Sports Magazine

Archive for the ‘Surfing’ Category

The good news is that there are lots of great surf breaks to choose from along the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. But if you’ve only got a short Nicaragua surfing vacation planned you’ll need to make choices. The Pacific surf spots are clustered into three main areas and it makes sense to choose one of these and spend a few days soaking up the atmosphere. Otherwise you’ll be spending most of your vacation time on the road.

Here’s how the three areas stack up:

Most surfers head straight to San Juan del Sur – a small fishing village on the southern part of the coast. The town has a great feel, many restaurants, cafe’s and surf shops, not to mention a pumping nightlife. You’ll find yourself surfing by day and heading back into town for the famous San Juan del Sur sunset. There are surf breaks both north and south of town and there’s also a nice wave in the bay itself. North, the most popular spot is Madera which pumps out some nice lefts and rights. If you’re looking for an easier wave, head south to Remanso. Then you’ve got the breaks at Yankee with peeling lefts and rights breaking over a beautiful beach.

The Tola and Popoyo area has a strong surfer following. Colorado and Panaga Drops are famous locally for pumping out consistent lefts and rights. They’re located on Iguana beach, a beautiful stretch of coastline in the heart of this area. A little to the south is Manzanillo a left point and to the north the surf breaks of Rancho Santana and finally, Popoyo, a word class wave that will keep you entertained for days. This area is more remote than San Juan del Sur and you’ll find yourself staying in small surf camps and eating at local restaurants. Remember to stock up at the town of Rivas before you get here.

If you’re heading further north, you’ll find some great waves and a very uncrowded lineup. Check out the breaks due west of the capital Managua. The best are found at the Gran Pacifica real estate development. Further north things get a little hotter and drier but the waves keep rolling in. Chinandega and Apostinello are now firmly on the surfing map.

You’ve got lots to choose from when it comes to surfing in Nicaragua. The peak season is May to October when the swells are the biggest, but you’ll find waves year round.