Around San Juan del Sur

To complete our SJDS tour, below are other places around the town one can visit and enjoy. I will only describe those we have been to but as T and I are (apparently) whether we like it or not, creatures of habit as evidenced by the places we go back to over and over again, it is prudent to read more about others in the links provided.

Beaches in SJDS (20 to 1/2 an hour's drive from town depending on road conditions):

Our favorite, Playa Maderas, for it's soft waves (great for beginner surfing or body boarding) and where T and V take up an hour's surf lessons for $10 including surfboard (last time was 3 months ago, so I'm not sure how much it costs now).

Playa Mathilda - equally interactive (the waves, that is) only less surfers. The waves seemed bigger though, so maybe only experienced surfers go there - don't quote me as I'm not certain about these things. All I know was that we enjoyed being there too as much as we do in Maderas, except that it's an additional mins or so farther after Maderas. We actually discovered it by accident after choosing the wrong road at a forked intersection on the way to our favorite beach. A pleasant surprise.

Playa Maderas is easily recognizable through the smattering of rock formations on both ends of the alcove and the make-shift building that rents out rooms (or hammocks) to avid surfers that doubles as a restaurant (try the sumptuous whole fried fish served with rice and fresh cut-up salad for less than $4). Playa Mathilda on the otherhand has a wider beach. There are a couple of rustic places to rent on Mathilda (beachfront) and something resembling a pulperia where one can buy drinks (water, soda and beer).

Read more about Nicaragua's surfspots in Rivas and the rest of the country here.

Refugio de Vida Silvestre la Flor - A natural reserve known as a favorite nesting place of Olive Ridley turtles where as of this October they are expecting a total 'arrival (arribadas)' of about 60,000 turtles. unfortunately, we just the big arrival of about 4,000 turtles in one night just 2 days prior. Thie weekend wasn't our first time but each time is a great experience.

For the resilient, one can camp on the reserve for $C 500 per person per day. The best way to enjoy the reserve. Do not expect any amenities....at all. This is a place where you're better off doing your business in the bushes, if you know what I mean....and yes, we did. No regrets and we'll do it again. The experience with the turtles alone is already exhilirating but in our opinion, La Flor is hands down one of the most (if not the most - in our opinion, anyway) beautiful beach in Nicaragua, no contest....ask the turtles. Maybe they do know better.

The most awesome moment probably was the time we found ourselves at noontime swimming with the turtles while they were waiting for night fall (darkness) to begin their ardous trek up the sandy beach, space out and continue the cycle of life.

San Juan del Sur

Again, recommendations long overdue. When one mentions Nicaragua, 2 places immediately pop into mind....San Juan del Sur and Granada.

San Juan del Sur, a coastal town off the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua, 2-2 1/2 hours away South of Managua (Rivas Province) known for its moderate waves and otherwise, is one of the most visited place in Nicaragua. A 'gringo' town to quote the locals. Given its laid back atmosphere - it is a favorite place for foreign retirees to...well, retire. A haven for those with limited income - or savings or just to stretch their dollars...or euro, or those who just wants to downsize and have a quiet beachtown life to surf and fish to their heart's content - to own either beach-front properties or that with a view of the bay and a languid lifestyle to go with it. Read more about the town here and find more photos here.

We used to go to SJDS almost every other week when we first came to Nicaragua, it is after all a pretty, colorful and interesting town, but in time, less and less as we discovered other hidden gems of Nicaragua. SJDS is not a 'been-there-done-that' place either mainly because when we have guests visiting, it is a part of the must-see and experience places still in Nicaragua together with Granada, Leon, Ometepe and Masaya. Inevitably, we had to go back there and go back we did last weekend as you guessed it, we had family visiting.

Although the road has been miraculously fixed (like all beautiful places in Nicaragua getting to them alone is already an adventure in itself), I would still recommend a 4WD if you plan to visit neighboring beaches and the nature reserve, La Flor (Refugio de Vida Silvestre La Flor).

Above, the road to Playa El Coco and La Flor in the rainy season (just after a storm) nearing 1 of the 3 rivers we needed to cross. We have heard of friends being stuck at Playa El Coco when there's heavy downpour, so check weather conditions first or if a novice, use a tour agency or get hotel transport as they will have the proper vehicle to get you there - and most importantly, out of there.

Lodgings in the area can cost anywhere between $5 - $300 depending on how luxurious you want it to be. $5 would mean a hammock (why not?) and the rest, how far or near it is from the bay, size of acommodation, the view from your room, ammenities, at which time of the year, etc. will dictate the price.

The most popular resort in the area is Piedras Y Olas - luxurious and to me, serves the best and the biggest burger (with melted blue cheese is best) in Nicaragua. Whether you stay there or not, don't miss the restaurant (La Cascada) for either lunch or dinner and enjoy your food next to their eternity pool overlooking the bay. If you can stay for sundowners, do so, I guarantee you the best sunset view in town. Just imagine staying in one of their casitas. We unfortunately haven't had any luck in staying there as almost always, they are fully-booked and understandably so. One day for sure we will as friends who have stayed there only have glowing recommendations of the place where half of them are, in fact, repeat customers. Each time we are in SJDS, we always take lunch at Piedras Y Olas as a treat.

The restaurant pool with the view of La Bahia de SJDS. Photos courtesy of DanCesar and Piedras Y Olas.

We have mostly been staying in a place called La Posada Azul when in SJDS, a very quaint, quiet inn right in the middle of town and a block away from the bay. It has a pool and serves very delicious home made cakes (not the sweet kind) together with their american breakfast. The consistently friendly staff and Maria their beautiful and friendly manager makes for a more pleasurable stay than it already is.

Inside the inn, the pool and the view of the bay from the street where La Posada Azul is.

Restaurants in SJDS, except for a few consistent and notable ones like La Cascada, are sometimes hit or miss. One would think that there will be an abundance of reasonably priced seafood dishes (other than the usual fish and shrimps) - but you'd in fact be surprised of the few variety of the bounty of the sea to be had.

If you take the beach-front restaurant El Timon for instance, my $C 300 (about $15 including tax) prawns al ajillo (below) was a blah but still we keep coming back. Why? because it's beach-front and serves seafood (someone please knock my head on a wall...any wall), a cliche, hoping that each time we would encounter something exciting but so far, never have....or maybe, again, it's just me - I have been too spoiled in Asia.

There is one restaurant I would really like to recommend that was under renovation while we were there and therefore was not able to enjoy the great Italian (?) - am not even sure anymore but I do know that they have been consistently good - cuisine they have. Maybe someone can help me:

Someone might recognize the place above. Like most places here in Nicaragua, I sometimes take the name for granted having only the capacity to concentrate on how to get there. Dropping names in Nica won't get you there but getting (long winding) directions would.

Another pleasant addtion to the restaurants in SJDS is a beach-front restaurant called Bambu Beach serving some kind of Asian cuisine....a fusion or melee of Asian and Caribbean, for lack of a better way to describe the taste of their food. All I know is that everything we ordered was good and reasonably priced. You can find it at the opposite end of the beach from where El Timon is. Although not offering lodging, Bambu Beach has beach chairs and a Jacuzzi for guests who like to enjoy their drinks or sundowners, perhaps, the 'kokomo' way. The clear winners for the evening:

Springrolls (fried or fresh), Fajitas de Res with Asian Bambu sauce and the sinfully delicious but mind-boggling Fried Cream.

Last but certainly not the least, you haven't been to SJDS if you haven't had coffee at Kelly Ann's El Gato Negro, my fave english bookstore (in fact the only one I know of in the whole of Nicaragua) and a night cap at Big Wave Dave's, (although not beach-front) the quintessential seaside bar .

Hacienda Iguana

As promised (better late than never, I always say) from 6 posts ago - I really should read about good blogging etiquette - am now finally writing about our favorite beach resort Hacienda Iguana, given that we've been there at least 6 times now in the almost 2 years in Nicaragua (and still cannot get a preferred customer discount).

Located in Tola, Rivas and the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua......from here on, I'll let HI speak for itself (read: from their website):

Starting at the Intercontinental Managua Hotel in Managua:

1. Take Carretera Masaya South, you'll go through Masaya
2. In Masaya take a right towards Catarina, this part of the road is a bit of a climb. You'll end up in Catarina, where you keep going straight.
3. When you get to Volcan Mombacho (you'll see it) take a right on the fork in the road, that will take you to Nandaime.
4. When you get to Nandaime take a left in the fork, that takes you to Rivas.
5. Just before you get to Rivas (it is around kilometer 112) there is a sign for Tola, take a right there, you will be heading West.
6. From Tola continue west on the gravel road to the gate of Hacienda Iguana (15 kilometers or about 50 minutes). There's a huge Mango tree just before the entrance. Here you'll see the first Rancho Santana sign. All you have to do is follow the Santana signs and that will take you to Iguana. Iguana is about 6 km. before Santana, (and about 15 km from the start of the dirt road). You will see two yellow security cabins and a wooden gate.
   
   Give yourself about 2.5 - 3 hours driving time. The total distance is 135 km.

For us being only about 15 mins away from the Intercon Managua, it takes no more than 2.5 hours to get there and at that time under the condition Catarina Rd was in, I say we made good time.

The last time we were there, I was amazed at how the Catarina Road has been repaired, totally paved. So, in less than 2 hours we arrived in Hacienda Iguana. I would advise people to always use a 4W drive vehicle due to the last 8 km stretch before driving up to the gate of the Hacienda. A muddy and flooded dirt road where one will have to cross a river and god forbid it just rained (there was a time we almost got stuck there after a heavy downpour - we had to wait for news that the water has subsided before we can drive back to Managua - although I can think of worse places to be stuck).

No AAAs here in Nicaragua to the rescue plus with only one mobile carrier working in the area (Claro), you will be at the mercy of the passers-by who hopefully will have a stronger car to pull you out of the ditch (we usually travel 2-3 families at a time).

Hacienda Iguana is always worth the trip...once you get there. We used to rent beach front condos (check updated pricing here) but last time we tried renting a 4BR house, (also beach front for $375 a night) split between 2 families, on the same beach. I like the condos better. The houses are more private but I thought it was cozy being on the shared pool meeting other people who were on holiday, sharing drinks and talking....sometimes, nonsense. But then that's just me, I'm always curious as to the whos, whys and whats.

As both condos and houses have well equipped kitchens (while the condos are uniform, some houses are bigger or nicer than others), we normally bring food to cook and drinks to share even if there's a restaurant on the premises (where you can buy ice, btw, yippee) - it's just more cozy. You might get lucky and meet fishermen selling fresh fish or lobsters on one of your beach walks - like a dozen of these freshly caught lobsters from these guys (!!!), all for $20, for example (courtesy of bff A's dad visiting from the US - totally blew him away).

I will now let the photos speak for themselves (click to enlarge):

Beachfront condo area:

Inside the condo:

The beach house area:

The beach house:

Pets are allowed in the houses but not in the condos.

Good place + good friends = great time!

PS. Hacienda Iguana has a golf course (1 of 2 in Nicaragua, so far - Jack Nicklaus is purportedly currently designing 1 somewhere, I forget where), for golf enthusiasts.