This article contains affiliate links that may earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, see our affiliate disclaimer.
One of a handful of small surf towns along Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast, Popoyo has long attracted surfers from all over the world with its consistent, year-round swell.
Travellers are starting to catch onto its charm too.
Popoyo is a remote, rural town with dusty streets, no ATMs and the occasional pig or goat wandering around. The pace of life slows down here and the days blend together, guided by the sun and the tides.
Beginner Bay is one of the best surf breaks in the country for newbie or intermediate surfers, and the sunsets are some of the best we’ve seen anywhere in the world!
In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know about Popoyo Nicaragua. Including the best way to get to this slightly off-the-beaten-track destination, a breakdown of the two different areas of Popoyo, how to get around and the best places to eat, play and stay.
About Popoyo Nicaragua
Popoyo is a rural surf town located on the central Pacific Coast in Nicaragua. Long visited by intrepid surfers, Popoyo is starting to become a fixture on the Nicaragua traveller route.
It’s nowhere near as busy as party-centric San Juan del Sur and less accessible than Las Peñitas near Leon, leaving Popoyo somewhere in the middle.
An uncrowded, undeveloped gem with dusty streets, beautiful sunsets and year-round consistent surf. Where power outages are common, cash is king and pigs and cows wander freely.
I love nothing more than remote Central American surf towns with nothing to do. There’s something special about planning your day around the sun and the tides, whether you’re a surfer or not. Long, lazy walks on the sand, hopping around rock pools, reading books in hammocks and enjoying spectacular golden sunsets, I always find these destinations a much-needed reset after hectic periods of travel.
But as beautiful as Popoyo was, I’d be lying if I said we fell in love with it.
It ticked a lot of boxes and we did have a really enjoyable and relaxing time here. But it also had a very heavy American, expat vibe with a cliquey group that felt closed and unwelcoming. There was very little local presence or influence either. It didn’t help that the town is essentially split into two separate parts which felt disjointed and hard to navigate.
This is just our personal experience and is not supposed to dissuade you from visiting Popoyo, I hope you adore it! I’m all about realistic expectations and I’d rather you be surprised by how much you like somewhere versus disappointed it didn’t live up to the hype.
We just couldn’t find our spot on Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast. We tried Popoyo, Playa Maderas and San Juan del Sur and nothing stuck. If I had to choose, Popoyo would have been our favourite but it was impossible for anywhere to come close to the paradise we experienced in the Corn Islands.
For surf towns, we much preferred El Paredon in Guatemala and El Zonte in El Salvador, which might be helpful to know if you’re planning a broader trip through Central America. If Nicaragua is your sole destination, Popoyo should absolutely be on your itinerary.
Nicaragua map
Orientation of Popoyo
Popoyo is essentially two separate towns in one and understanding the difference is key to enjoying your time here.
- 🌊 Playa Guasacate: this is the area that shows up if you search ‘Popoyo’ in Google Maps. It’s sometimes referred to as Las Salinas.
This area is more developed, with more accommodation options, restaurants, cafes etc. However, it’s quite a decent walk to the main surf spots, Beginner Bay and Popoyo Surf Spot, and requires you to wade across a tidal river.
- 🌊 Playa Popoyo: the other Popoyo is slightly closer to the Popoyo Surf Spot and much closer to Beginner Bay. A major landmark in this area is Magnific Rock, the huge rock formation on the beach.
Playa Popoyo extends naturally into Playa Jiquelite, which is also called Playa Santana, named after the big fancy hotel Rancho Santana at the end of the beach.
Although they look close on the map, the lack of roads means getting between the two areas is not fast, or cheap. It’s at least 20 minutes driving the long way around.
The only other alternative to get between the two areas is walking on the beach, which takes 30 – 45+ minutes, depending on exactly where you’re staying. Don’t forget it is HOT here and walking on sand ain’t easy.
Whatever area you choose is probably where you will spend most of your time and eat all of your meals.
