SAN JUAN DEL SUR, MADERAS & OMETEPE
If you’re looking for a tropical holiday destination full of beautiful beaches perfect for swimming & surfing with friendly locals and delicious (vegan) food which is still authentic and not overcrowded, then Nicaragua is your perfect travel spot. In my travel guide, I’m sharing my favorite spots in the three places I’ve visited during my three weeks in Nicaragua: San Juan del Sur, Maderas & Ometepe.
After arriving in Nicaragua via land, you most likely end up first in San Juan del Sur (SJDS). The village might not be the prettiest in the world, but still has some charm with it’s cute little houses and small surf shops. If you’re not into partying (there is the famous Sunday Funday happening every week) you might want to just spend one afternoon in SJDS or simply come back for some coffee shops or restaurants from Maderas (like I did). This is because the beach in San Juan del Sur is not ideal for neither surfing nor swimming. Thus, you will find most laid-back tourists and surfers staying around playa madras, which is around 20-40 minutes away from SJDS. But don’t expect a big beach town: Maderas is a tiny super chill place with only a few restaurants and at the point of writing two decent coffee shops. But that’s also the beauty of this small village life, in my opinion!
If you want a bit of change and open for a different experience, I would highly recommend to also visit the island of Ometepe which is actually located on the massive cocibolca lake. After taking the ferry (don’t copy my mistake and take the local boat which was after a while so full of water that I thought I’m dying in the middle of this lake haha) for about one hour and heading to the area of Balgüe you arrive in a different world. People say time stands still on this magical island which is shaped like an infinity and pronounced like the mantra OM-etepe. Thus, you will find a lot of (very) spiritual people, and you might get to the edges of your comfort zones (practicing yoga for 2h on bamboo mats was for sure very much on the edge for me) but you will be rewarded with beautiful sunsets, amazing nature and great workshops/ events (read more below). I would recommend staying at least two nights, but the majority of people extend their time in Ometepe anyway.
One note about safety: Nicaragua is often overlooked by their neighbor Costa Rica and has the reputation of being “less save”. However, I’ve met the kindest people while spending roughly three weeks in this beautiful country and literally no second have felt unsafe at all. Obviously you should follow some basic cautious measures such as not walking around town alone at night, leaving your valuable open on the beach or showing off your expensive electronic equipment. If you keep those things in mind you will not have any difficulties no matter if you travel alone, with somebody else or in a group. Also keep in mind, that the whole country is kind of traveling to SJDS and Maderas around Easter. I didn’t know that, but was really surprised when the beaches were super packed and full of locals (as well as police) during this time. If you can, try to not be there at this time of the year, as it’s just way nicer to enjoy the empty beaches for a truly authentic experience.
I hope you enjoy my travel guide for my fav spots in Nicaragua!
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to comment below or send me a message, I’m happy to help!
Lots of love,
Magda
where to go for (vegan) breakfast, brunch & coffee
La Tostaderia San Juan del Sur
If you’re looking for delicious coffee with plant-based milk, this is your spot! The atmosphere at this local institution is also really inviting for staying a bit, enjoying your coffee with a view on the beach or getting some work done on the laptop (many plugs available!). We haven’t tried any food there, but it always smelled really nice from the small bakery attached to the coffee shop.
Ding Repair Cafe
One of my favorite spots in town is for sure the lovely ding repair cafe. The menu includes delicious refreshing smoothies, vegan breakfast and lunch as well as their speciality coffee (you can also buy it there to bring some edible souvenirs!). The vibe is really lovely and there are also a dedicated co-working space if you want to get some focused work done. Also make sure to come for their weekly skate night on Thursdays where you will find local food spots and music!
Machete Market Cafe
One of the best spots to enjoy fresh & delicious food in Maderas is for sure the Machete market cafe. The vegan salad bowl is super nourishing, tasty & colorful and also their coffee as well as their green smoothie was amazing! You should also come for their pizza night on Friday!
where to go for (vegan) lunch & dinner
Olha
The buddha bowl with tofu, loads of veggies, peanut and avocado was in particular delicious and a massive portion! Also the pink berry smoothie was very refreshing and tasty. Make sure to check out their lovely garden in the back, which is inviting you to stay longer than you intended in their comfortable hammock.
Maderas Café
Located just a short walk from the beach, the Maderas Café is the ultimate place to enjoy high quality speciality coffee. They roast their own beans & you can even buy them as a great edible souvenir from your trip. Also they serve refreshing smoothie bowls and homemade cakes too.
The Art Warehouse
In this lovely spot you will for sure leave nourished from their delicious food and great smoothies! There is a great selection of vegan/ vegetarian dishes and you can also find some more unusual dishes which you might crave after traveling for a bit in central America like a hummus bowl with falafel or a Thai tofu bowl. There were also a few people working on their laptop so it’s definitely a digital nomad/ remote worker friendly place. The lovely spot also hosts regular art sessions and workshops in their spacious art space in the back and it can also be rented for your private events too!
