Best beaches in Nicaragua

Although Nicaragua is not one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, it has some places that certainly have reason to be. Spread between the coasts of the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, Nicaragua offers its visitors miles of wonderful beaches. As beautiful and paradisiacal as those of Copacabana and San Andres.

If you’re planning a trip to Nicaragua, you can’t miss its stunning beaches. Such as Corn Island with its impressive and vivid coral reefs. Or Maderas Beach in San Juan del Sur, the ideal place for surfing. Read on to discover the best Nicaragua beaches with Passporter, as well as some travel tips.

1. Corn Island

Corn Island is one of Nicaragua’s most famous destinations for its unparalleled beauty and extensive biodiversity. It is an archipelago located in the Caribbean Sea, about 70 km off the coast of Nicaragua, and is made up of two islands: Big Corn Island and Little Corn Island. The larger of the two has most of the services for travellers. And the smaller one can only be reached by a boat that leaves twice a day from Big Corn Island…

Big Corn Island offers a variety of interesting activities for visitors, including hiking and cycling inland, trips to Mount Pleasant Hill and its breathtaking views. However, the best things to do on Corn Island are the beaches and seabed.

All of Corn Island’s beaches are wonderful. But if you’re interested in snorkelling and watching the stunning coral reefs and marine life, you’ll want to visit the eastern beaches: Long Beach and Silver Sand Beach.

Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.

2. Beaches of San Juan del Sur, one of the most beautiful in Nicaragua

In addition to the Caribbean, some of the best beaches in Nicaragua are on the Pacific coast. For example, the beaches of the municipality of San Juan del Sur, in the department of Rivas, 15 km from the Costa Rican border, are characterised by extreme waves and are ideal for surfing.

• Hermosa Beach: Located about 10 km from the centre of San Juan del Sur is a beach that does justice to its name. It’s Paya Hermosa, a natural paradise of white sand so large that the view is lost in its immensity. It has been acquired by a resort. So, to access it, you have to pay an entrance fee of about $3, which is absolutely worth it. Come and contemplate the beauty of the place! It may be too touristy for some people, however, as locals don’t usually have access to this fee-paying beach. If you’re looking for authentic experiences and to blend in with the locals on your travels, we recommend Maderas Beach.
• Maderas Beach: About 20 minutes drive from town, located next to Majagua beach, Playa Maderas is considered the best beach in San Juan del Sur and by many, the best in Nicaragua, especially by surfers due to its consistently good and daring waves. On this beach you will find some accommodation and food stalls that are set up according to demand. There is also a small camping service. It should be noted that the access road is dirt and during the winter it can become difficult. However, the turquoise colour of its waters, its wide sand, the tranquillity, the green and lush jungle surrounding it and its rock formations make Maderas Beach an ideal destination to enjoy the sun and the sea for everyone. And, when the tide is low, other interesting activities are available, such as snorkelling, kayaking and wonderful horseback riding along the beach – a unique experience!

3. Bluff Beach in Bluefields, one of the most beautiful beaches in Nicaragua

Bluff Beach is the most famous beach in Bluefields, a small Caribbean town of about 3,000 inhabitants that in recent years has become very popular with travellers visiting Nicaragua. It is not surprising since it has some of the best beaches in the country, beautiful churches and interesting cultural visits such as the Waiku Gallery and the Bluefields Cultural Museum.

To get to this small island there are two options, a public boat from the Bluefields market pier, which takes about 15 minutes and costs about €1.5; or take a private boat for about €20.

4. Beaches of the Municipality of Tola

In addition to those located in San Juan del Sur, there is another place on the Pacific coast that has some of the best beaches in Nicaragua. These are those belonging to the municipality of Tola. Also in the department of Rivas. With 54 km of coastline and a total of 19 beaches including Astillero, Guasacate, Costa Larga, Popoyo, Sardina, Playa Iguana, among others. In Tola you can live unique experiences such as visiting the sea turtle nursery at Punta Teonoste. And, if it is the season, the nesting of the turtles.

• Astillero Beach: One of the most charming and pleasant of Tola. Small in size, it has a title of a Wildlife Refuge in 1983. You can enjoy its great biodiversity, perfectly preserved, on a day at the beach. Today, a small community of fishermen populate the area. So, in the evening, you can watch the fishing activity on the calm waves of Astillero. It’s the opportunity to meet the locals and learn about their customs and culture.
• Guasacate Beach: Another of Tola’s best options, especially if you enjoy water sports. The waves of Guasacate, much more daring than those of Astillero, are an attraction for surfers of Tola and for tourists who are not satisfied with just lying in the sun. It is an unspoilt beach, perfectly preserved and normally not very crowded. It also has some beautiful natural pools, formed by the erosion of seawater on the rocks, where you can swim and enjoy the magic of the Nicaraguan Pacific coast.

Tips for your trip to Nicaragua’s beaches

• No visa is required for travel to Nicaragua for less than 90 days.
• Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
• Nicaraguan currency is the Nicaraguan córdoba (1 NIO = €0.028), but US dollars are accepted in virtually all shops.
• Avoid currency exchanges at airports if you want to avoid high commissions.
• Always carry some cash, some shops in Nicaragua don’t accept credit cards.
• Care for and respect the environment. Don’t throw rubbish on the beach, keep your rubbish if you can’t find rubbish bins nearby.
• Always wear sunscreen, sunglasses and headscarves or hats when exposed to intense sunlight.
• Bring water and something to eat if you’re spending the day on one of Nicaragua’s pristine beaches. Many of which have no beach bars.
• Be careful with your belongings and follow common sense: don’t expose luxury items and avoid non-touristy areas, especially at night.

How to organize your trip to Nicaragua’s beaches

Register or download the Passporter App and discover all its possibilities.

• Get inspiration from the experiences of other travellers.
• Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions to it.
• Add the stops that interest you most, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest listed in this post as a reference).
• Organize your itinerary by route days according to their location on the map (you can take inspiration from the routes we present in the post).
• Check the travel budget that the app calculates according to your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
• Make the modifications you need, and you’ll be all set for your trip.
• Share your experience. Upload photos of the places you’ve visited on your trip to the app, and recommend the best beaches in Nicaragua to other travellers.

Frequently Asked Questions about Nicaragua’s beaches