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Eight Fun Things to do in San Juan del Sur Nicaragua

March 10, 2023

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We spent an entire month in this awesome little place. Let me take your hand and introduce you to San Juan del Sur with Eight Fun Things to do in San Juan del Sur Nicaragua.

This article is also featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in San Juan del Sur.

I’ve wanted to visit Nicaragua for a long time. But since 2018 there has been a lot of bad juju here, and so I patiently waited to see what would happen. Well, it was worth the wait. Particularly since we wanted to visit the smaller coastal towns, and not the larger cities, where more of the recent trouble has been. Statistically both Costa Rica and Mexico have a lot more random acts of violence than Nicaragua. But Nicaragua continues to be misunderstood.

Americans flock to Mexico and Costa Rica but continue to fear visiting Nicaragua. We felt very safe during our visit to both Granada and the tiny fishing village of San Juan del Sur. We did not spend anytime in Managua. Yes we are so glad we came. And if we visit again we would also consider the popular Corn Islands in the Caribbean side and Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua. But for this visit we spent most our time in San Juan del Sur. And now our recommendations – Eight Fun Things to do in San Juan del Sur Nicaragua.

Eight Fun Things to do in San Juan del Sur Nicaragua — San Juan del Sur

More than Surf and Parties

San Juan del Sur is home to lots of American and Canadian expats, as well as a destination for the younger surfing and partying crowd. We chose to stay about a ten minute walk outside of town, which proved to be a good decision because it was quieter on the weekend nights. We don’t party all night (those days are long over) nor are we surfers. Both activities are really popular here, although it never seemed to be super busy or loud. But, luckily, we found a lot of great stuff we could do beyond the surf and nightlife.

San Juan del Sur, being a casual beach town, is pretty laid back. While in other parts of the country wearing shorts or swimwear around town would be frowned on, here it is accepted. On our daily runs here we also felt safe, and many local people frequently gave me a thumbs up and a cheer as I ran by “bueno bueno!”.

The area around San Juan del Sur has both poverty and wealth. Nicaragua is, unfortunately, the poorest country in Central America and the average person lives very simply. The average income is about $300 USD a month. A teacher earns about $500 and a doctor around $2000. However, there are also big mansions and construction on large secluded resorts. These are for the expats that come here due to the incredibly inexpensive property values and cost of living. An American could comfortably live here for about $1200 – 1500 per month. You would give up some creature comforts like bagged salad from the grocery store, a Starbucks frappuccino or Target bi-weekly shopping trips but you know, $1200, so…

Windy

The weather is nice and warm in February, averaging about 85f everyday. But the wind was obnoxious. Apparently, and unbeknownst to us, February is the windiest month. But that said the locals all claimed this wind was “not normal” gusting in the 25-35 mph nearly every day. Generally the dry season is November to April and there is much more rain from May – October. But the difference in temperature between the hottest month of April and the coolest month of January is only about 5 degrees Fahrenheit

Windy season in San Juan del Sur

Getting Around

We did not wander far from the San Juan del Sur area, and when we did it was usually on foot. From our condo we could get to the town by either wading across the ankle-deep river, or when the river is low enough there was an enterprising young lady who would set up a bridge. For about fifteen cents you could cross her bridge. Otherwise the longer way to the town was about a mile and a half. However, at times the high tide makes the crossing impossible. There is a boat that operates, but only when someone wants to make some money so you never know. There are buses, which are old USA school buses (we did not use), and lots of taxis. We also used a hired driver from Southwind Travel and rented a side by side ATV for two days.

When possible we tried to use local tour companies, guides, taxis, shops and restaurants in support of the local people. And along the way we discovered Eight Fun Things to do in San Juan del Sur Nicaragua.

