Dining

When you are living in a fishing village you know the seafood is fresh so we try to eat the ‘Catch of the Day’ as often as possible. On the beach front you will find a variety of Nica and international cuisines perfect for lunch or dinner, many of which feature Happy Hours and entertainment. Also scattered throughout town are everything from street vendors like ‘the chicken lady’, pizza parlours, roadhouse burger bars to high end world class dining which serve Nicaragua’s classic ice cold beers (cervezas) or world famous rum (ron). SJDS even boasts its own craft brewery.

Shopping

In SJDS you will have no problem finding tourist souvenirs like T-shirts, hats or handmade trinkets, especially on days when a cruise ship is moored off shore. For something a little different or unique there are some nice little designer boutiques. For those who always ‘need’ to shop, plan a trip to Masaya Market, Granada or one of the malls in Managua.

Adventure

An early morning walk or run on the flat San Juan Del Sur beach might be a nice start to your day or a climb at the north end of the beach to the largest statue of Christ in Central America. Bring your camera for fantastic views of San Juan and Costa Rica. If walking the beach isn’t your thing then perhaps a ride on a horse is more your style whether on the beach or nearby forest trails. Further afield are multiple beaches each with it’s own character. Regular shuttles go to all the favourites including Playa Majugual and Playa Maderas to the north for the young party scene and big surf breaks or to the south, Playa Remanso for beginner wave riders or the quiet Playa Hermosa. If a boat ride suits you better private ponga rides to even quieter beaches are available or a full day sailing trip with beach lunch. ATV rentals, zip lining and deep sea fishing are all available from SJDS while golfing, sightseeing and easy volcano climbs are just a day trip away.

Wildlife

If you are a nature lover then you have come to the right place!

Mantled Howler Monkeys are in the vicinity on a regular basis. If you are lucky you might also see a sloth, iguanas, whales and sea turtles.

Birders will know that migration funnels through this part of Central America but they will more likely come to see the tropical exotics not found in northern climates like the beautiful long tailed national bird Guardabarranco (Turquoise-browed Motmot.) They can be seen and heard at Villa Escondida. Many other birds visit on a daily basis including Rufous-naped Wren, Hoffman’s Woodpecker, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl and Orange-fronted Parakeet. A large variety of shore birds can be seen on the beach or at the river and lagoon.

Exploring

If time allows a day trip to Granada should definitely be in your schedule. Registered as the first European city on mainland North America more than 500 years ago this city (ciudad) is a great example of rich architectural heritage. Life revolves around Parque Central which hosts multiple events & festivals and all the key attractions in town are within walking distance; churches, museums, Spanish Colonial homes turned into boutique hotels, shopping and great restaurants.

Stay an extra day so you can take in a boat ride through the private islets just off shore in Lake Cocibolca or visit Mombacho Cloud Forest Reserve, a long dormant volcano looming over the city. For an active volcano, visit Masaya at sunset where you can see bubbling lava in the caldera.

To experience rural tourism a visit to Omotepe, an island in the lake comprised of two perfect cone volcanoes Concepcion and Maderas.

If you are planning a longer visit to Nicaragua you may want to take a boat ride down the Rio San Juan to the Caribbean coast for a visit to Bluefields or a snorkel / dive adventure in the Corn islands.