Playa Maderas, Nicaragua Travel Guide: Best SJDS Alternative

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San Juan del Sur is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nicaragua, but this rowdy party town didn’t suit us. 

Enter Playa Maderas. 

Less than half an hour from SJDS on a bumpy, dusty road Playa Maderas is a peaceful refuge from the crowds and noise of San Juan. 

Surfers have been in the know about this hidden gem for a long time, but the rest of us are slowly catching up. 

Nestled in the jungle with funky surf camps, a handful of beachside restaurants and excellent sunsets, Playa Maderas has become more than just a day trip from San Juan del Sur. It’s a destination in its own right and one we vibed with much, much more. 

In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know about visiting Playa Maderas Nicaragua, whether you’ve got one day, or one week to dedicate to this offbeat beach town.

About Playa Maderas Nicaragua

San Juan del Sur is the centre from which everything radiates in Southwestern Nicaragua, but it’s not the only place that should be on your radar. 

This beach city is well and truly on the tourist trail, but there are a number of satellite beaches both to the north and the south that offer a quieter, more natural experience with great waves. 

Playa Maderas is one of these beaches. It’s the biggest and most setup for overnight visitors, but don’t be fooled – San Juan this is not. 

Forget the streets packed with restaurants, cafes, bars, shops and hotels. Playa Maderas is a collection of a few disconnected dusty streets, with a handful of accommodations scattered around the jungle-clad hillside and a single dirt road leading to the beach. 

It’s less than half an hour from SJDS, but it feels world’s away. This is rural Nica at its finest, with enough to keep relaxed travellers happy, but nothing more. 

There are howler monkeys swinging in the trees, near-empty beaches before the day trippers roll in and a slow-paced, barefoot kind of vibe. 

If you don’t surf, there’s nothing to do here, but that’s the beauty of it. 

It’s a great place to relax for a few nights, aligning your days to the sun and the tides, with long beach walks, ocean dips, stunning sunsets and jungle vibes. 

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Day or stay in Playa Maderas?

We decided to spend a few nights in both San Juan and Playa Maderas, which I think was the perfect balance. We did our sightseeing and activities from SJDS and saved the relaxing beach and surf time for Maderas. 

If time is not on your side, there are a few other ways you can consider fitting Maderas into your Nicaragua itinerary. 

A lot of people just visit Playa Maderas for the day from San Juan. If you’re tight on time and would prefer to be based in the heart of the action, go for it. 

If you’re happy to sacrifice on the eateries, parties and sights around SJDS, make Playa Maderas your only destination. You’re honestly not missing much and if surf and beach are your focus, I’d happily beeline straight for Maderas and skip San Juan altogether. 

Getting to Playa Maderas

STEP 1: GET TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR

Given the remote location of Playa Maderas, the best way to get here is to first get yourself to the bigger town of San Juan del Sur. This is a common transport hub and is easily accessible from many destinations around the country. 

I’ve got more detailed info about getting to SJDS in my San Juan del Sur guide, but you can take a shuttle from destinations around Nicaragua or Costa Rica, or take a bus via Managua or Rivas.  

STEP 2: SAN JUAN DEL SUR – PLAYA MADERAS

Beach shuttle 🚛

The quickest and easiest way to get from San Juan del Sur to Playa Maderas is via the Casa Oro beach shuttle. This hostel in SJDS runs the shuttle multiple times per day, in a big, open-sided truck with plenty of room for bags and surfboards. 

Note that the shuttle won’t drop off at all accommodations in Maderas. It runs along the main road and may or may not turn off, depending on where you are staying. Ask when you book. 

The cost is $4 one-way or $7 return. You don’t have to return on the same day. You need to buy your ticket in the hostel before the shuttle arrives, they don’t do payments in the truck. 

The journey takes about half an hour on very bumpy, very dusty roads. You pass through some really lovely rural communities and it’s a nice way to glimpse some of the less-visited areas of San Juan del Sur. 