1. Hiking

Like in most places we visit, we did not have a car, although we did rent a “side by side” ATV for two days. But we headed out on foot to hike to two local beaches. To the north we did a ten mile round trip to Marsella Beach. To the south we did a six mile round trip to Playa Pena Rota. These long dusty hikes aren’t for everyone, but we enjoyed our hiking days. It makes sense not too stray too far from civilization for safety reasons, but we enjoyed these two separate beautiful beaches in the area. The geology at sea level is both rocky and sandy and made up of sedimentary rock that forms beautiful shelves along the coast, as well as interesting formations.

Another hike we did was to the giant Jesus, officially known as Cristo de la Misericordia. This short but very steep hike not only gets you up close and personal with the iconic landmark, it also gives you the best view of San Juan del Sur town and beach. On the days we rented the side by side, we did some more amazing hikes…see more below.

2. Cooking Class

Since cooking (and eating) the local food is always high on my list, we signed up with Pacific Adventuras for a cooking class in a tiny town about 20 minutes from San Juan del Sur. The class was only $30 per person and was one of our favorite eight things to do in San Juan del Sur Nicaragua. We requested to learn two of the regions most popular dishes; vigoron and tostone. We enjoyed the class with Chef July of Rancho Tere and our guide Cesar so much we signed up for a second class as well. At the second class we learned to make another popular local seafood stew dish and it was fantastic.

3. Rent a Side by Side ATV

We decided to splurge for two days and rent a side by side vehicle. These are the vehicles of choice here to get out onto the rough terrain. Expensive by Nicaragua standards at $130 USD per day, it was totally worth it for the adventures we had. We booked our side by side through Southwind Travel, the same company we used to transport us from the airport and back. The side by side is an open vehicle cross between an ATV and a Jeep. We loved our time and packed a lot into our two-day rental.

4. Up to the Canopy

With the Side by Side we wandered up into the canopy to a place called Parque Adventuras Las Nubes. Here there are many options including zipline, but we decided to just do some mountain hiking around the canopy in hopes of seeing animals and birds. The visit was $18 per person and we went on a guided hike through the beautiful area. Before the hike started our guide drove us up to the top of the canopy over the most intense road I have ever been on. Our side by side would not have had the power to make it up this mountain, over boulders and through deep crevices…but his vehicle did.

Once on the hike, we had stunning view back down to San Juan del Sur to the west, and to Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua to the east. We saw lots of birds, hundreds of butterflies, one sleepy sloth, one shy tarantula, monkeys and learned about flora. It was a great learning opportunity.

5. Lunch with a Local Family and Mountain Pool

Possibly the best thing we did in all of Nicaragua was on the second day of our side by side rental. Again through Pacific Adventuras and with our same favorite guide Cesar, we drove an hour and a half south, nearly to the Costa Rica border. Most of this drive was on long, dusty, rocky terrain, through rivers and dry creek beds.

Eventually we arrived at our destination, the home of a local family in a very remote area. Robin, the owner of the land, took us on a hike up to a waterfall (not much water this time of year), but the natural pool was not dry and we took a refreshing dip. The hike was a bit challenging, but since we hike a lot we didn’t have any trouble. Only once my husband had to give me a hind side push to get me up a rock. It was really remarkable to be out in the middle of nowhere and see the geology, nature and way of life.

After our hike we returned to Robin’s home where his wife had prepared a simple yet delicious lunch for us made 100% from staples they grow or make on their beautiful property. Their farm includes cows, goats, pigs, chickens, and turkeys, as well as rice, beans, vegetables, fruit and more. What a wonderful day that was.

Simple and delicious, fresh and local food

6. Beaches

This part of Nicaragua has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The beach in San Juan del Sur itself is nice, but the prettiest beaches are north and south of the town. As mentioned above we hiked to two beaches. Then the days we had the side by side we set out to visit several more that are too far to walk to from SJDS. Over the two days we visited the surfer beach of Playa Maderas, where we watched the amateur and first-time surfers give it a go.

We also spent several hours at Playa Hermosa, one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. You might recognize it because Survivor Nicaragua 2010 was filmed right here. At that time it was just an empty gorgeous beach, close enough to SJDS town for the crew’s needs. Today though, Playa Hermosa has a lovely restaurant and some hotel rooms too. It’s $3 to enter and the relaxing hammocks and beach chairs made it a favorite of mine.