We decided to stay in Playa Popoyo. The main reason for our visit to Popoyo was the gentle waves at Beginner Bay, so we wanted to stay as close to the bay as possible. I was happy with our decision and I would recommend making this area your base in Popoyo. Although I think there are slightly more food and drink options in Guasacate, I wouldn’t have wanted to trek up and down the beach all day in the heat!
Getting to Popoyo
Although Popoyo is rapidly growing in popularity, the transport connections have not quite caught up. It’s out of the way no matter where you’re coming from, and you can expect to need a taxi/private driver for at least one leg of the journey.
Here are the easy, easier and not-so-easy ways to get to Popoyo.
Option 1: shuttle, taxi or private driver the entire way 🚗
The quickest, easiest but most expensive way to get to Popoyo is to take private transport.
This might be in the form of a shared tourist shuttle, which runs semi-regularly from destinations like Leon, Granada, San Juan del Sur and Laguna de Apoyo.
You can book shuttles to Popoyo on Bookaway, or most hostels around the country can organise shuttles for you.
Alternatively, you might coordinate a private driver or taxi to take you from your destination to Popoyo. The tourist shuttle schedules to Popoyo still aren’t that frequent, so private drivers are very common (I know it seems a little boujee on a backpacker budget but it really is the easiest way).
Your accommodation in Popoyo will definitely have a recommendation for you, otherwise, a couple of well-known transport companies in Popoyo are:
- Yasmil Transport (we used them and they were great)
- Luis Popoyo Renta Cars and Tour Transportation
You can contact the companies directly via WhatsApp for a price, but you should expect to pay around $30 – $40 from Rivas (for Ometepe), $40 – $50 from San Juan del Sur, $50 – $60 from Granada or $80 – $90 from the airport in Managua.
The ideal scenario is that you can find some other travellers to share the trip with and split the cost. The Backpackers Nicaragua Facebook group is a great place to find other people.
The other reason why private transport is good is that most drivers will stop at a large supermarket on the way so you can stock up on groceries and cash at an ATM.
Popoyo is a very small and remote town and there are only small minimarts with expensive and limited options. If you’ve got a kitchen, you’ll want to come fully stocked with groceries.
Option 2: part bus, part private driver/taxi 🚌🚗
If you’re on a budget but can’t be bothered with multiple buses, this is the in-between option.
Get a bus from wherever you are to Rivas. There are direct buses from Managua, Granada and San Juan del Sur to Rivas. If you’re coming from Ometepe, the ferry dock is nearby in San Jorge.
Although you will find plenty of taxis when you arrive in Rivas, I’d still recommend pre-booking a private driver. Rivas is a very sketchy place and everyone will try and rip you off. If you can negotiate for $30 – $40 you’ve done well, but to avoid the hassle of haggling, just pre-book a driver with one of the options I mentioned above, or coordinate with your accommodation in Popoyo.
By taking the bus part of the way you’ve probably saved $30+, but you’ll get dropped directly at your accommodation in Popoyo, and you can still ask the driver to stop at a grocery store and ATM in Rivas.
Option 3: bus + bus 🚌🚌
This is the cheapest, but most inconvenient option for getting to Popoyo, with a long walk (or a lucky hitchhike) required!
Again, you’ll need to get yourself to the transport hub of Rivas and take a bus from there to Popyoyo.
Where you get off will differ slightly depending on whether you’re staying in Playa Guasacate or Playa Popoyo.
From Rivas, there are two bus options:
- Bus to Las Salinas: the route with the most frequent departures but apparently there are none on Sundays. If the bus is already full, it won’t stop in Rivas to pick more passengers up and some people get left behind.
For accommodation around Playa Popoyo, you will get off on the main road (62) and walk or hitchhike towards the beach. Where you disembark will depend on your accommodation, so just keep your eye on the map as you approach. There are only a handful of streets leading to the beach, so check which is best for your accommodation. The walk will be at least 2 km (1.2 mi), if not more.
If you’re staying around Guasacate, you’ll need to take a taxi or hitchhike from Las Salinas to your accommodation. The walk would be brutal.