The journey is much quicker than it used to be (< 15 mins vs > 30) as the new Carretera Costanera (Coastal Highway) is opening up around SJDS. The route is mostly paved now, but do note that the road leading down to Playa Maderas and side roads branching out to accommodations are still unpaved and very very steep. I think this will change in the future, and it looks like roadworks are happening right now all the way down to the beach, but for now still expect some off-road!

Check the latest schedule and prices on the Casa Oro website.

Taxi 🚕

If the shuttle times don’t work out for you, or you’re a group of 3+, you can get a taxi from San Juan. Expect to pay at least $20 – $25, baggage and surfboards cost extra. 

If you’re staying at one of the accommodations in the hills above the beach, you will need to get a 4×4 taxi, or face a long walk up a steep hill as the regular taxis can’t make it up many of the roads. Ask your accommodation in advance what they recommend.

Car 🚙

If you’d like some independence to get around Playa Maderas and the surrounding beaches, you can rent a car in San Juan del Sur. You’ll want to make it a 4×4, or even rent an ATV or UTV, as the roads are all dirt, and are very steep and bumpy. While the access to this area is now on the new paved highway, the roads actually leading down to the beach and accommodations are still unpaved, and it was crazzzzzy steep and slippery – especially in the wet season.

A few of the most reputable agencies that specifically have these kinds of all-terrain cars and vehicles are: 

• RentaNica
• Dayanna Rent a Car
• EC Rent a Car

Motorbike 🏍️

In a similar vein, a motorbike can offer independence to get to and around Playa Maderas. However, a small scooter/Vespa style won’t cut it on these roads, especially if your accommodation is perched on the hills. 

Only rent a bike if you’re comfortable and experienced riding one, and make sure it’s a motorbike not a scooter. 

Some reputable rental options in San Juan del Sur are:

• RentaNica
• Nica Moto Rentals
• Cascante Moto Rentals

Getting around Playa Maderas

Playa Maderas is a hodge podge of dirt roads and jungle trails, that don’t always connect, and aren’t always on Google Maps. 

• 👣 On foot: unless you’ve rented a car or motorbike in San Juan del Sur, once you arrive in Playa Maderas, you’re pretty much walking everywhere.
  
  Check the location of your accommodation carefully and be aware that it gets quite steep and hilly as you move back off the beach. The roads are steep and very slippery gravel.
  
  The beach is always the most direct route if you’re heading north and south, and there is a network of unmarked jungle trails that are quicker than the roads (e.g. to Hush). Ask your accommodation for some tips on these.

• 🛵 By motorbike: don’t bring a motorbike to Maderas if you don’t know how to drive one. It is very steep and very slippery going down the dirt hills. 

• 🛻 By car: if you’ve rented a 4×4 car, be very careful driving around here. We watched an Italian guy slide out down the hill and get his mate’s truck stuck in a ditch and need to be towed out.

• 🚕 Taxi: there aren’t taxis hanging around in Maderas. If you want one, you might get lucky to snag someone dropping off, but otherwise you’ll need your accommodation to pre-organise one for you.

• 🚛 Surf shuttles: some of the surf-focused accommodations up in the hills offer transport down to the beach each day. If you’re relying on that service, I’d suggest confirming in advance how often they run so you’re not trapped at your accommodation.

Where to stay in Playa Maderas

The main thing to consider when choosing where to stay in Playa Maderas is the distance to the beach and checking how long it will take you to walk there (downhill) and back (uphill).

Most options here are a mix of hostel and hotel. Pretty much every accommodation offers dorms and private rooms, so the ‘fancy’ options can still be affordable! There’s nothing exceptionally high-end, and besides a couple of very cheap options, most places fall into the nice, mid-range vibe. 

• 💰 Big Drop Surf House: just a 2-minute walk up the road from the beach, this is where we stayed. It’s the perfect option for a couple who wants privacy but affordability. It’s run by a lovely Nicaraguan-Aussie couple, and there are 4 private rooms with private bathrooms and a communal kitchen. Super chill, it had everything we needed and the location was perfect.  

• 💰 NOSOTROS: not exactly a dirt cheap option but if you’re above a dorm bed budget, this is an excellent value choice. Perched on a hill in the jungle, these self-contained casitas are built with natural, eco-friendly materials. Each room has a kitchen so you can be entirely independent. It feels like an earthy, treehouse kind of vibe. The only thing to note is that it is quite a steep, 10 – 15 minute walk to the beach. (Formerly known as Agora).