On day two of our vehicle rental and after our waterfall hike we stopped to check out two more astonishing beaches in the far south part of the region. Ostional Beach is a local fishing village beach and Playa Coco is a beautiful beach that is also home to a turtle hatchery. I recommend both of these.

More Beaches

Through social media we met a woman from Washington State who connected with us. She lives here half of the year (like many Americans and tons of Canadians). She was so kind to pick us up and take us to some more beaches we would not have seen without her assistance. We had beers and also went out to dinner. Gracias to our new friend!

We also spent one day at Hush Resort located at Playa Maderas. We decided to take a class at Hush in the morning (a holistic tapping class) and then spent the day enjoying the pool and restaurant at this beautiful resort overlooking this stunning beach.

7. Shops with the Locals

To get our food supplies we had to shop a couple times a week. We found a favorite produce vendor, a favorite fishmonger, a favorite bakery and a favorite carneceria (butcher). On shopping days we would head out with our backpack and reusable shopping bags and gather what we needed. There is one store (Pali) that could be defined as a “super” market, but it wasn’t very super and I didn’t love it. Not to mention the fact that it’s not locally owned (owned by Walmart). So, we were much more inclined to make the effort to visit the small businesses in town to get our supplies. Plus it’s fun, when you aren’t in any hurry why not?

There is also a small mercado. We did get some produce here as well, and went in search of a colander when we discovered there was not one in our condo. We found exactly what we needed.

On two occasions we visited one of several tiny pharmacies in the town for sunscreen, Benadryl, and a new hairbrush. I was hoping to find a hair dryer, as surprisingly our condo did not have one. But apparently we would need to go to the bigger city of Rivas for that kind of thing. I managed four weeks without a hair dryer.

8. Excellent Restaurants

We did not eat out very often, using the kitchen in our condo most days. But we did discover some delicious little gems in this town over the four-plus weeks we were here and they certainly fall into Eight Fun Things to do in San Juan del Sur Nicaragua. There are many more but here are our recommendations;

IKAL – we watched the Super Bowl here and enjoyed a giant burger

Rockys Dough – found this delicious little donut shop and I had to give it a try

Dale Pues – a favorite local spot is kind of hidden but we enjoyed a good meal here

El Timon – we had Valentine’s Day dinner here and ordered the giant seafood platter for two

The Beach House – right on the beach, the top restaurant in SJDS, the sushi was our favorite

Rancho Tere – the restaurant where we took our cooking classes is a very popular local spot with excellent local food.

And still more restaurants…

The Art Warehouse – natural foods restaurant; I had a vegan bowl that was one of the best I’ve ever had.

Sabores de mi Patio – this brand new hidden little neighborhood joint was super delicious and inexpensive. We really enjoyed the food and the service.

Pizza House SJDS – located in the building where our condo is, this tiny place serves a delicious pie.

Nachos – this is were we ate with our new friend from Washington. It was cheap and delicious.

Tuanis – not in downtown but an easy walk out at the port this very popular spot for food and nightlife has the most amazing BBQ plate on Sundays. So glad we got here on our final night. Delicious.

Gastro Garden – a fun hidden garden that is a food court. Perfect for groups or if you want to taste some international options. Pizza, Thai, BBQ, sushi and more.

One of the many offerings at the Gastro Garden Food Court

Pico’s Po’Boy – this tiny shop opened in our building while we were here and it has delicious sandwiches

Mammamia – We probably never would have eaten here if we hadn’t gotten a recommendation. Teeny little hole in the wall with pasta and pizza but the bread was incredible!! Order the bruschetta.

Indio del Sur – popular breakfast and lunch spot we enjoyed the Nica Tipico $4

Hush Maderas where we took the Tapping class had a really good menu and we ate delicious Dorado (Mahi Mahi) This beautiful plate was only $11.

Simon Says – we only had coffee here one morning but the menu looked really good and the garden is a lovely hidden gem.