- Bus to El Astillero: these buses from Rivas are far less common, only departing once or twice per day, but if you’re staying in Guasacate, it’s a much better choice. You’ll get a lot closer to the beach, and the walk would only be 2 – 3 km (1.2 – 1.8 mi).
If you’re planning to take the bus the entire way, please check in with your accommodation in Popoyo for the latest schedule and instructions. They are the best source of information!
Getting around Popoyo
Popoyo is very spread out and the roads connecting the two sides of town are not near the coast, so driving is slow and inconvenient. Most people end up sticking to their ‘side’ which is why it’s important to choose correctly!
- 👣 On foot: once you arrive in Popoyo, you’re pretty much walking everywhere. The quickest way to get to most places is along the beach. The beach is wide and walkable, but it is incredibly hot and walking in sand is never the easiest, so don’t forget to factor that in.
I’d allow 45 minutes – 1 hour to walk between Playa Popoyo and the further reaches of Playa Guasacate, and 30 – 45 minutes to walk from Magnific Rock area to the far end of Playa Jiquelite/Santana.
- 🛵 By motorbike: if you don’t like the idea of being confined to one area, you can rent motorbikes. Most are just small scooters and usually come with a surfboard rack. In Playa Popoyo, you can check out Popoyo Moto Rental, and in Playa Guasacate, Waves & Wheels is your best bet. Expect to pay $25 – $30 a day.
With hindsight, this would have been a really good idea and I think the flexibility would have changed how we felt about Popoyo.
- 🛻 By car: if you want the flexibility of your own transport but don’t dig a bike, Luis Popoyo Renta Cars and Tour Transportation rent out little 4×4 vehicles that are perfect for the off-road Popoyo terrain.
- 🚕 Taxi: the same companies that offer transport into Popoyo can also drive you around the area. Some will even go and do groceries and deliver them to you! If you want to go from Popoyo to Guasacate or vice versa, expect to pay $10 – $15.
You can also use Popoyo Delivery as a moto-taxi, they offer rides for one person at a time on their motorbikes.
- 🚛 Surf shuttles: the surf-focused accommodations usually offer shuttles in 4×4 vehicles to the surf breaks each day. Many of these surf camps are not located on the beach which is very inconvenient, so you’d want to enquire about the shuttle schedules in advance.
Where to stay in Popoyo
PLAYA POPOYO AREA
- 💰 Ruamoko Hostel: this hostel isn’t beachfront, but has a great pool and gets excellent reviews. It’s on the edges of Playa Popoyo, more like Jiquelite, so you’ve got a bit of a hike to Beginner Bay, but Playa Jiquelite is just a few minutes up the road.
- 💰Nicawaves: this is one of the best surf camps in the area, with inclusive packages with board rental, lessons and transport to the beach each day. They have basic budget-friendly rooms and also some nicer, mid-range options.
- 💰💰 Tukasa Surfhouse: one word: vibes. This place is absolutely stunning and incredibly well-priced considering the usual cost of Popoyo. It’s actually a hotel and a hostel, as they have dorms too, but it has the feel of a boutique hotel. Think polished concrete, earthy interiors, and plants, it’s gorgeous. They have a pool overlooking the fields and breakfast daily.
- 💰💰 Waves & Dreams: this is where we stayed and it was a solid option. It’s more like an expat built a house on the beach and decided to rent some rooms vs a hotel, but we had a really well-equipped room with a kitchen, AC, a pool and a perfect beachfront location for a good price.
- 💰💰💰 Hide & Seek Resort: the new kid on the block, this Aussie-owned option ticks all the boxes. A stunning architectural design, surf-focused inclusions like board rental, lessons, 4×4 surf transfers and a recovery sauna and ice bath.
- 💰💰💰 99 Surf Lodge: right on the beach, this option has a very different feel with dark, moody interiors and low lighting. Their on-site restaurant Taberna 99 has amazing Italian food, they have a pool and a handful of apartment-style rooms with kitchens.
PLAYA GUASACATE AREA
I personally think Playa Popoyo is a better area to stay and we were happy with our choice. We didn’t venture too far into Playa Guasacate, but here are a few well-rated options if you’d prefer to be in this area.
