For guests

The coast

A remarkable stretch of Nicaragua's Pacific coast runs south from the beaches of Tola towards San Juan del Sur: powerful surf breaks, long sandy beaches, sheltered coves, fishing villages and some surprisingly good places to eat. It's changed considerably in recent years without losing what made it attractive in the first place.

Our homes are in three quite different locations: Hacienda Iguana, Rancho Santana and Guacalito de la Isla. They're along the same coast, but where you stay makes a real difference to the sort of holiday you'll have. The new Costanera road has also brought beaches and villages that once required long detours within easy reach.

Hacienda Iguana

Hacienda Iguana owes much of its reputation to two surf breaks: Colorados and Panga Drops. Colorados is a consistent, powerful, hollow beach break that churns frequently makeable barrels. Panga Drops, about 500 yards farther up the beach, breaks over a broad horseshoe-shaped reef, offering long lefts and rights depending on the swell. The remarkably consistent offshore winds help make this a dawn-to-dusk surfing destination.

You don't need to surf to enjoy Iguana. Back from the beach there's a challenging nine-hole golf course, pickleball courts, cafés, restaurants, surf shops and small grocery stores. It's gated, relaxed and easy to get around on foot, by bicycle or golf cart.

Children meet other kids, surfers fall into familiar routines and you start recognising people at breakfast. The beach becomes part of everyday life.

Pili's Kitchen overlooks Colorados, good for breakfast or a drink after the beach. Casa Ananas does Italian, The Salty Koala serves Asian-inspired food, and there are other places to try. Restaurants change; ask us what's good when you arrive.

Our homes here are Ventana a las Olas, Casa la Selva and Arbolito Viejo, from smaller homes to substantial six-bedroom houses.

Rancho Santana

Rancho Santana feels quite different: a 2,700-acre resort with five beaches, landscaped grounds and dramatic headlands. Where Iguana is an informal surf community, Santana has more of a resort atmosphere, with facilities spread across a much larger property.

Playa Santana is the main beach, with its surf break, clubhouse and oceanfront restaurant. Playa Rosada has pinkish sand and a left-hand point break. Playa Los Perros is usually the gentler choice for a swim or a first surf lesson, when conditions allow. Playa Escondida and Playa Duna lie farther along the coast.

There's horseback riding, tennis, pickleball, yoga and a spa. La Finca y El Mar overlooks Playa Santana; La Boquita sits above Playa Rosada. Some facilities require a separate resort access pass, so it's important to check exactly what's included with your stay.

Our home here is Villa Ohana, directly on the oceanfront overlooking the Santana surf break. It has a large infinity pool, mature tropical gardens and plenty of room for a group to spread out. Yet the main beach, clubhouse and restaurants are a short walk away. That combination isn't easy to find.

Guacalito de la Isla

Casa Guacalito sits above a white-sand cove enclosed by rocky headlands and tropical vegetation. The house has ocean views, a large pool and a short path down to the sand. You can spend the day between the house, pool and beach without much urge to go elsewhere.

The cove is more sheltered than the exposed surf beaches farther north. On calm days, you can swim or snorkel. On others, the sea has different ideas. Always check the conditions, particularly with children.

The house is in the original residential part of Guacalito de la Isla, separate from the Mukul resort. It's a private home, not a resort experience. That's much of the appeal.

The Costanera has made a real difference here. The drive south to Playa Maderas and San Juan del Sur is now much easier. You can have a secluded beach at home without treating dinner in town as a major expedition.

A bit farther afield

There's plenty beyond our three communities. Playa Gigante is still a working fishing village, with boats on the sand and places to eat by the water. Popoyo and Guasacate have developed their own collection of surf cafés, restaurants and bars. Playa Maderas is livelier, with surf schools and places to spend an afternoon watching the waves.

For a wider choice of restaurants, shops or an evening out, head to San Juan del Sur. We like Tuani's on the harbourfront: seafood, burgers, sport on the screens and plenty of noise when it's busy. Not the place for a quiet candlelit dinner, but that's not what it's trying to be. Another great spot well worth a visit is El Espejo, located on the bluff overlooking the Maderas surf break. Espejo has great cocktails, excellent food, unbelievable views and is overall pretty good value.

You could surf all week and still miss breaks. Colorados can be heavy, Panga Drops will give you a good shoulder workout, and Popoyo truly has something for everyone with 3 breaks that range from absolute beginner to seasoned pro on a 10 minute walk of beach. Maderas is more approachable on smaller days, with surf schools. But it gets epic here too during the May thru Sept surf season. If you're learning, let us know and we'll point you to a good teacher and appropriate spot to learn.

Not every beautiful beach is a swimming beach. Many of our local beaches have dumping shore breaks and strong currents can whip up quickly. Most Nicaraguan beaches have no lifeguard service. Check the conditions carefully and common sense prevails, especially with children.

When to come

Nicaragua has two distinct seasons.

The dry season, roughly November to April, brings sunshine, very little rain and stronger offshore winds. By March the hills have turned brown and gold. It's usually the more predictable season for a family beach holiday.

The green season, roughly May to October, transforms the countryside. The hills turn green, rivers fill and the coast feels different. It rains, sometimes hard, with plenty of sunshine between showers. September and October are often particularly wet. Late July through August are often pretty dry.

For surfers, best time of the year is March through October with March and October being highest risk and highest reward. The risk in March is strong winter winds making waves hard to paddle into, and in Oct it can get stormy. But March & Oct often also have powerful southern swells, and less people. In the dry season, winds are stronger and there's less swell - but there are literally always waves. Don't hesitate to get in contact if you have questions about planning and timing, we're always happy to help.

Getting here and getting around

Most international guests fly into Managua. Liberia, in Costa Rica, can work too, depending on flights and border requirements. We can help with directions, transfers and car rentals.

At Hacienda Iguana, a golf cart or bicycle is enough for most days. At Villa Ohana, you can walk to the central resort facilities. If you want to explore beyond your community, rent a car. The Costanera makes this easier, though smaller roads are often unpaved. In the wetter months, a vehicle with good ground clearance — sometimes a 4x4 — is worth considering.

Bring some groceries if you're arriving late, particularly with children. There are local shops, but larger supermarkets have more choice. Cards work in many places; cash helps with smaller purchases, tips and local services.

And this is still tropical Nicaragua. Electricity or internet can go off occasionally. Heavy rain can change the roads. Geckos come inside. None of it should be a surprise.

We value your privacy

Before you come, we prepare the house and check all the details. We make sure you know how to get there, and can set up shuttles for you if needed. Self driving is recommended and easy with all homes accurately pinned on Waze and Google maps. We're here in Nicaragua if something needs fixing, and more than happy to help if you need a recommendation.

We understand that privacy, relaxation and time with your own people is why you travelled to Nicaragua - not to be pestered or peppered with messages from us. Our aim is to provide a fully transparant service setting up everything in the background so your trip just works, and to that end we are available as much or as little as needed.