• 💰💰 Buena Vista Surf Club: this surf/yoga retreat is a fully immersive experience. Rooms are a collection of private palm-thatched huts in the jungle. They have an expansive yoga deck overlooking the ocean, with yoga classes, ice baths and communal family breakfasts and dinners. It’s not too far from the beach, but as with many other properties, it’s a steep walk

• 💰💰 Hush: Hush has always been the place to stay in Playa Maderas. They have both dorms and private rooms and in terms of amenities (an infinity pool overlooking the ocean and a great restaurant/bar) it can’t be beat. However the rooms and service are a bit tired, and given that non-guests can visit for a meal and a swim, I’d think carefully about staying here. 

• 💰💰💰 Hostel Clandestino: although this option is called a ‘hostel’ and offers dorm rooms, I think this is the pick of the bunch if you’re looking for something higher-end. Their duplex studios are like boho treehouses. The design and styling are impeccable and you are nestled amongst the jungle with your own kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and balcony. Of course, if you’re on a budget, their dorms are an excellent choice!

• 💰💰💰 Casa Kaiyo: a new-ish villa option that has the possibility to be rented in its entirety, or by individual room. The styling and design is on-point, they have a shared communal kitchen, nice rooftop space and are nestled in the jungle with birds and monkeys all around. Steep 10 – 15 minute walk to the beach.

Things to do in Playa Maderas

Outside of surfing, there is very little to do in Playa Maderas but that’s the beauty of it. Long beach walks, lazy days reading a book in a hammock and enjoying the incredible sunsets over the wave rock. It’s a great place for your budget as everything is free or cheap!

Go surfing

Surfers have long flocked to Playa Maderas for its year-round consistent waves.

The beach has a couple of different breaks, and newbies can practice standing up in the whitewash without annoying the pros further out the back. 

Brayden did prefer Beginner Bay in Popoyo as an intermediate break. When we visited Maderas, the swell was pumping making it a bit hard for anyone outside of the extremely new category splashing in the shallows, or extremely skilled, tearing it up on the big waves. That might have just been bad timing for us though! 

The tides at Playa Maderas are huge, and it’s best to surf on mid-high tide. At low tide, the beach turns from a narrow strip to a vast field of sand, with fewer waves. 

If you’re a beginner/intermediate, always keep an eye on the swell at low tide as there can be some fun small ones to play around on without the crowds. 

If you want to take lessons there are a handful of surf schools clustered around the entrance to the beach, some of the better rated options are: 

• Rebelde Surf School
• bayer Surf School
• Humble Paradise Surf School

If you want to rent a board, you can do so from any of these schools, or from the stands on the beach. This is the better option compared to carrying your board up and down the hill from your accommodation. 

The going rate is $10 USD for the day. 

Relax on the beach

Even if you’re not into surfing, Playa Maderas is a beautiful beach to spend a day or more relaxing. 

It’s cleaner than the beaches in San Juan del Sur, and there are very few vendors around meaning it’s quiet and peaceful. You can rent lounges and umbrellas on the beach, and the handful of beachfront restaurants can keep you well-fed and hydrated!

If you don’t mind swimming with waves, it’s not impossible to swim here although it’s a far cry from the bath-like beaches in the Corn Islands! The waves mostly break offshore, so there’s plenty of calm whitewash to splash around in. Low tide is generally better for swimming but you’ll have a long walk to the water’s edge! 

If you’re up for a long beach walk, you can walk north to the next beach along, Playa Majagual. This is a calmer, protected bay that’s lovely for swimming. Regretfully we didn’t do this as the sun was blazing when we visited, and we couldn’t stomach a hot walk along the sand! If you do, plan it for low tide and go early before the heat of the day. 

We did spend some time exploring the rocky coastline at the southern end of Playa Maderas. At low tide you can scramble onto ledges, watch the waves crash onto the rocks and spot little ocean pools and crabs. 