The Hip – A little taste of Canada (for all the Canadian expats) and we had a wonderful fresh salad here.

We stumbled on the Nicaragua Craft Beer Co. so of course we had to visit there too. Outstanding beer! We did the tasting menu and had some appetizers too.

Things to Know Before You Go

Communication

What’sApp is the way to communicate here, like many countries. Although What’sApp is not that popular in the USA, when you travel you should definitely have it on your phone. It’s used for reservations, taxis and general communication.

Money

The local currency is the Cordoba, and we try to operate in the local currency but US dollars are widely accepted and also available at the ATM. Credit cards are also accepted at many places.

Transportation

We don’t recommend renting a car because there are often police stops to check insurance etc. If you don’t speak fluent Spanish that can be a problem. When we rented the Side by Side we were ready for this possibility but it didn’t happen. Taxis and tourism transport vehicles are abundant. Also, on the rural roads people drive really fast, but on the city streets and highways they seem to keep the speed down. But they love to pass!!

Language

Neither of us are fluent in Spanish but we know enough to get by. There is less English spoken here than in many places we have been. After almost three months in Central America (with another month to go) our Espanol has improved tremendously. Agradecida por la oportunidad. Muy Bien.

The Water

Don’t drink the water. Filtered water is widely available.

Know your ability as far as the surf. It is strong. Don’t go in if you don’t know what you’re doing. There are lots of surfing classes for beginners. Check out Casa Oro. And don’t swim in the river. Crocodiles. ‘Nuf said.

Dental

While in SJDS I had my teeth cleaned. Nicaragua has a lot of dental tourism, though not as much as Costa Rica. I had an implant done in Costa Rica (read about it here) several years ago and so I had no fear in having a cleaning here. They did a wonderful job at Forever Smiles and it was only $50.

Why You Should Consider San Juan del Sur

Although I sound like a broken record, I am surprised how many Americans flock to Mexico and Costa Rica but avoid Nicaragua and Guatemala. Mexico and Costa Rica have vastly more violence, including against tourists. Nicaragua’s issues are primarily political, and a tourist sees little of this. The main issue for visitors is petty crimes, crimes of opportunity when you don’t protect your belongings, and theft which occasionally involves weapons.

I am writing this on the day the shootings occurred at Michigan State University back in the USA. These random acts of gun violence have become so common place in the USA, and yet we are conditioned to think Nicaragua is more violent! You can travel safely and inexpensively in San Juan del Sur, with caution and preparation just as you would for any other destination. And you will love it. I personally would even consider living here.

Eight Fun Things to do in San Juan del Sur Nicaragua

Thank you for reading my post Eight Fun Things to do in San Juan del Sur Nicaragua.

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Check out our posts about Nicaragua Cooking Class and Granada Nicaragua Colonial Charm and More.

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Nicaragua Cooking Class

Learning New & Delicious Foods

February 24, 2023

Laureen

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If you are even an occasional follower of this blog or my social sites you know I love food! And even more than eating, I love to learn about local foods while I am traveling. Some of our all-time most rewarding experiences in our travels have been engaging with locals, learning to cook regional food. During our recent visit to San Juan del Sur we thoroughly enjoyed a Nicaragua Cooking Class. Let’s talk about it.

What is Nicaraguan Cuisine

Although it has some similarities to Mexican cuisine, we found the delicious foods of Nicaragua more similar to Guatemala. One of my all time favorite cooking classes was in Antiqua Guatemala. In that class we used a lot of the same ingredients that we see here in Nicaragua; beans, rice, corn, onions, chicken, plantains, yucca and pico de gallo. And Nicaraguan coffee is also much like Guatemalan coffee…one of my favorites.

San Juan del Sur

We spent a month in San Juan del Sur, a Pacific Coast beach town about an hour’s drive from Granada. On arrival I did some research and found a local tour operator called Pacific Adventuras that offered several tours in the San Juan del Sur area, including a Nicaragua cooking class. So of course we signed up right away!