Baked
Lexi just opened her cute little sourdough bread and goods shop in the garden of Dang repair cafe and you can already smell from afar how delicious her tasty baked goods are! The shop itself is made with so much love to small details and if you’re lucky you can still get one of her amazing cinnamon buns!
further tips for San Juan del sur, maderas & ometepe
Buena Vista Surf Camp
I can’t describe in words how much this place has grown dear to my heart. During my roughly two weeks at the buena vista surf club (BVSC) I’ve met so many inspiring people from all over the world as the place truly attracts a certain type of inspirational crowd. I was lucky enough to share my passion for yoga and teach there on their stunning deck overlooking the ocean. Afterwards we all enjoyed delicious homemade breakfast all together - from the typical gallo pinto over their famous granola and homemade passion fruit cinnamon jam, the joint desayuno was always a highlight of the day. The team, especially Ian, also really made sure everybody is enjoying their time at BVSC fullest, from organizing joint trips and dinner night outs to San Juan, bringing the group together to local events and even planning a boat trip. You need to experience the BVSC magic yourself to fully understand what I mean - so if you’re around Maderas/ Nicaragua, hit them up and be sure to have the best time.
El Pital Ometepe
After I told one friend that I’m going to Ometepe she immediately knew I will spend the majority of my time at „el pital“ which is calling itself „the vegan chocolate paradise“. I was not disappointed as the place offered really the perfect combination of workshops, yoga (you can do your own too as there are mats), delicious vegan food and an amazing view on the lake. The rooms are of course rustic as the are in the middle of the jungle (they also have compost toilets) but you get all the comfort you need. Make sure to reserve your spot in advance as the place is really popular amongst travelers.
further tips for San Juan del sur, maderas & ometepe
Maderas: Take a long beach walk
One of my favorite daily activities was to take a super long beach walk all the way from Buena Vista Surf Club over playa Maderas until the breathtaking playa majagual. You can reach this beach both during high and low tide although it is a bit easier during the latter. If you’re looking for your tropical empty palm tree swimming beach, playa majagual is also the perfect spot for you. After walking all the way (around 30min) to this beach you can refresh yourself in the crystal clear water and on the way back grab a refreshing drink like a tropical pina colada and/ or some tostadas (they will also serve them vegan if you ask) at the popular Juanita’s kitchen.Maderas: Learn how to surf
The majority of people are coming to Maderas to learn how to surf or to step up their surfing game. You can either book your lesson with one of the many local surf schools, rent a board or go out on your own. Note that the water is „colder“ than in Costa Rica, so some people were also wearing even a wetsuit (because of the wind as well) but it’s obviously not as cold as in Portugal or France. I have to admit I never stepped on a board during my weeks in this beautiful place and rather enjoyed to read and soak up the sun on the beach, but everyone who went really enjoyed it and said the waves were great for both beginners and more advanced surfers.
San Juan del Sur: Grab a coconut at the beach
If you want to enjoy the sunset in San Juan del Sur, you’re most likely ending up at the beach where the majority of people are meeting for this daily natural spectacle. You will see many small local stands selling snacks and other authentic dishes as well as coconuts. Make sure to ask them to cut the coconut open for you after you’ve enjoyed the refreshing drink for an extra snack.
San Juan del Sur: explore the local organic market
In this cute little shop you can get some organic, gluten-free and plant-based specialities such as local hummus, kombucha, wine, cosmetics, sweets, grains and seeds. Also if you are looking for some healthy snacks like nuts, local organic chocolate and dried fruits you will for sure find what you’re looking for here. I usually don’t like dragon fruit too much (I feel it doesn’t taste like anything) but the dried version here is just insanely good! The prices were actually pretty ok for the rather special products.
Ometepe: explore the island on a kajaking trip
One of the highlights of the Ometepe trip was for sure kajaking around the beautiful rio istián. The tour usually starts at playa mango where you can decide if you want to take a single or double kajak with or without a tour guide. We decided to get our own kajaks each with a tour guide and really enjoyed our tour, which approximately lasted 2h. During the tour we were able to see the biodiversity of the island from tropical birds, bats, turtles & we even spotted a crocodile! Also get ready for some severe arm muscle pain if you usually don’t work out your arms as I do haha.
Ometepe: try out some (chocolate) workshops & events
No matter if you stay at el pital or just want to visit some of their workshops/ events, you will for sure enjoy their activity schedule! They offer a wide range of (chocolate) workshops such as cacao tasting, chocolate making workshop, cacao ceremony, breathwork, ecstatic dance and their famous taco night. Most of the events are drop in and happening every week but you can also text them on Instagram for more details.
