By Jessie Benson – SupConnect
NICARAGUA, Central America – Nicaragua offers variety of SUP experiences for SUP surfers and SUP yogis alike. By many standards Nicaragua is somewhat of a new frontier in Central America. Years of political and civil unrest left Nicaragua off the radar for most travelers. People flocked to Costa Rica for their Central American adventure without even thinking twice about the larger country just to the north. But now that Nicaragua is stable and open for tourism, people are starting to trickle on to the untouched beaches and surf the miles of empty swells. This not-so-secret SUP spot is ripe and ready to be paddled!
Hightlights
With 10% of the country covered by warm fresh water and both coasts lined with sea, Nicaragua is a natural paradise for stand up paddle adventures. Whether you prefer to paddle on the calm Caribbean, SUP surf the Pacific waves, or explore the land of lakes and volcanoes, you can find opportunities for all of the above in Nicaragua.
Once you land in Managua and start making your way to the pacific coast you will quickly become enamored by the consistent surf and empty breaks. Rancho Santana, a 2,700 acre ranch on the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua is an unbelievable destination situated in front of several world famous breaks. Head straight to Rancho for outstanding SUP and surf conditions. With five beaches on property and a beach front surf shop which rents all types of boards there are plenty of options for SUP tours, SUP surfing and even SUP fitness classes.
FloYo®, a SUP yoga brand, recently launched their newest location at Rancho Santana, offering daily FloYo, FloYo Fit and SloFlo classes on the tranquil waters of Playa Escondida. In addition to perfect SUPing conditions, Rancho Santana offers a rustic luxury vacation experience that will leave you begging for more vacation days to spend exploring the dramatic coastline.
Seasons
Beautiful Rancho Santana, Nicaragua. | Photos Courtesy: Jessie Benson
As a tropical country, Nicaragua is typically known to have two distinct seasons, the wet (May-October) and the dry seasons (November-April). However, all stand up paddlers should also beware of windy season! Due to the strong Caribbean trade winds coming across Lake Nicaragua, much of the Pacific coast is taken over by extremely high winds from January to March, with February being the worst.
November and December are great times to visit Nicaragua with waist to head high waves, it is a great time for beginner surfers to get in on the action. November is the start of dry season and end rainy season, so the trees will still be covered with vibrant green leaves and the temperature will be perfect with average highs in the mid 80’s and lows in the 70s. The driest months are between March and May, these are often the hottest too. June, July and August are also great months to visit and you can expect bigger waves at this time.