Nicaragua Beaches: 14 Must-See Spots You Need to Visit
Looking for the best Nicaragua beaches?
Traveling in Central America can be a glorious experience, offering access to lush vegetation, volcanoes, ruins, and long, sandy beaches.
Some of the best Nicaragua beaches sit on the country’s Pacific coast, though there are great ones on the Caribbean side, too.
A beach trip to Nicaragua can be a magical journey. Most of these beaches offer activities like snorkeling and surfing.
Still, you can also do things that don’t require any equipment or cost anything, like swimming in the crystal clear waters of the ocean or lying in the sun with a cold beer.
Here are 14 must-visit beautiful beaches in Nicaragua.
14 Nicaragua Beaches
These are the best beaches in Nicaragua. There is a perfect beach for every type of traveler.
Whether you’re looking for a quiet place, one with a jumping nightlife, or the best surfing you can find.
Let’s dive in.
Yemaya
Located on Little Corn Island, Yemaya is a hidden gem among beaches in Nicaragua.
It sits on the coast of the Caribbean Sea. And gets much less tourist traffic than the country’s Pacific coast beaches.
📍 There’s an absolutely stunning hotel called Yemaya Reefs for your lodging needs. Walking out toward the water, you’ll find white sandy beaches beneath your feet.
You can also enjoy cabanas or go to the hotel spa for massages and other services.
There are airplane flights to Little Corn Island.
However, if you are looking for a more budget-friendly option, take a bus from Managua to El Rama, where you can board a ferry to Yemaya.
Las Peñitas
Las Peñitas is a perfect surfer’s beach for anyone who wants to ride the waves or play in them.
Located about 30 minutes outside León, Las Peñitas offers a quieter beach experience. It’s not the most-frequented spot on this list, but that’s simply because it is not a party beach.
You can find hostels nearby and some hotels and lodges that are, at the most, just a couple of blocks away from the soft, powdery sand.
You’ll also find several businesses offering surfboard rental and surfing lessons.
Unless you’ve scored a rental car, the best bet for getting to Las Peñitas is by bus.
Departing from Mercadito De Sutiava in León, the 30-ish-minute trip to the beach costs 16 córdoba. A taxi ride may run as much as $15 US.
Montelimar Beach
This white sand beach seemingly serves the all-inclusive resort nearby, Barceló Montelimar. Which boasts almost 300 rooms, some of which are beachfront cottages.
There’s also a large casino built into the former Somoza estate.
Montelimar Beach is on the Pacific Ocean side of Nicaragua. So if you’re staying in Managua, you’ll be looking at a 90-minute drive or cab ride southwest on NN-301.
Once you get there, you’ve got the free option of going to the beach for the day. Or you can rent scooters or ATVs!
Playa El Coco
Barely 10 miles north of the southern Nicaragua / northern Costa Rica border, Playa El Coco boasts a vibrant nightlife and relaxed days.
It appeals nearly universally to tourists and locals alike due to its proximity to the larger airports in Liberia, Costa Rica.
Because of this wide appeal, Playa El Coco is extremely busy on holidays like Christmas and Easter. At the same time, the summer months are a little calmer.
There’s a boardwalk with many restaurants and shops, and travelers can use Playa El Coco as a jumping-off point for exploring Guanacaste.
Guanacaste is a northern Costa Rica parkland with great hiking and diverse wildlife.
Pochomil
There are three main resorts around Pochomil: Los Cardones EcoLodge, Casa Larocque Villa, and Hotel Vistamar.
All these resorts offer varying price points and amenities. Tiki hut bars with thatched roofs dot Pochomil, setting a relaxed tone for a quiet time at the beach.
Restaurants, vendors, and tourist activities make for an adventure when you visit.
However, if you’re looking for quiet solitude, go on a weekday, as Pochomil is pretty busy on the weekends.
Pochomil sits about an hour’s drive south of Managua via the South Highway (Carretera Sur).
Follow the Pochomil signs, and you’re close when you see a collection of restaurants.
Pearl Cays
The Pearl Cays have endured controversy surrounding the endangered hawksbill turtle, which calls this place home.
The location consists of 18 uninhabited islands off the Pearl Lagoon on Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast.
To get there, you’ll need to take a one-hour flight from Managua to Bluefields and hire a panga boat since the islands are about 20 miles from shore.
You can swim from some islands to others, but not from the shore to the cays.
The main draw here is the isolation and the untouched nature of the islands. Plus, the ridiculously clear water, which makes snorkeling and fishing (with a pole or a spear) exquisite.
And you’ll likely see more than a few dolphins.
Playa Maderas
You can stay in hotels, hostels, or even in a beautiful VRBO , as Playa Maderas has grown a substantial infrastructure over the last few years.
The beach, which sits just a few miles north of San Juan del Sur, provides excellent waves. So it’s a surf mecca of Nicaraguan beaches.
Grab some local groceries at Angelita’s just up the road, or take advantage of the numerous restaurants and bars.
Rent boards, get surf lessons, or strike out on your own if you already know what you’re doing on a board.
Despite being an excellent location for surfing due to the trade winds that blow nearly year-round, Playa Maderas is a relatively unfrequented beach.
Perfect for a quiet escape.
Redonda Bay
Another Pacific-side beach, Redonda Bay, is home to the Aqua Wellness Resort and several other hotels and accommodations.
It’s a short walk from Gigante and offers white sandy beaches, great ocean views, and unparalleled sunset-watching.
Surf here, charter a boat for fishing, or take in the relaxed vibes on any number of hammocks in the shade. There are several restaurants on and near Redonda Bay, many sitting right on the beach.
Gigante is a popular destination that offers a small-town atmosphere with grocery stores and other shops.
Playa La Flor
Between July and January, thousands of paslama turtles show up to Playa La Flor, and deposit their eggs. Then they watch their new baby turtles hatch.
And the mama turtles aren’t the only ones watching.
Playa La Flor is a wildlife refuge. As such, the turtles are protected, and they’re there for watching.
Hundreds of wildlife lovers flock there each season for the hatching. This beach is a perfect spot to see the sea turtles.
Since it’s a wildlife refuge, Playa La Flor is undeveloped and considered one of the wild beaches.
You can camp there, but if you’re after a hotel stay, you’ll need to head a few miles north to Playa El Coco to find a roof to go over your head.
Outside of nesting season, there’s not much going on there.
Punta Jesus Maria
Little more than a natural fishing dock that juts into Lake Nicaragua, Punta Jesus Maria has few amenities or accommodations.
So when you head there, be sure to pack food and drinks.
You can get a great view of two volcanos— Concepcion and Maderas— and enjoy swimming and kayaking in the relatively shallow waters.
And since they’re so shallow, they are also usually relatively calm waters.
It sits on Ometepe island in Lake Nicaragua, less than three miles south of Moyogalpa on highway 64. You’ll see a sign directing you to the beach via a dirt road.
Jiquilillo
This long beach next to the small village of Jiquilillo offers quaint accommodations that are not fancy.
One of the selling points of this very long beach is that there is no wifi available for miles. So when you go here, be prepared to completely unplug, it’s a great place to get in tune with nature.
From Chinandega, head for El Viejo city, then follow the road to Potosí and the subsequent signs to Jiquilillo.
Expect a bustling local market scene early in the day. Take advantage of the fresh fish available there, as Juquilillo is a fishing village and a great spot for local seafood.
Playa Remanso
As you’ll need to take a dirt road from San Juan del Sur, access to Playa Remanso is iffy at best during the rainy season in Nicaragua (May to October).
But in the dry times, you’ll have no problem reaching this, one of the better Nicaragua beaches for surfing.
On or off a board, enjoy great views of surrounding mountains, soft sand, and lots of restaurants and accommodations.
Nicer hotels can be found in San Juan del Sur, but what’s there at the beach are still great quality hotels.
Surf school packages in San Juan del Sur apply at the surf shops at Playa Remanso. So you can plan ahead and spend more time in the water.
La Boquita
The Hotel Suleyka offers lovely views and accommodations for those visiting La Boquita. The beach is located in the town of Diriamba, so getting to it is easy.
It’s well-marked for those walking or biking there, and public transportation can get you there easily, too.
It’s a good surfing beach, though swimming, fishing, and horseback riding activities are also available. La Boquita is a tourist attraction; as such, it has plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops nearby.
If you choose to go to a restaurant, go in on your own.
You’ll get many offers from locals for them to take you to “their restaurant,” but if you choose to go this route, your meal will cost more.
Strike out on your own. You’re on an adventure, after all.
Playa Guasacate
This terrific surf spot has a lot of surf shops and offers some excellent waves year-round. And it is ideal for surfers of all ability levels.
Though it’s located right near Popoyo, and sometimes people refer to Playa Guasacate as “Popoyo Beach,” the actual Popoyo Beach is just south of Playa Guasacate.
Surfing lessons are available here, from a half-day course to multi-day surf camps.
Even better than the waves is the absolute lack of the “locals-only” bro culture many newcomers have to suffer through at hot surf spots.
They’ll totally welcome you to the waves as long as you follow basic surfing etiquette.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since Nicaragua is a large country with lots to see and do, some questions are more common than others.
When is the best time to visit Nicaragua?
Plan to go to Nicaragua between November and May.
You’ll be able to escape the cold winter of North America and be there during the dry season, so you’ll have delightful weather.
How many beaches are there in Nicaragua?
There are 59 recognized beaches in Nicaragua, though the country boasts over 500 miles of coastline.
Which beach in Nicaragua has the best waves for surfing?
Most surfers agree that Playa Maderas is one of Nicaragua’s best surf beaches, though many offer beautiful waves.
Conclusion
Nicaragua beaches offer sun, sand, surf, and (if you find the right one) solitude.
Enjoying fish tacos among the palm trees on white-sand beaches and swimming among the coral reefs is one fantastic way to explore Nicaragua beaches.
There’s a beach for every type of traveler and beach-goer.
Plus the wide range of hotels, restaurants and other amenities and accommodations can fit every traveler’s budget.