- 💰 Escondite Pacifico
- 💰💰 Waves & Wifi
- 💰💰💰 Mahalo Resort
Things to do in Popoyo
Outside of surfing, there is very little to do in Popoyo but that’s the beauty of it. Long beach walks, lazy days reading a book in a hammock and enjoying the incredible sunsets over Mag Rock.
Go surfing
Surfing is the reason most people come to Popoyo. There are consistent waves year-round, and a variety of breaks for different skill levels.
If surfing is your priority, I’d recommend staying at one of the surf camps that package up board rental, lessons and car and boat drop-offs to the best break for the day. In saying that, pretty much every accommodation in Popoyo can facilitate board lessons and rentals, they’re just not all as surf-focused.
Breaks
- 🌊 Beginner Bay: as the name suggests, this calmer bay is the perfect place for learning or improving your surfing. It’s why Popoyo is such a popular spot for surfing. It can get a bit busy, but it’s an easy paddle and the waves are usually smooth and rolling, Brayden really enjoyed it.
- 🌊 Popoyo Surf Spot: aka Popoyo Main Break or Inner Reef, this consistent wave draws intermediate and advanced surfers from all over the world.
- 🌊 Offshore Breaks: you can also organise a boat drop-off for some of the offshore breaks like Panga Drops, Playgrounds, Lance’s Left etc.
Board rentals and lessons
If you’re a more casual surfer and just want to rent a board or take a lesson or two, you can organise this on the beach. There are a few tents set up on Beginner Bay with boards.
The going rate when we visited was 540 Cordoba ($15) for 24 hours.
Watch the sunset
I don’t know if we just got lucky or it’s always like that, but the sunsets we had in Popoyo were AMAZING!
Night after night was an absolute banger, with a huge flaming ball of sun dropping below the horizon and setting the sky on fire. They were tear-inducing sunsets, honestly so special!
The monolithic Mag Rock is such an interesting feature contrasted against the sun, I’d recommend watching the sunset from the eastern side of it (e.g. Popoyo Republic, or where we stayed at Waves & Dreams).
Otherwise pretty much anywhere along the beaches is an excellent vantage point. Magnific Rock (the hotel/restaurant, not the rock!) has an amazing aerial view perched up on the cliff, you need to have a sunset beverage there at least once.
Top tip: hang around on the beach after the sun goes down. The stars we saw in Popoyo were off the charts! With such little light pollution, the night sky was so bright. We had a couple of nights laying on the beach in the dark with a bottle of wine and it was magic.
Find the tidal pools
The swell in Popoyo is rough, which is perfect for surfing but not great for swimming. Enter: tidal pools! There are a few different tidal/rock pools along the coast that are a calm spot to take a dip at low tide.
- 💧 Guasacate Pools: these pools at the far northern end of Playa Guasacate are the biggest and the best. It’s about 1-hour walk along the beach from Mag Rock, but it’s worth it. (If you’re staying in Playa Popoyo, time your walk to enjoy a meal in Guasacate on the way there or back). There are a few different pools spread across a rocky section of coastline. Some were quite shallow, but there was one big pool that was deep enough to jump and swim. Check the tides before you go, you need to be there around low tide otherwise the waves will be too strong to enjoy the pools.
- 💧 Mag Rock Pools: these pools are nowhere near as big, but if you’re stinking hot and the surf is too rough to swim, they’re nice to sit in and cool off. You can find them on the southern end of Mag Rock at low tide. It requires a bit of rock hopping and investigating.
- 💧 Santana Pools: at the very far southern end of Playa Santana, these pools aren’t quite as secluded or magical, but are great for a calm float. There’s a big rocky platform with different pools of various depths.
📍 I’ve pinned the exact locations of all the pools on my Nicaragua Google Map
Relax on the beach
Popoyo is primarily for surfing, so there are not a lot of safe places to swim outside of the tidal pools.
There were a few occasions when there were no waves in Beginner Bay, and that was actually very nice for swimming, but the open beaches (Popooyo, Guasacate), were insanely strong and the waves were absolutely smashing onto the sand.
However, the big sandy open Playa Popoyo (that naturally extends into Playa Santana/Jiquelite) and Playa Guasacate are the perfect places for a long, peaceful beach stroll. Go first thing in the morning or in the late afternoon when the sun isn’t too hot.
Even though you can’t swim everywhere, the beach is still beautiful. If your accommodation isn’t right on the sand, you can find some shady spots to set up your towel, read a book and watch the surfers for the afternoon.
Take a yoga class
Where there is surf, there is yoga. They seem to go hand in hand, and every surfy town seems to also have a big yoga scene.
Popoyo is no exception, there are daily yoga classes at Magnific Rock (choose one around sunset for excellent views!) and 99 Surf Lodge.
Soak in hot springs
Honestly, it was so hot when we visited Popoyo we couldn’t think of anything worse than soaking in hot springs so we didn’t do this. But if you’re visiting at a cooler time of the year or during the rainy season, this might be more appealing!
In Las Salinas there are a set of hot springs, Termales de Nahaulapa. The water is naturally hot, but the pools are man-made. It’s a basic, local spot (don’t be expecting a fancy spa!) that is mostly used for clothes washing, but soaking for a few hours with some BYO beers could be a fun rainy afternoon.
You’d need a car, motorbike or taxi to get here. Entry is $3 for foreigners.
Refugio de Vida Silvestre Río Escalante-Chacocente
More commonly known as the Chacocente, this expansive wildlife reserve north of Popoyo is famous for its annual turtle nesting.
Each year from July – December, thousands of sea turtles come to lay their eggs on the beach, with their babies hatching a few months later.
Access is tricky without a vehicle and there is no formal tourist infrastructure or tours, but during turtle season, you should find someone around Popoyo offering tours to the reserve. Ask around at your accommodation.
Where to eat in Popoyo
PLAYA POPOYO AREA
- ☕️ Cafe con Leche: the best cafe in the area, they have nice smoothie bowls, salad bowls, eggs etc. with beach views.
- 🦞 Soda Camping Luna: the cheapest food we found in Playa Popoyo, with lots of local options like tostones, gallo pinto and even lobster!
- 🍸 Popoyo Republic: a funky spot right on the beach, cool vibes, good cocktails and everything we tried from the menu (fish and chips, poke bowl) was tasty. Just don’t stay here, their music is obnoxiously loud.
- 🥥 Happy Coconut: a nice restaurant a little further up the beach towards Rancho Santana. The prices were average for the area, but the beachfront space was awesome. I had the jalapeño chicken which was amazing.
- 🌞 Magnific Rock: best sunset spot in town, it’s an iconic location in Popoyo and you have to visit at least once. Their food didn’t look that great, but they had a good sunset happy hour deal on cocktails (it was 3:00 – 7:00 pm, Monday – Friday when we visited).
PLAYA GUASACATE AREA
We didn’t stay here, so we didn’t personally try any of these places, but I actually had all these spots saved on my list of places to eat before we arrived, not realising how far away they were!
- 🥪 Dutchys Deli: nice brunch spot, good burgers and sandwiches and tasty smoothies.
- 🥘 Thai Night at Red Pepper: this accommodation does a weekly Thai night (the night of the week changes, check in when you arrive) and apparently the Thai curries are amazing.
- 🍝 Café Mediterráneo: all the Italian specialities, all day long! Espresso, paninis and pasta.
- ☕️ Kooks Cafe: very vibey surf cafe with smoothie bowls, loaded toast, juice, coffee and other fresh healthy options.
- 🫘 Comedor Mendoza: one of the best local options in Guasacate with cheap and filling Nica dishes.
If you want to eat somewhere that is not within walking distance of your accommodation, you might be able to get it delivered with Popoyo Delivery! They work with most of the restaurants and will deliver directly to your door.
