San Juan del Sur Multi-Day Trip Ideas

Advisory, as of October 2026: On the US State Department scale Nicaragua is at Level 3, “Reconsider travel”, at the time of writing. The stated reasons are a serious risk of wrongful detention, arbitrary enforcement of laws, searches of electronic devices and limited consular help, and US citizens have been denied entry or expelled. The UK FCDO takes a different line: it does not advise against travel, but it warns that foreigners cannot take part in political activity and that drones are banned. San Juan del Sur is a long-established tourist town. Check the US advisory and the FCDO page before booking, take out travel insurance and do not bring a drone.

Four Trips Worth More Than a Day

Longer trips make sense when the destination is two hours or more away. The four below start in Rivas or beyond, so build in time for roads that are poor and unlit, and travel in daylight. Prices are in US dollars, with córdobas (C$) where they are quoted locally.

1. Ometepe, Two to Three Days

The ferry leaves from Puerto de San Jorge, not from San Juan del Sur. Allow about 40 minutes by taxi from town to the dock and about 60 minutes on the water. The ferry schedule lists 15 departures and a last return from Moyogalpa at 17:30. Costs on the island include:

  • Ojo de Agua spring pools, about US$5 to 10 depending on whether a food voucher is included.
  • San Ramón waterfall, about C$100 per person plus C$50 per vehicle, or roughly US$2 to 3 per person.
  • Charco Verde loop, about C$165, or about US$5.
  • Volcán Maderas, which needs a guide at about US$35 to 55.

Volcán Concepción is active, so hike it only with an experienced guide and check INETER or MARENA alerts first.

2. Granada, Masaya and Mombacho

Granada is about 95 to 100 km north, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours by road, and makes a comfortable base. Masaya Volcano night entry is about US$10 for foreigners, and the visit is about the crater glow and the atmosphere, not a lava lake. Budget roughly US$25 to 30 to enter the Mombacho reserve.

3. The Popoyo Surf Coast

The surf coast around Popoyo and the Emerald Coast lies northwest of San Juan del Sur via Rivas and Tola, about 1.5 to 2 hours by road. It is a trip for surfers who want a second base. Check access rules for any private resort beach before you set out.

4. A Costa Rica Add-On

The land border is at Peñas Blancas. The route goes via Rivas and takes 1 to 1.5 hours by shuttle (shared shuttles are listed from about US$28), or 2 hours or more by chicken bus, plus border time. Total fees for a round trip are reported at about US$25 to 27, paid in cash US dollars, and officials often cannot make change. Costa Rican rental cars cannot cross.

For entry, UK citizens get 90 days without a visa, shared with Guatemala and El Salvador. The passport must be valid at least 6 months after arrival, the arrival tax is US$10 in cash and the US$35 departure tax is normally in the air ticket. Vapes are banned, and expulsion from one of those three countries excludes you from the other two. Check Nicaragua’s migration site before crossing by land.

Read more: Day trips for single-day versions of these routes, and romantic getaways for places to stay.

To find places to stay along the way, try Booking.com listings for Granada .