Rancho Tere, Escamequito

We were picked up in San Juan del Sur by Chef July, who owns Rancho Tere Restaurant with her family in the small town of Escamequita about 20 minutes from San Juan del Sur. July speaks very little English, so we also had Cesar with us as an interpreter. He is actually studying at the university in Managua every Sunday to improve his English. We had a wonderful time practicing English and Spanish through the day.

When we signed up for the Nicaruagua cooking class we requested to learn about vigoron, one of Nicaragua’s most loved dishes. It consists of a cabbage salad, boiled yucca, and chicharron, all wrapped in a banana leaf. This dish is often eaten without utensils, and it is frequently served to visiting family and guests, as it is generally easily and quickly prepared. Wikipedia. So Chef July was eager to share this popular dish with us, and she also chose to share with us how to make tostone.

Tostone is a dish we had eaten several times since arriving in Nicaragua and we loved it. The word tostone refers to the twice fried plantains that serve as a vessel for toppings such as cheese, meat and pico de gallo.

Vigoron

Nicaraguan food is made from simple, local, fresh and easily accessible ingredients. Honestly isn’t that the way all good food should be made? Chef July introduced us to yucca. We actually have eaten yucca before, but never worked with it in a recipe. It is a staple food in many Central American countries as it is cheap and easily accessible. It has a consistency very much like potato.

For the vigoron we placed the boiled yucca in a bowl (often served on a banana leaf) then topped it with a cabbage salad very finely grated and mixed with lemon juice. Next topped with delicious homemade pico de gallo made from fresh tomato, green pepper, and a new ingredient to me, called culantro. Culantro is similar to cilantro, but a much bigger leaf. It’s always fun to learn about something new. The last ingredient for vigoron is the chicharron, a popular snack food, which we call in the United States pork rinds.

The entire dish took about 20 minutes to make and it was very filling and delicious. And also pretty.

Tostone

Another very common ingredient in Central American and Caribbean cuisine is plantain. Did you know there are more than 1000 varieties of bananas? The plantain is a firmer and less sweet variety used mostly for cooking. If you read our blog post about Granada, we ate a delicious hamburger in Granada that used a plantain tostone bun. So yummy.

To make the twice cooked tostone you first cook the plantain chunks in deep oil for about three minutes. Next using a towel so you won’t burn yourself you smash the chunks into disks with your hands, then fry them again in the oil. This is the tostone. We then fried the delicious local queso (that has a high melting point) and placed each piece on top of the tostone disks, topped with pico de gallo. So, so delicious. You can also top a tostone with meat, beans, avocado…lots of yummy things.

This dish was easy and delicious. Don’t try this with regular bananas though, you need the firmer plantains. It is possible to find plantains in the USA, sometimes at supermarkets but also at Latino markets.

Plantain is twice cooked to make the tostone

Fat and Happy

We really enjoyed our cooking class at Rancho Tere. In fact we are planning to go again and learn some more delicious local foods. Because spending time with locals, learning their foods and customs, is the best part of our Grand Adventure and My Fab Fifties Life. We loved our Nicaragua Cooking Class. Muy Bien.

See last weeks post Granada Nicaragua Colonial Charm and Much More

See this week’s top performing post Twelve Things to do on Roatan for Non-Divers

In a couple of weeks I will have more to share about our month in San Juan del Sur Nicaragua. Watch for it!

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South & Central America Travel

Granada Nicaragua – Colonial Charm and Much More

Granada Nicaragua

February 17, 2023

Laureen

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We spent six days in Granada Nicaragua and found so many surprising things. You could easily see this small town in less time, but we had the time so we took it. Let me tell you some of our favorite discoveries in Granada Nicaragua – Colonial Charm and Much More.

Iconic Granada Cathedral – Immaculate Conception of Mary. Granada Nicaragua Colonial Charm and Much More

Arrival

We flew into Managua from Miami, but based on our research did not have any interest in hanging out in Managua. So we moved right along. After a slow process getting through passport control and inspection, we met our driver right outside the terminal. I had booked ahead the driver through Southwinds Tours. He spoke perfect English and transported us safely on the 45 minute drive south to Granada.