Popoyo 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 Popoyo to avoid the rains and humidity. However, if surfing is your priority, the wet season from May – October has the biggest swell (although Popoyo is pretty consistent year-round). The entire Pacific Coast can get very dry and dusty, so visiting during or immediately 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 Popoyo. It’s a lovely place to relax and if you’re happy to spend your days wandering along the beach, reading and watching the sunset you could stay for weeks! I think 3 – 4 nights is a nice amount of time to unwind and make the detour worth it.
- 🫶🏼 Safety: Popoyo felt very safe. It’s a very tiny and remote town. There are other travellers and expats around, so it’s not eerily quiet, but it is very chilled and we felt completely safe at all times of the day and night. It’s very dark at night as there are no street lights and the beach is pitch black, so if you’ve got a torch, carry it with you.
- 🗣️ Language: Spanish is the official language in Nicaragua and is, of course, widely spoken in Popoyo. There are a lot of expats living in Popoyo so you will hear a lot of English, but the town is still rural Nicaragua, so most locals won’t speak it.
- 💰 Currency: the official currency of Nicaragua is the Nicaraguan Córdoba, however, most prices in Popoyo are listed in USD because many of the businesses are owned by foreigners. It’s annoying but unfortunately, the way it is. You can pay in USD, but if you want to pay in Cordobas, check carefully the exchange rate you’re getting (we were often worse off paying in local currency – you tell me how that makes sense!).
DO NOT RELY ON BEING ABLE TO PAY WITH CARD IN POPOYO! The majority of places are cash only (USD or NIO), some will accept PayPal too if you’re running low.
- 🏧 ATMs: there are no ATMs in Playa Popoyo or Playa Guasacate. There is one ATM on the road between Las Salinas and Guasacate, but it’s inconvenient to go there if you don’t have a motorbike, plus, it runs out of cash occasionally. You’re best to come fully stocked with cash. If you get desperate, the Ocean Market stores (one in Popoyo and one in Guasacate) offer a cashback service, where you pay on card and they give you cash with a hefty % fee attached, so long as they have enough.
- 📱 Phone & SIM Cards: like many Central American countries, Claro and Tigo are the most popular phone providers in Nicaragua.
There are no specific phone stores in Popoyo, so I’d recommend coming with a working and topped-up SIM card. I’m sure some of the small tiendas could do a top-up if needed, but it is quite remote so I’d prepare before arriving if you can.
- 🥑 Groceries: there are only a handful of very small tiendas around Popoyo. There is an Ocean Market in Playa Popoyo and Playa Guasacate, which are your best bet for groceries. The options are random and limited, but they’ve got enough to cobble together some meals (and surprisingly wine! And ice creams!).
If you have a kitchen and are planning to cook while you’re in Popoyo, stock up on groceries before you come. A driver will stop on the way if you’ve organised one. We came fully loaded with ingredients for breakfast, smoothies, coffee, a few dinners etc. plus some bottles of wine!
If you’re staying in Popoyo for a significant amount of time and run out of groceries, you can get Popoyo Delivery or Luis Popoyo Renta Cars and Tour Transportation to do a grocery shop for you in a neighbouring town and deliver it.
- 💧 Can you drink the water: it’s safest not to drink the water in Popoyo or anywhere else in Nicaragua. Your accommodation should have large garrafónes or jugs with purified water. Please don’t buy single-use plastic bottles.
GET OUR NICARAGUA GOOGLE MAP
Save hours with our FREE custom Nicaragua Google Map!
With almost 500 locations pinned, giving you our best tips and recommendations in your pocket.
Final thoughts: Popoyo travel guide
We enjoyed a peaceful few days relaxing in Popoyo. The sunsets were out of this world, and Brayden had some fun surfing at Beginner Bay.
It was so nice to be somewhere with very little to do, and it is the perfect place to slow down.
I hope with some extra background information about the town and its layout and some tips on how to get the most out of your time in Popoyo, you fall in love with this remote surf town!
If you’re following our Nicaragua itinerary, your next stop after Popoyo will most likely be the magic island of Ometepe if you’re travelling south, or Laguna de Apoyo if you’re heading north.
MORE NICARAGUA PACIFIC COAST POSTS
