan Del Sur, drive around 13 kilometres heading south, where there is a sign signalling you to turn right to Playa Yankee. Follow this not terribly great road for one kilometre where it will deposit you just behind the north side of the beach, and the small ‘official parking area’ at the side of the dusty roads and in front of a decaying entrance arch. It’s a short walk to the sand, past quite a remarkable menagerie of animals at the local’s home on the left hand side!

Casa Oro used to run an on-demand shuttle ($10 return, per person), if there were at least four people wanting to go but it is unclear if this was discontinued in 2024 - if anybody knows and can confirm in the comments, that would be great.

Facilities | There are absolutely no facilities along Playa Yankee, and whilst Google still lists a restaurant here, we were unable to find it (if this changes, please do let us know). This means you need to take everything with you if you plan on hanging out for a while (and remember to take it all back with you).

Where to Stay | There are no real accommodation options near Playa Yankee, with most people choosing to just visit on a surfing day trip from San Juan Del Sur or a nearby surf camp. You can find all our best recommendations for where to stay in San Juan Del Sur in this post.

Playa Hermosa

Alongside the surfer’s paradise of Playa Maderas, Playa Hermosa is one of the most popular beaches to visit from San Juan Del Sur. Offering a wide expanse of white sand which stretches along the coast for miles, it’s an ideal place to spend the entire day.

The only catch is that as the beach is technically private (owned by Playa Hermosa Ecolodge), you need to pay a cover charge of $3 USD per person to access it. In return, you can use all the lodge facilities including the bar/restaurant, shower & toilets plus sun loungers, hammocks and thatched palapas.

The waves here are usually quite small and as such provide a great safe place to learn; you can rent a board and they also offer lessons. Not a place for the pros amongst you .

If planning on spending the full day here, we recommend arriving early to grab yourself a good hangout spot - at weekends it will also be absolutely heaving.

Location | You can find it here on Google Maps.

How to Get There | Playa Hermosa is located approximately 11 km from San Juan Del Sur. From the main road you’ll see a sign to turn left, and soon come to a cabin to pay your entry fee - you’ll be given a wristband. After here it’s important to note that the last two kilometres of the road becomes a little dodgy, but for motorbikes is easily managed with safe, slow driving (providing there hasn’t been any torrential rain storms).

Casa Oro also run a daily shuttle that costs $12 per person - this is your return journey and includes your entry fee.

Facilities | As mentioned above, Playa Hermosa has excellent facilities, although we do have to mention that whilst the food was of a good quality - and decent portions - it was some the most expensive we encountered in Nicaragua. Service was also pretty slow.

You are forbidden from bringing coolers or your own drinks, but if on a bit of a budget we’d definitely recommend coming prepared with snacks to save a dollar or two!

Where to Stay | If you’d like to enter true holiday mode for a couple of nights, consider booking a room at Playa Hermosa Ecolodge, or alternatively just visit on a day trip from San Juan Del Sur.

Looking for an alternative beach experience?

Then consider visiting Playa La Flor.

Located a couple of kilometres from Playa El Coco, this beautiful stretch of sand is actually a wildlife reserve, set up to protect the more than 100,000 Olive Ridley sea turtles that arrive to nest each year.

This process of mass-synchronised nesting - also known as an arribada - takes place seven times a year between the months of July and January and should you happen to be visiting Nicaragua at this time of year, it’s possible to visit Playa La Flor Wildlife Reserve on a nighttime tour to witness the incredible process yourself!

Tours can be booked through agencies or hostels in and around San Juan Del Sur (around $30 USD per person), and we just want underline how important it is for you and the tour to engage in this activity responsibly, causing no harm to the turtles and not getting in the way of their nesting process. It’s on all of us to spread responsible tourism practises around wildlife, so feel free to educate anyone who is acting like a dick.

Because Playa La Flor is a conservation area (both the beach itself, and the surrounding marine area), there is a fee to enter for any day and nighttime visits. This is C$200 per adult and C$100 per child - note these are foreigner rates and locals pay less. This means you can visit on your own to have a beach day, but we’re not sure why would choose to do this over the other remote, wild and free-to-access beaches nearby. However, it’s totally up to you!

Upon arriving, register at the ranger station where you will pay the entrance fee and be given instructions on how to enjoy the beach responsibly.

You can find Playa Flor here on Google Maps, approximately 20 kilometres from San Juan Del Sur (allow at least 45 minutes to drive there).

Note that there are absolutely no facilities here, and you are required to take all rubbish with you when you leave.

Playa El Remanso

The closest surfing beach to San Juan Del Sur, the charming cove of Playa El Remanso is known as a great spot for beginners to find their feet amongst the waves and is a favourite amongst locals on their day off.

At just 300m long, it’s a small beach and its close proximity to SJDS means it can get really busy at weekends.

Location | You can find Playa El Remanso here on Google Maps.

How to Get There | Various surf shops in San Juan Del Sur, as well as Casa Oro, run shuttles to Playa El Remanso but they only leave when they have enough passengers. We’d advise that if you’re keen to spend the day here, enquire the day before.

