Things to do in San Juan del Sur, a Backpackers Paradise in Nicaragua

Our visit to San Juan del Sur was our first taste of Nicaragua. Located a short 3 hr drive (including border crossing), from where we are currently based in Costa Rica, San Juan del Sur felt like a perfect getaway to relax and unwind. Little did we know that this little town would quickly become one of our favourite destinations!

*This post may contain affiliate links, as a result, we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) on any bookings/purchases you make through the links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Read our full disclosure
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
San Juan del Sur, view from the Christ of Mercy Statue
Traveling Soon? Here is a list of our favourite travel providers and accessories to help get you ready for your upcoming trip!
  • Book Your Accommodation HERE
  • Search for Great Tours HERE
  • Get a Car Rental HERE
  • Buy Travel Insurance HERE
  • See our Favourite Camera Bag HERE
  • Grab a Reusable Water Bottle HERE or a Filtration Straw HERE
  • Order an eSim HERE

How to Get to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

If you are trying to figure out how to get to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, the odds are that you are traveling by public transport. The alternative to public transport is hiring a taxi, which is much more expensive and is not the most eco-conscious option. 

For information on getting to San Juan del Sur by bus, see the most popular routes below: 

Granada, Nicaragua to San Juan del Sur

To get to San Juan del Sur from Granada, you can take a direct shuttle for about $29, or you can take a shuttle to Rivas for $25 USD and then take a bus to San Juan del Sur. Ultimately, you’ll only be saving a couple of dollars that way, though. For a cheaper option, you can also take a bus to Rivas, and then to San Juan del Sur.

Leon to San Juan del Sur

From Leon, you can get a shuttle directly to San Juan del Sur, and it will run you roughly $25. Alternatively, you can hop on a minibus in Leon to Managua, catch a taxi to Mercado Roberto Huembes, get on a bus to Rivas, and then finally catch a bus to San Juan del Sur. That option will likely only run you around $11 USD, though it’s much less direct and takes a lot longer.

Costa Rica to San Juan del Sur

You’ll start out in the city of Rivas before getting to San Juan del Sur. Rivas is a transport hub in Nicaragua, near the Costa Rica border.

Most travelers arrive in San Juan del Sur by bus, as a direct bus leaves Rivas roughly every half hour. It’s about 45 mins ride to San Juan from Rivas and about 2-3 hrs from Granada. Taxi is another option for those looking for a more comfortable ride. Expect to pay around $10-15 USD from Rivas and $50-60 from Granada. A lot of travelers, we included, also arrive in San Juan del Sur from Costa Rica by crossing the border at Peñas Blancas. It’s a quick 30 min ride from the border by car or by bus.

How to Get Around San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

Once in San Juan del Sur, you can easily get around town on foot; it isn’t very big, so it’s not a daunting stroll. There are shuttles running from the centre of town to the surrounding beaches every few hours with prices ranging from $5-15 USD for a return trip, and most of the beaches farther to the north and south can also be accessed by boat or taxi.

If you do want to venture out a bit further and explore, we highly recommend renting a scooter or an ATV. We found the vehicles in decent condition, but none of them came with any sort of insurance. For the sake of your peace of mind, double-check your travel insurance coverage before you go. 

Things to do in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

We arrived in San Juan del Sur on a late afternoon, the sun glimmering through the taxi window as we made our way from the Nicaragua/Costa Rica border. It was a Wednesday night, not the busiest party night of the week, but we still expected it to be rowdy. After all, party town is exactly what we expected San Juan del Sur to be.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua beaches offer incredible sunsets

San Juan del Sur first popped onto our travel radar in December of last year when some fellow travelers that we met in Costa Rica couldn’t stop raving about the Naked Tiger Hostel and their massive Sunday Funday Pool Crawl, an afternoon/night of heavy drinking, dancing, and debauchery around hostels and bars in San Juan del Sur. They even mentioned something about a Wednesday Funday… Needless to say, we were expecting San Juan del Sur to be buzzing every night of the week.

But San Juan del Sur felt surprisingly quiet and laid back. Locals were sprawled out on the chairs outside of their homes gossipping away with their neighbours. Latin tunes echoed from inside the little shops and restaurants. Within 20 minutes of being there, we felt a familiar vibe.

Later that evening, we met up with our friends for dinner and a few drinks and ended up wrapping up the night watching a local dance show in the middle of the street just along the beach. San Juan wasn’t bumping that night. There were no bucket cocktails, no drunken tourists stumbling around the streets, and no vendors peddling souvenirs on every corner. It had all of the good we remember from S.E.A. and none of the bad.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
A few Toñas were consumed that night in San Juan del Sur
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Max enjoying our first meal in Nicaragua…perhaps a little too much

The next morning we were off to enjoy the best of San Juan del Sur’s day-time activities. As it turned out, there was no shortage of them.

Beach Hopping

Without a doubt, one of the best things to do in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua is to spend a day (or a few days) checking out the beaches just outside of town. Don’t be fooled by the beauty of Playa San Juan del Sur, that’s not the best of it.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Playa San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

When it comes to the best beaches, Nicaragua has more than a few contenders. Daily shuttles run between the town centre and some of 10+ beaches sprawling North and South of San Juan del Sur town central. Playa Hermosa and Playa Maderas are by far the most popular ones, followed by Playa Majagual and Playa Marsella.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
This way to the beach

Return tickets to and from those beaches will set you back by $5-10 USD per person, but, of course, the flexibility to come and go as you please isn’t quite there when you rely on shuttle buses. We considered it but opted for a different option.

Renting an ATV/Scooter

There’s no shortage of things to do in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, and there are a few different ways to explore. It wasn’t hard to find ATVs for rent in San Juan del Sur and at $75 for the day, they offered a pricey, but a much more fun alternative to shuttle service. 

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua

ATVs and Motorcycles for rent in San Jun del SurArmed with a dinky map that we picked up at the Tourist Info Centre, we were off on our day of beach hopping. Riding around on scooters wasn’t just a cheaper more fun alternative, it gave us the flexibility to visit whatever beaches we wanted and stay at each one for as long as we wanted! We left at 11am and got back around 4pm having seen 3 out of the 4 most popular beaches.

Best Beaches

San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua beaches are some of the best you can find, but we’ve narrowed things down a bit.

Playa Hermosa (Beautiful Beach) is a private beach (you have to pay $3/pp entry fee to get in) but it boasts a beautiful longshore, white sand and lots of shady areas. There is a bar on the beach where you can get drinks, food, and a place to sit down. Hermosa looked like a great place to learn how to surf, proven by a number of surfing lessons going on at the beach during our visit.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Playa Hermosa, considered to be the most beautiful beach near San Juan del Sur
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Shacks line the beachfront at Playa Hermosa
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Enjoying Playa Hermosa’s beautiful swimming beach
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Surf shack. Playa Hermosa

Playa Maderas is the surfing hot spot that features the country’s most well-known and consistent surf break. The beach was also good for swimming (watch out for those surfers though) and excellent for relaxing, playing beach volleyball, bocce ball, or just chilling at the restaurant people watching with a 2 for 1 passion fruit daiquiris in hand.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Playa Maderas – where all the
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
The restaurant shacks at Playa Maderas

Playa Majagual was the most off the beaten path of the 3 beaches. There was hardly anyone there, but the little restaurant at the end of the beach serves cold beers, snacks, and offered a great view of the ocean. It was a great place for swimming (quick drop off, we love those), but had absolutely no surf. That was ok with us.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Playa Majagual
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Restaurant Matilda at Playa Majagual

Hike to the Christ of Mercy Statue

We got back from the beaches just in time to hike up to the Christ of Mercy Statue for sunset. Luckily “the hike” was a rather manageable ascent up a fully paved road that took no longer than 20 mins. No hiking shoes required! 

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Christ of Mercy Statue on a hill in San Juan del Sur
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Road up to Christ of Mercy Statue

The view from the top was spectacular! The statue overlooked the entire Playa San Juan del Sur, the marina, and the nearby hills.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Overlooking San Juan del Sur
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Overlooking the Playa Nacascolo, the next bay over from San Juan del Sur
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Selfie with our travel buddies 
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Sunset from the top of Christ of Mercy Statue

Unfortunately, the sun set right behind the statue, on the opposite side of the beautiful view of the town, so while it was still lovely, it kind of missed the mark for us. We think it would have been better to head back to town and watch the sunset from the beach.

Entrance fee = $2 USD

Exploring the Town

We spent a few hours every morning exploring the colourful town of San Juan del Sur. Every street was lined with cool wall art, restaurants and shops were decorated in bright designs, splashing the town with a zest of life.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Main Town Square in San Juan del Sur
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Art on the street of San Juan del Sur, a local’s depiction of chikungunya, a virus infection common in the area.
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Colourful houses in San Juan del Sur
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Simon Says Smoothie Bar, San Juan del Sur
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Shops line the streets in San Juan del Sur
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Tiki Bar & Grill

Shop at the Municipal Market

There is a small but interesting Municipal Market tucked away behind a line of small shops just off Avenida Gaspar Garcia Laviana. It’s a good place to find some fresh produce along with some trinkets and cheap souvenirs. It was open until 4pm daily, so we managed to pop in for a look before one of our beach days. Nothing overly exciting, but a great place to grab some cheap local breakfast.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Cafe inside the Municipal Market

There are also a couple of cool little boutiques with unique eco-conscious clothing, jewelry designs, and lots of surf gear. Apparently, Chelo 28 Surf was the first surf shop in town, but now there are tons of others. Check out ChicaBrava, and our personal favourite Auric.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Sporting my new Auric top on Playa Maderas,  San Juan del Sur

The Party Scene

Despite our first impression, we quickly learned that there was no shortage of parties going on in San Juan del Sur throughout the week. Whether you prefer day drinking or night time affairs, there is something here to suit everyone’s taste.

Booze Cruising

5 years ago a booze cruise would’ve been the first thing on our to-do list, but this time, we hesitated. The Canadian owned, Loose Moose bar offered a daily booze cruise at $55 USD /pp for 6 hours of drinking, sun, and a visit to Playa Blanca (another good beach just south of San Juan del Sur). It sounded like fun, but we wanted a bit more than free beers and fellow drunken backpackers. Upon further investigation we found out that the booze cruise doesn’t stop at any other beaches, offer any snorkeling, fishing, or other activities. It really was all about the drinking, so we didn’t jump at the opportunity.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
No shortage of yachts and party boats in the harbour in San Juan del Sur

Nica Sail & Surf offered another alternative for a fun day in San Juan del Sur with their $75 USD/pp Playa Blanca Beach Cruise. This cruise did offer fishing and snorkeling, and, supposedly, has been known to serve delicious ceviche on board.

On top of that, there were a ton of little 4-8 person private boats to be hired for a private 2 hour fishing, sailing and sunset cruise with prices starting at just from $25 USD pp. They may be BYOB, but offered a great budget alternative.

We toyed around with so many of these party cruise options, but, in the end decided to trade in partying for another day on San Juan del Sur’s amazing beaches. The younger versions of us probably rolled their eyes at how “boring” we were, but we loved our time in San Juan sans booze cruise. Maybe next time.

Sunday Funday and the Alternative

Sunday Funday Pool Crawl is why so many people come to San Juan del Sur to start with. An early morning (we hear you have to line up at 9am to get on the list) and $15 ticket will get you into one of the best parties in all of Nicaragua.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Sunday Funday Pool Crawl at Naked Tiger Hostel. Photo via Sunday Funday Pool Crawl Facebook Page

The alternative is a day outing that we learned about from O’Shop Surf Shop. The party, promoted by O’Shop along with the Surfing Donkey Hostel, takes you to another secluded beach during the day where drinks are served, fish is caught, and a beach bonfire keeps the party going well into the night. A great option for those who may not fancy the idea of getting smashed drunk.

Pub Crawls

On top of the booze cruise, the Loose Moose also puts on a few great pub crawls in San Juan del Sur. The biggest ones happen on Tuesdays and Thursday around 9pm and take you to a variety of bars all over town.

Live Music and Trivia

And if that’s not enough or if you, like us, happen to be in town on odd nights, pop into La Carreta Bar y Restaurante on Monday nights, check out “Trivia Night” at Republika or Poker Night at Big Wave Daves on Tuesdays, “Name That Tune Trivia” on Fridays at Republika, or listen to some live tunes by the local band, Los Pobrecitos, frequently spotted at Big Wave Dave’s, Black Whale and Popoyo.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua

Big Wave Daves Bar

Best Restaurants in San Juan del Sur

If San Juan del Sur feels like too much of a party town for you, don’t worry, there is plenty to do here for those looking for a more healthy way to spend their days in San Juan. 

We ate at a variety of fantastic restaurants. Highly recommended are:

  • Simon Says Smoothie Bar: offers, as the name implies, a selection of smoothies, along with more standard meals. They have vegan- and vegetarian-friendly options, as well as gluten-free options.
  • The Loose Moose Canadian Pub: for Canadian poutine and Caesars
  • La Lancha: for great fresh seafood (try their lobster and seafood soup) that won’t break the bank
  • Barrio Cafe: is a top tier Latin restaurant, with a menu friendly to vegans, vegetarians, and those who can’t have gluten.
  • Margarita: for delicious traditional Nicaraguan food. Note the place now has a new name and new management, but all the locals still know it as Margarita. Ask around for directions.
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
El Gato Negro Cafe, San Juan del Sur
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Delicious meal at the Margarita Restaurant in San Juan del Sur

In addition, there was another great spot that we didn’t get to, called Buddha’s Garden, open 9-4:30 Monday through Saturday. They serve up good vegetarian fair and smoothies that local expats rave about. We anticipate that vegan/vegetarian foodies will love this new space. Find it inside Zen Yoga.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Buddha’s Garden Dinner. Photo via Sanjuandelsur.org

Speaking of yoga, Zen Yoga is another spot that we are putting on the to-do list for our next visit to San Juan del Sur. The studio offers 2-3 drop-in classes per day (schedule here) for just $10 USD/class (packages are also available). There are supposedly a few other yoga spaces in the area, including Nosara Yoga Institute, and Maderas Village.

Other Activities

If you are planning to be in town for a while, or like us planning to definitely come back and do more, then you’ll probably find yourself wondering what to do in San Juan del Sur. There are lots of other activities to keep you occupied in San Juan del Sur, so you won’t need to think too hard about it. Horseback riding, fishing, mountain biking, ziplining, and turtle watching are just some of the activities advertised in town.

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
Just a few activities/trips offered at O’Shop
things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua
We lucked out at spotted this turtle laying eggs right on the beach during our visit to Playa Hermosa. No tour needed!

We spent 3 days in San Juan del Sur, but that didn’t seem nearly enough time to experience all the things to do in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua that we had been looking forward to. The truth is we barely did anything but relax on the beaches and enjoy cheap Toña beers, cocktails, delicious meals, and awesome sunsets.

Luckily for us, San Juan del Sur is just 3 hours away from our home base in Costa Rica and makes for a great destination for those pesky visa runs. We can’t wait to return!

Where to Stay in San Juan del Sur

When looking for a hotel in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, we suggest staying in town to take advantage of being able to explore on foot. San Juan del Sur doesn’t have a lot of 4-5 star accommodation options right in town, as it is still more of a backpacker destination, but there are lots of great hostels (that offer private rooms), and bed & breakfast accommodation options to choose from.

Of course, when it comes to accommodation, San Juan del Sur hotels on the beach can still offer plenty of guilt-free luxury.

  • Morgan’s Rock: is a hacienda and ecolodge in San Juan del Sur, less than a mile from a private beach. This hotel in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua has a pool, a restaurant, and a playground on-site, and the bungalow has a private terrace with a fantastic view of the mountains.
  • Playa Hermosa: is a San Juan del Sur ecolodge with a fully Nicaraguan staff, who also help care for turtles and other local fauna. The site is built completely of wood, and it relies largely on solar energy, to help make sure the beautiful green surroundings stay that way.
  • Costa Dulce: is an ecolodge that also offers yoga, surfing lessons, and massages, among other activities. The resort has its own beautiful beach and a sea turtle nursery, and the staff are open about their commitment to sustainable tourism.

Like this post? Pin it for later!

things to do in san juan del sur nicaragua

Have you ever been to San Juan del Sur? What is your favourite thing about this little town?

7 thoughts on “Things to do in San Juan del Sur, a Backpackers Paradise in Nicaragua”

  1. My husband and I LOVED San Juan Del Sur! We did almost everything that you have on your list there. We both learned how to surf at Playa Hermosa, hiked to the Cristo, and ate at a few places you mentioned (although we had a horrible customer service experience at Gato Negro). Our favorite thing to do was sit on the beach that framed the town with a Tona in hand and watch the sunset each night! 🙂 So glad to see that so many others are falling in love with San Juan Del Sur, just as we had!

    http://www.dancinaroundtheworld.com

  2. San Juan del Sur is a great town to visit and enjoy the parties. It also has a thriving expat community. As the outlying area grows we definitely see the impact all over. Spreading out of tourist and expats alike. Well written post and very informative of any of you looking to travel here.

  3. I loved San Juan del Sur! We stayed at the Los Cardones Eco Lodge. The resort is also a turtle sanctuary. We were able to see turtle eggs hatch and baby turtles scurry into the ocean by moonlight. It was one of my favorite Nicaragua experiences.

  4. Hey there, thanks so much for the great report! when have you been there? thinking about going soon and wondering if it’s still as easy going and lively as you experienced it?! cheers

Leave a Reply to Oksana St. John Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

CLOSE

Travel With Us

in 2024

Join us on a 9-day Safari in Tanzania through the country's top National Parks! Search for the Big Five, and immerse yourself in cultural experiences and meaningful connections.

or join our Pre-Sale List to be the first to learn about other Drink Tea & Travel Group Trips!

Scroll to Top