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| Author at Playa Santana |
Rainy season supposedly brings bigger swell to Nicaragua, but this year didn't quite deliver on that promise. June last year brought less rain and neater, bigger waves. It was that perfection that inspired to come back this year and stay two months instead of one. The bubble burst with onshore winds, messy brown water slop, and muddy slogs for much of my stay. I was reminded yet again that Change is the only constant in life.
Either I got lucky last year or I've gotten enough surfing experience (brain damage?) under my belt now that the peak season waves this year don't seem so big and scary anymore. About half the time, the waves were usually about head high to overhead - fun sized! Other days, I find myself wishing for an even higher volume board than the 36L I got from Surf HQ South Africa (the best place to get cheap, high-quality secondhand boards in the world).
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| Feeling nostalgic |
Nonetheless, Nicaragua is still one of the best surfing destinations on this side of the world. Some even call it the Indonesia of Latin America, though I can't really agree until I've surfed El Salvador, the other contender for the honor. Nicaragua offers a bounty of breaks of all types and all skill levels and blesses them with offshore winds for most of the year in the south. I'm just really good at finding the time when it's not offshore.
There are surf towns up and down the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. There's even a little surfing to be had on the Caribbean side in Corn Island. This post covers the southern town of Popoyo specifically.
Timing
June seems to be a transition time for the winds. Though last year we only had 1 week of gross onshore conditions, this year it was 4. Also: torrential rains. Sheets and buckets of rain. Me thinks I will avoid June from now on. If you go anyway, go in the morning when the winds are still light.
July was an improvement. The winds turned back to offshore. Though it still poured buckets some days, it didn't rain as much as June. Towards the end of the month, the trails and roads dried up enough that I stopped losing my flip flops in the mud.
Mid tide is the best for all the breaks (unless you're a longboarder, then you can go at high tide). Low tide exposes the reef at reef breaks and causes closeouts at beach breaks, while high tide makes the waves too mushy.
Surf Spots
In order from south to north, here are spots I surfed in Popoyo.
Playa Santana
Barreling beach break with short paddle out (1 or 2 duck dives) and multiple peaks. The first peak on the left - the peak closest to the Rancho Santana resort - is for locals only. You will get yelled at and punched in the face if you don't belong here, as my surf guide and classmates learned.
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| About to eat it at Playa Santana |
Beginner's Bay
Well-protected by a rocky spit that shaves down the south swells, this sand-bottom point break is where beginners go. If you want to takeoff at the point, be careful with the current that can sweep you around and past the point to some waves that crash right onto the rocks.
La Lejana
Mushier and smaller version of Popoyo Main Break but can still be fun if you're right at the peak and catch a nice long left or the occasional right. Popular with longboarders and surf schools.
Popoyo Main Break
Popoyo Main Break is the reef break right in front of the La Finca restaurant and viewing terrace. This is my favorite Nica break this year. It gets crowded as it's the most popular break but, on smaller days when the aggro bros search for bigger waves elsewhere, intermediates can get lots of fun head-high or overhead rides here. There are two peaks. I prefer the right as it's the least crowded. Watch out for the slippery, sharp rocks submerged near the shore. On par with Playa Santana's first peak.
Pedrita
The other break to the right (when facing the ocean) of Popoyo Main Break. It's shallower and rockier than the Main break. It's not as consistent as Main break because it's right next to a rivermouth that changes the shape of the sandbar every time it rains. Pedrita looked much better last year, with long A-frames (and crowds) that rival the Main break. This year it was mostly closeouts and I rarely saw more than 2 surfers out there.
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| Last year at Pedrita |
Beachies
The beach break that parallels Guasacate Road. Needs a high tide and small well to be anything more than closeout hell.
Punta Conejo
Right-hand point break accessed by a long walk through mud then a more pleasant walk along the beach. Popular among surf schools so it can get crowded sometimes. Mid tide is best. Low tide exposes rocks in the takeoff zone as well as the areas where you paddle in/out. It's juiciest at the peak, but there's a collapsing section right after the peak that you have to go around if you don't want to go straight towards shore. You can skip this part and take off farther inside, using the section as your takeoff zone. Half the surfers make the drop at the peak, but only half of them make it past the first section anyway.
Playa Gavilan
This was my favorite last year. Boy, things have changed. Either my heart changed or the rocks moved, but Playa Gavilan is not as fun as it was. The shoulder is very short, requiring lots of cutbacks and delicate movements to avoid losing the wave or getting stuck at the top of your top turn. It's mostly lefts but with bigger waves there's sometimes a right. Also, the word is out about Playa Gavilan. Last year, it was just me, my surf guide and maybe 2-3 of our friends. This year, there's at least 10 surfers from various surf schools or resorts.
Very shallow rocks. Do NOT go at low tide. Take it from me. I learned the hard way when my friend and I tried to avoid the crowd and go during a falling tide. There was no one else out there. Not even the locals would touch this place at this time. The rides were very short because there's not enough water to ride safely. As the tide went out, the waves got dumpier and dumpier at the same time as the rocks underneath got shallower and shallower. I was getting out at low tide when I scuffed up my knee and hit my fins on the rocks. You could hear me yelling, "Noooo! Not my limited edition Jimi Hendrix Scarfinis!". Ouch. Not worth it.