Expect to pay $7 return per person for a shuttle.

Alternatively, it’s a short 15 to 20 minute drive by motorbike (along an okay road), with plenty of parking at the beach.

Facilities | There’s several restaurants here which offer up sun chairs for guests in the day and an excellent spot for beers at sunset. The Slaudy Bar Surf Brothers is a favourite.

Where to Stay | There are are a number of small guest houses to stay in a few minutes walk from Playa El Remanso (Mar y Sol Beach House looks particularly nice), however given it’s proximity to San Juan Del Sur, we’d recommend staying there instead. Check out our guide to San Juan Del Sur for our favourite accommodations.

Playa Maderas

Our favourite beach in the San Juan Del Sur area!

Playa Maderas has been famous within surfing circles for many years now, offering consistent waves almost every day of the year (it’s even hosted a number of international surf competitions, including the Central American Games).

Yet despite this, during our first trip to San Juan Del Sur back in 2014, we were completely unaware of its existence; fast forward eight years, and this relatively small surf break seems just as popular with backpackers and digital nomads as San Juan Del Sur, and the base of choice for those that arrive only to ride waves.

The size of the beach varies quite considerably depending upon what time of day you visit and the rise and fall of the tides. From a vast expanse of soft, light sand that stretches far beyond the beachside restaurants, to a slither of a beach that is all but covered in waves, but neither impacts on your experience.

We actually chose to move over to Maderas for a few nights and have written an entire guide, so be sure to check it out here.

Location | Find it here on Google Maps.

How to Get There | Despite its increasing popularity, to access Playa Maderas you still need to take either the regular shuttle from Casa Oro or a taxi - find out full details, costs and times in our guide.

Facilities | The facilities at Playa Maderas are really quite good. There are beachside three restaurants offering up standard Nicaraguan fare - Maderas Sunset Bar provided some of the most delicious tostones we had during our month in the country.

Hostal 3 Hermanos rents out a parasol and three chairs for C$200, or you can lay your towel down anywhere else (just be aware of the tide shift).

Where to Stay | There are so many great options for all budgets and travel styles and, if you love the sound of Playa Maderas, we’d highly recommend basing yourself here over San Juan Del Sur.

Our hostel pick is the incredible (and highly-rated Hostel Clandestino Maderas but if you’re here on a vacation rather than a backpacking trip, Hush Maderas is a fantastic place to stay.

You can find full details on our favourite places to stay in our guide to Playa Maderas.

Playa Marsella

Just south of Maderas but a world away, Playa Marsella is perfect for those who crave calm waters and empty beaches, the absent swell and lack of waves meaning that surfers tend to give it a wide berth.

This does mean that it’s a popular option with families, and therefore much busier on the weekends - when locals with children flock to enjoy their own slice of sand, sun and tiny surf - but visit during the week and you may well have the entire beach to yourself!

Location | You can find Playa Marsella here on Google Maps.

How to Get There | To access Playa Marsella from San Juan Del Sur simply drive north along the main highway. After approximately 15 minutes you will see a sign signalling you to turn left for the beach - it’s a couple of kilometres along this dusty road.

If you’re walking from Playa Maderas, do note that it’s easy to end up at a dead end, unable to pass across the river to the beach (we say this from experience). To avoid this, you’re best putting Marsella Beach Front into Google Maps and following the directions from there.

Facilities | The facilities on Playa Marsella are much more minimal than those found on Maderas, but there are a couple of restaurants serving up standard Nicaraguan food and cold beers. You’re free to use their loungers on the beach providing you buy food and drink.

Where to Stay | We’ve covered all the best places to stay in the vicinity of Playas Maderas and Marsella in this post.

Playa San Juan del Sur

Often overlooked in search of surf breaks further south or north, for those happy to enjoy a beach day without a board, the town of San Juan Del Sur actually has a pretty nice stretch of sand! In fact, we think tis half-moon bay is massively underrated due to the number of wild, remote spots elsewhere on the Emerald coast.

Wide and long, it’s home to tourists and sun bathers, sight-seeing boats and small fishing vessels, mesmerising waves, the young playing football and the older walking hand in hand. A community beach with small waves and calm waters, its size (way bigger than any beach here) means that no matter how busy San Juan Del Sur becomes, it will never feel overwhelming full.

Despite the bay also operating as the town’s harbour, the water remains pleasant, and if you pick a spot towards the north section of the beach, you’ll barely notice the boats at all.

Location | Find it here on Google Maps

Facilities | Given that this beach in the centre of San Juan Del Sur, the facilities available are the best of all the beaches on this list! You will find countless restaurants backing the beach, many renting out parasols and sunbeds (either for free for customers, or for a fee), beach vendors, toilet facilities and you’re only a few minutes walk into the centre of town.

There is ample free parking available on the road - just don’t leave any valuables on display.

Where to Stay | We’ve written a super comprehensive section on where to stay in San Juan Del Sur in our guide to this popular beach town - read it here.

Top Tip // Playa San Juan Del Sur is a lovely beach, but the views of it from Cristo de La Misericordia (maps) are even better! Be sure to climb up there for sunset.