We were attempting to get around the cape to the next beach, Playa Marsella, but it got a bit sketchy towards the end so we abandoned our mission and went back to Maderas for a beer. I’d love to know if you make it.

Watch the sunset

Playa Maderas is dominated by a huge, wave-shaped rock just offshore, and there’s no better time to admire it than at sunset, when the golden ball drops right behind it. 

Most places on the beach have a good vantage point for the sunset, and you can grab a cold beer from the aptly named Maderas Sunset Bar and enjoy the show! It is the perfect way to end the day, and your stay in Playa Maderas should revolve around the sunset time.

An alternative sunset view is from Hush, one of the resorts that is open to non-guests. More on that…

Spend a day by the pool at Hush or Espejo

Most accommodations don’t have pools in Maderas and if you’re not a surfer, the beach can feel a bit like a washing machine, so finding a pool is a great shout for a lazy afternoon on a hot day. There are two places you can do this in Maderas: Hush and Espejo.

One of the most popular accommodations in the area, Hush, has a restaurant that is open to non-guests. Not only can you get a good feed and some delicious cocktails, if you’re buying food or drink, you can use their infinity pool overlooking the beach!

They have amazing sunset views so make sure you stick around, and if time your visit for Monday, you can enjoy their Taco Mondays with good specials on tacos and margaritas. 

There is a shortcut trail through the jungle from the main road leading up to Hush. Ask your accommodation for more info, but if you’re walking, you don’t have to go all the way around on the road. 

Espejo is a relatively new entrant to Playa Maderas. It’s not an accommodation, but rather a dedicated beach club! Similar to Hush, it’s perched up on the hill overlooking the water, with an infinity pool, jungle vibes and excellent design. It’s adults-only, and feels like it would be more at home in the Med than Nicaragua, with music, vibes and drinks on point. I don’t believe there is any minimum spend, and you can book a table online. Stay for sunset!

Take a yoga class

Surf and yoga are always a pair and there are plenty of places where you can take a yoga class in Playa Maderas. 

One of the best is Buena Vista Surf Club. Their huge yoga deck is perched up in the jungle overlooking the beach and it is stunning! They have drop in classes every morning for $10, or for $15 you can add on a cold plunge in their ice baths afterwards. 

Check their website for the latest times. 

Where to eat in Playa Maderas

• 🥘 Juanita’s Kitchen: hands down the best place to eat in Maderas, Juanita’s Kitchen is a lovely local spot at the far northern end of the beach. The fish curry was out of this world and we loved the jalapeño chicken too. They open in the morning so you can also get a nice tipico Nica breakfast too. 

• 🌮 Hush: the restaurant at Hush is open to non-guests, plus you can use their pool if you’re buying food or drinks. They do Taco Mondays, where they have specials on their tacos and margaritas, which are very good. There is also Wine Down Wednesdays, with discounted wines and pastas.

• 🍸 Espejo Maderas: chic Med vibes at this beach club with an infinity pool overlooking the water, upscale food options and cocktails.

• 🍻 Maderas Sunset Bar: a casual spot right on the sand, the beer is cold and the local food is good. Think ceviche, patacones, fried fish and other local specialties at pretty reasonable prices given the amazing views.  

• 🌯 Studio Cafe Bar & Grill: one of the better and more affordable options at the beach (there are a few stinkers, make sure you check the reviews!). Their quesadillas and burritos are delicious and they’ve got big affordable tipico plates with all the trimmings. 

• 🍓 Maderas Cafe: our fave little cafe in Maderas, right behind the beach. They had pretty decent coffee, nice smoothie bowls and tasty sandwiches that were perfect for a pre-surf fuel up. 

• ☕️ Machete Market Cafe: this option is on the road to San Juan del Sur, so it’s not exactly in Maderas as such, but it’s worth the trip if you can navigate transport. It’s a cafe/market, with a small store with fresh produce, pantry goods etc. if you need to stock up without having to go back to SJDS. Their cafe is open daily for breakfast and lunch, with freshly baked bread, great coffee, and healthy smoothies and bowls. They open for dinner from Thursday – Sunday, and you’ll want to get your order in early for homemade pizzas and pasta!