El Peñon, or Lances Left
A left-hand point break that sometimes offers rights. I went right for all but one ride on my first day there. You need a boat to access this at higher tides, but some locals walk down Astillero Beach then around the point when it's lower tide. El Peñon only works on bigger swells and, when it's pumping, it's the longest wave in all of Popoyo, giving intermediates plenty of room to work on maneuvers. Good place for beginners on small days because of the channel, long shoulder and takeoff zone, and deep water. I've never seen this place get hollow or barreling, probably because it's not very steep.
Fun-sized waves at El Peñon
Chacocente
Beach break that can get barreling when it's 6 ft. Any higher, and the break turns into The Great Wall of Closeout. Beautiful, pristine beach in Chacocente Wildlife Refuge turtle preserve. Multiple peaks, wide takeoff zones. Accessible by boat.
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| Hurry before Chacocente gobbles you up |
Playgrounds
Mmm, a yummy powerful reef break with a cobblestone bottom. Two A-frames with long lefts and shorter, more hollow rights. The farther south you go, the more hollow and advanced it gets. I had one of my best sessions in Nica here when the waves were glassy and overhead (swell was 1.5m to 1.8m). It's a b*tch to paddle back out though. I got so tired I had to sit on the beach to catch my breath. At high tide, the waves get really fat. Boat access only. It's usually not crowded but when there's a bigger swell you'll get at least 3 boats, or about 18 surfers out there.
Lodging
Sadly, infrastructure hadn't improved much in Nicaragua. The power, water, internet, and phone all go down at least once a week. And when it's raining heavy with lightning, there's no surfing (at least not for me - I'm tired of getting respiratory or ear infections from all the crap that leaks into the ocean). So it gets kinda boring. I'm glad I brought a book and a headlamp for the days the power outages lasted most of the day/night.
When the utilities go down, you can also scurry to Waves and Wifi, the only place in Popoyo that has backup power, backup internet, and solar panels. Oh, and yummy food at the onsite Kooks Cafe! This is an oasis for digital nomads. If you work remotely, stay here or live nearby so you can walk over whenever the power and internet go out.
I stayed at Casa Vitini, just behind Waves and Wifi. Each unit comes with its own bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and dining area. Though my unit had AC, not all units do. Wifi works well enough for remote work but it goes down when the local ISP, Claro or Tigo, goes down and they don't have a backup, such as the Rancho Santana internet that Waves and Wifi uses. The Rancho Santana Resort is a fancy surf resort frequented by affluent tourists who arrive by private charter plane or helicopter. It has its own internet service that it's willing to share with other hotels in the area for a fee.
Note that the Guasacate neighborhood in Popoyo gets its water from the military water tanks, which often run dry. Sometimes they only open the tanks up to the public for a few hours, which is not enough time for Casa Vitini to top up its own tanks. So some days you wake up and discover you can't flush the toilet or wash your hands. Lack of running water is something I can deal with for a short stay or a camping trip. But for a longer-term stay and possibly a permanent expat life, I say nah, this won't cut it.
Food
Popoyo is a food desert if you can't afford to eat out all the time. Most restaurants charge gringo prices and the nearest supermarket is a 1 hour drive away in Rivas. There are some small bodegas that sell snacks and bachelor food (pasta, sauce, peanut butter, and bread) at a markup. But if you're staying longer and need to do more serious cooking, then you gotta hitch a ride or take a private taxi to Rivas or Managua.
There are bajatas, produce trucks, that ply the streets every day but the quality and selection of goods vary each day. You can't expect to find everything you need or want. Some trucks have eggs but don't come by everyday. Others don't have this or that. Plantains or dragonfruit were like rare gifts from God.
La Loma del Sabor is my favorite local restaurant that is a little easier on the budget. They serve Nica food like tostones con queso and Nica-style breakfasts with rice, beans, sweet fried plantains, farmer's cheese, and eggs. When I'm feeling more flush with cash, Kooks Cafe is my go-to for their salads, breakfast burritos, and dinner events, like Australian BBQ Night.
Conclusion
I fell in love with this place last year, when it was cheaper and the waves were less crowded. I came back this year thinking I'm going to make this place my home and got jaded when reality set in. Property prices have skyrocketed. They are still more affordable than in the U.S. but the infrastructure (water, electricity, communications) is problematic with no hope of meaningful improvement in the near future. There are villages that don't have running water or electricity for weeks.
Popoyo is trying be another Costa Rica, charging developed world prices without having developed world infrastructure. Prices for food, lodging, services, and property have gone up since last year and, in some cases, I feel like I'm back in the States when I'm paying $3 for one cookie. The waves are still great though, and there are plenty of them to go around. Though crowds have tripled since last year, it's still not as bad as Sri Lanka, Mexico, or Snapper Rocks.
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| El Peñon on a dreary day |
Reviewed by beachplease
on
July 30, 2024
Rating:
