7 Beaches of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua: Which to Visit?

San Juan del Sur gets all the attention, but honestly, the beaches outside of town are where things get more interesting.

We rented a car for a couple of days and basically beach-hopped our way up and down the coast, checking out everything from popular surf spots to beaches where there was quite literally nothing.

You definitely don’t need to visit all seven of these beaches around San Juan del Sur. Pick a couple based on what you’re looking for and call it a day.

1. Playa Maderas

BEST FOR: Surfing + beach vibes
VIBE: Social but surprisingly chill
FACILITIES: Cafés, restaurants, board rentals + some umbrellas

Maderas is probably the best-known surf beach near San Juan del Sur, and Surfline lists it as suitable for different ability levels depending on the conditions. When we visited, though, the waves weren’t really hitting and it was much more relaxed than I expected.

There were surfboards lined up, a few people in the water, cafés and places to grab a drink, but it didn’t feel like some insanely packed surf beach. There’s not much natural shade, so grab an umbrella if you’re planning to hang out awhile.

STAY HERE: Itsalifestyle Jungle Cabana has jungle-style cabins, a pool and an on-site restaurant near Playa Maderas.

2. Playa Remanso

BEST FOR: Beginner surfing + easy access
VIBE: Lively and casual
FACILITIES: Restaurants, bars + board rentals
ACCESS: One of the easiest beaches to reach

Remanso was easily one of the busiest beaches we visited, but it’s also one of the easiest places to spend the whole day. There are little restaurants and bars along the sand, plenty of surfboards around, and you can bounce between surfing, eating and grabbing a cold beer.

It’s also a well-known beginner surf beach. We rented boards here and found the waves pretty approachable that day, although the number of surfers and swimmers made things a little chaotic at times.

STAY HERE: Casa Nära Hotel is a small boutique hotel steps from Remanso with a pool and on-site restaurant.

3. Playa Hermosa

BEST FOR: Surfing with more room to spread out
VIBE: Huge, quiet + undeveloped
FACILITIES: None

Hermosa is a massive beach and felt almost empty compared to Remanso. We saw just a few surfers and nice easy rollers with basically no lineup when we visited. Conditions obviously change, and Hermosa can get much bigger with stronger swells, but our day here was super mellow.

Getting here was actually the annoying part. Google Maps tried sending us down a road much better suited to an ATV or motorbike, so don’t blindly trust your navigation.

Once there, we found Tribu Surf with a board shack and some shaded seating, but that’s it. I’d come prepared with everything you need for the day.

READ MORE: Your Guide to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

4. Playa Marsella

BEST FOR: A chill beach day
VIBE: Quiet + relaxed
FACILITIES: A couple of restaurants + hotels

Marsella isn’t really the beach I’d choose specifically for surfing. I’d come here to do absolutely nothing.

There were only a handful of people around when we stopped by, plus a couple of restaurants, boats offshore and a cool rock formation out in the water. It’s also easy to combine with Maderas since they’re on the same side of San Juan del Sur.

STAY HERE: Villa ViYarte is steps from Playa Marsella and has a pool and yoga space surrounded by greenery.

5. Playa El Coco

BEST FOR: A long, quiet beach
VIBE: Remote + uncrowded
FACILITIES: Very limited

El Coco was one of those beaches where we arrived and basically went, “Oh… nobody is here.”

It’s a beautiful long stretch of sand with rocky sections, cactus-covered scenery and only a couple of surfers out when we visited. Surf guides also point to El Coco as one of the mellower surf options in the area, but even if you don’t surf, it’s worth coming for the space alone.

STAY HERE: La Veranera, Playa El Coco is right on the beach with a pool and breakfast available.

6. Playa El Yankee

BEST FOR: Escaping everyone
VIBE: Wild + remote
FACILITIES: None. Seriously.

If El Coco felt quiet, El Yankee felt properly remote. We followed a dirt road out here, parked a few minutes away and walked down to a long beach with almost nobody on it.

There was one surfer, a few palms and basically nothing else. No restaurants, no bathrooms, no beach bars. Bring water, snacks and whatever else you need because this is very much a bring-your-own-everything beach.

7. Playa Escameca

BEST FOR: A remote beach escape
VIBE: Secluded + jungle-y
FACILITIES: Mostly centered around the beachfront retreats
ACCESS: The most annoying of this bunch

Escameca is beautiful, but getting there was a bit of a mission. The main vehicle access runs through the private, gated Costa Dulce Surfside Community.

When we visited, the final road down was rough enough that we were glad to have an SUV with decent clearance. Vehicle access was already at capacity, so we parked near the gate and walked about 15 minutes down to the beach.

Costa Dulce Surf & Yoga Retreat is the main setup right on the beach with hammocks, beach chairs, surfboards and paddleboards. We grabbed some tacos nearby and hung out for a bit. There wasn’t much surf during our visit, but Escameca is an established surf beach when conditions cooperate.

STAY HERE: Costa Dulce is the obvious beachfront option, while Verdad Nicaragua overlooks Playa Escameca Grande with ocean views, a pool and a quieter boutique-resort setup.

How to Get Around the Beaches Near San Juan del Sur

If you actually want to beach-hop, having your own wheels makes this dramatically easier. We rented a car for two days and loved having the freedom to bounce between beaches without arranging transportation every time.

• Rental car: Best if you want to hit several beaches independently. A vehicle with decent clearance is helpful for some of the rougher access roads.
  👉 Compare rental cars in Nicaragua here
• Motorbike: Easier on some of the narrow dirt roads, but only rent one if you’re already comfortable riding on rough terrain.
• Shuttle or taxi: Totally fine if you’re only heading to somewhere popular like Maderas or Remanso and don’t plan on beach-hopping.
• Getting to San Juan del Sur: If you’re coming from elsewhere in Nicaragua,
  👉 Check buses and shuttles here.

Remanso and Maderas make it easy to grab food, rent a board and hang out all day, while beaches like El Yankee and El Coco require a little more planning.

Don’t want to drive yourself? A guided ATV tour hits several beaches and viewpoints around San Juan del Sur in one go.

Pick the vibe you want, pack some sunscreen, and go beach hopping around San Juan del Sur!

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