Tola

surfing in Nicaragua

Surfing in Nicaragua

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Surfing in Nicaragua is World Class!

Surfing in Nicaragua has become a major attraction for visiting tourists. Its privileged location on the Pacific coast and the proximity of Lake Nicaragua to the Pacific Coast, has a major effect on the quality of waves for surfing. The offshore winds that are spawned by Lake Nicaragua combine with the surf coming in from the Pacific. This creates large barrel waves that break slowly and create world class surfing waves. In addition, a variety of very affordable surf lodges and hostels along several villages in the Pacific coast make of Nicaragua the most affordable surfing destination in the World.

surfing in Nicaragua
Waiting for the perfect wave at San Juan del Sur

The quality of surfing in Nicaragua is such that the World Masters Surf Championship took place there last year. Master surfers from around the world joined on the beaches of Tola. The mission: to challenge the surf and see who was best at it. The event was a total success, with President Daniel Ortega and Minister of Tourism Mario Salinas being present at the inaugural event and sending a clear message that Nicaragua is ready for Tourism and that the government means business when it talks about the potential for tourism in Nicaragua.[themify_hr color=”light-gray” width=”1px”]

Best Surfing Locations in Nicaragua

surfing in Nicaragua
Surf board rental at beach bar in Playa el Gigante, Tola

The most popular spot for surfing in Nicaragua is probably San Juan del Sur. Here you will find a variety of different lodges and facilities that cater to the surfing market. San Juan del Sur offers a nice combination of good surfing plus an outstanding all around destination with good hotels and restaurants as well as some of the best nightlife on the entire coast in Nicaragua.[themify_hr color=”light-gray” width=”1px”]

surfing in nicaragua
The perfect beach bar awaiting for the surfers at the end of the day. Playa El Gigante, Tola

In addition, the beaches of Tola are also fantastic, and considered by many as the best in Nicaragua for surfers. Here the small fishing village at Playa El Gigante has turned into a full fledged surfing village. You you can stay cheaply in a hammock and have an informal lunch on the beach. Best of all are the ice cold beers at funky bars right on the beach. It is no longer a secret, some of the best surfing in the World at very affordable prices is right here, in Nicaragua!

San Juan de Nicaragua

Nicaragua Flights

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Searching for Nicaragua Flights? 

There is only one international airport in Nicaragua. This means that all international airlines must land in the Augusto C. Sandino Internacional Airport in Managua. All Nicaragua flights originate or end in the Managua Airport. There is non stop air service from the North American cities of Miami, Houston, Atlanta, New York, Fort Lauderdale and Mexico City into Managua. American Airlines and Avianca both offer non stop service from Miami; Spirit Air has flights into Managua from Fort Lauderdale. Delta Airlines offers daily flights into Managua from Atlanta and United does so from Houston and Newark International Airport in New York. Aeromexico offers daily service from Mexico City to Managua. As of December 2012, Blue Panorama, an Italian Carrier is offering non stop service between Rome and Managua once a week.

In addition, the Central American Airlines, Copa (Panama) and  Avianca (Colombia) offer an extensive network of connections using their hubs in Panama City, Panama, San Jose, Costa Rica and San Salvador in El Salvador. A small Costa Rican airline, Nature Air is currently providing air service between San Jose and Managua.

San Juan de Nicaragua
Airport Terminal and Runway at San Juan de Nicaragua / Greytown,

Although there is just one international airport, there are several domestic airports that reduce travel time and make it faster to get to these destinations. There is only one domestic airline, La Costeña, www.lacostena.com.ni. La Costeña is affiliated with Avianca airlines and offers service with a modern 50 passenger ATR 44 as well as with 14 passenger Cesna Caravan aircraft, which are ideal for Nicaragua because of its relatively flat geography. La Costeña offers two daily flights to Bluefields and Corn Islands in the ATR 44 turbo prop.  These are the two best airports after the Managua airport that are capable of receiving medium size aircraft.

Recently, the Nicaraguan government has finished and put into operation three more airfields in the country, the first is the airport in San Juan de Nicaragua, on the Caribbean coast, very close to the border with Costa Rica, the second in the magical island of Ometepe, the third and last in the Tola area, very close to San Juan del Sur. All three airports are being serviced regularly by La Costeña.

Other airfields that have regular air service are San Carlos, Puerto Cabezas, Minas, and Waspan. As you can see, these airfields are mostly located on the Caribbean coast, either on the RAAN, RAAS or Rio San Juan Departments.