Playa Maderas Nicaragua travel tips

🇳🇮 Get more Nicaragua travel tips in our Nicaragua travel guide

• 🌤️ Best time to visit: if you’re considering weather alone, the dry season, from November – April, is the best time to visit to avoid the rains and humidity. However, if surfing is your priority, the wet season from May – October has the biggest swell, although Playa Maderas is pretty consistent year-round. The entire Pacific Coast can get very dry and dusty, so visiting during or after the rainy season also has the benefit of seeing the area green and lush. 

• 🗓️ How long to stay: if you’re surfing, basically however long you want to surf for! If you’re not, there’s very little to do in Playa Maderas. It depends if you’re using Maderas as a base to explore San Juan del Sur too, or if you’re dividing your time and staying in both places. We spent 3 nights in Maderas as a separate trip to our time in SJDS and it was lovely, slow-paced, and very relaxing. 

• 🫶🏼 Safety: Playa Maderas is safe. It is a very tiny town (calling it a town is probably a stretch!), and it’s mostly full of surfers and travellers. We had no safety concerns here. The only thing to be mindful of is the waves and currents, and if you are driving, as the roads are very steep, slippery and bumpy and require a 4×4 (for now, this might change in the not to distant future with the current road works).

• 🗣️ Language: Spanish is the official language in Nicaragua and is, of course, widely spoken in Playa Maderas. There are a fair few expats and lots of international surfers around so English is spoken, but don’t expect everyone to speak it. 

• 💰 Currency: the official currency of Nicaragua is the Nicaraguan Córdoba, however you will see a lot of prices quoted in USD. Playa Maderas wasn’t the worst place we went to, and I’d say it’s 50/50 between the venues that price in Cordoba and those that price in USD. Don’t rely on being able to pay with card. A lot of places do accept them, but Maderas is quite remote and often off-grid with poor internet so it doesn’t always work. 

• 🏧 ATMs: there are no ATMs in Playa Maderas. The nearest are in San Juan del Sur, so come loaded with cash. Not everywhere accepts card. 

• 📱 Phone & SIM Cards: like many Central American countries, Claro and Tigo are the most popular phone providers in Nicaragua.
  
  Maderas is tiny and there are no phone stores here. If you have just crossed the border from Costa Rica and this is your first stop in Nica, you’ll need to organise your phone in San Juan del Sur. There is a Claro store in town, otherwise most tiendas or phone shops can sell and set up a SIM card for you. If all that sounds way too complicated, you can get an eSIM. I recommend Nomad as their data inclusions are much higher than other companies.

• 🥑 Groceries: there aren’t any grocery stores or tiendas in Playa Maderas. Machete Market Cafe has a small store attached to it where you can buy produce and basic pantry goods, but if you need a big stock up of groceries, you’ll want to do it in San Juan del Sur.
  
  Check if you’ve got a kitchen in your accommodation, and if so come fully loaded with groceries. We pre-bought all our ingredients to cook a few dinners and breakfasts and carried them with us to Maderas. 

• 💧 Can you drink the water: it’s safest not to drink the water in Playa Maderas or anywhere else in Nicaragua. Your accommodation should have large garrafónes or jugs with purified water. Please don’t buy single-use plastic bottles. 

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Final thoughts: Playa Maderas travel guide

Playa Maderas is the perfect antidote to San Juan del Sur. If that’s not your scene, get yourself to Maderas ASAP! 

We had a few blissfully slow few days here and it was the perfect place to relax and unwind after an action-packed few weeks in Nica.

Waking up to the howler monkeys calling, having a quiet beer on the beach at sunset and beach combing in the rock pools was just what the doctor ordered. 

If you’re following our Nicaragua itinerary, your next stop after Playa Maderas will most likely be back to San Juan del Sur, or across the border to Costa Rica if you’re continuing south. If you’re travelling north, set your sights on the magic island of Ometepe.

MORE NICARAGUA PACIFIC COAST POSTS

• San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua Travel Guide: Worth the Hype?
• Popoyo, Nicaragua Travel Guide: Surf, Sand and Sunsets