We stayed at a small hotel in a perfect location in Granada called El Almirante. Easy walk to everything. This hotel was inexpensive, had fabulous staff, was popular with both locals and foreigners, and offered a great breakfast. We did find it was noisy however and our room was very small. After six nights we were definitely ready to move on to something bigger.

A Little History

Granada (region) was populated long before the Spanish arrived with a thriving indigenous population. In 1524 the city was named after the town of the same name in Spain, by Spanish conquistador Hernandez de Cordoba.

During the colonial era Granada was a sister city to Antiqua Guatemala and the cities have a very similar look architecturally. For many years Granada was in conflict with the city of Leon with the power struggle between families and politicians. This was often violent.

In 1834 Candido Flores attempted a revolt against the government in Leon, but the failed attempt left Granada in shambles. Next American William Walker attempted to take control of the city and declared himself President. An anti-abolitionist, Walker wanted to keep slavery and run the region of Granada. When his attempts failed he burned the city. He was later executed in Honduras.

Granada was spared from most violence during the Sandinista vs Contra period in the 1970’s – 1990’s – luckily. It’s why you can still enjoy this gem Granada Nicaragua Colonial Charm and Much More.

Granada Nicaragua Colonial Charm and Much More

There are many things to do in this pretty little town. We did not do them all, but here are some of our favorites;

Self Guided City Tour – Using Map My City we created a self guided tour that we did in just a few hours on our first day. Starting at the amazing Mercado Municipal and working our way through several historic sites including the Willliam Walker House, Iglesia La Merced, La Polvora Fortress, Immaculate Conception of Mary Cathedral and San Fransisco Convent Museum of History. We climbed to the bell towers in both cathedrals which I high recommend. At the Immaculate Conception of Mary Cathedral you will find the Parque Central de Granada area, always lively and full of vendors, food, families, and people just relaxing.

Immaculate Conception of Mary Cathedral on Parque Central

Mombacho Volcano Hike – we took a guided tour up to the Mombacho Volcano using Danny’s Tours. We were picked up at our hotel and drove the 45 min up the steep road to the top of the volcano. Then we hiked with a guide along the trails and enjoyed flora and birds and fantastic views back down to Granada and Lake Nicaragua. The view includes being able to see Masaya Volcano about 15 miles in the distance with venting steam. We also stopped at a Las Flores Coffee Plantation on the way.

Lake Nicaragua Boat Tour – we also used Danny’s Tours for this excursion and it was the most fun of all the things we did. Our guide Manuel picked up at our hotel and drove us to the lake where we boarded a small boat. Motoring around the dozens of islands on the lake, learning history, seeing how the locals live as well as the millionaire mansions was incredible. We saw so many amazing birds, as well as monkey, bats and fish. I highly recommend this. You also can choose to do a kayak tour.

Walk along Lake Nicaragua – on our last day with time to spare we took a long walk, seeing some of the less touristy neighborhoods and walking along the lakefront. Though very neglected and in need of some TLC, a park stretches several miles along the lake and we enjoyed the walk.

Carriage Ride – A popular activity, though very touristy, is to take a horse drawn carriage ride through the city. We decided to do this on our final day. The 40 minute ride was $15 with an English speaking guide pointing out sites along the way and answering our questions.

The Food!!

Wow. The dining options in this small town were phenomenal. What a surprise that was. Not just the local food but international cuisines of every kind. These listed here are all amazing.

Nectar – located on the Calle La Calzada, a pedestrian area bursting with dining options, we chose Nectar at random but turns out it is a highly rated spot. We enjoyed Nicaraguan cuisine including our first time having tostone, a fried plantain topped with meat and cheese. Delicious

The Garden Cafe – we read great reviews about The Garden Cafe so we headed there for a late lunch and enjoyed our quinoa bowls so much. They have a wide range of healthy foods based on local ingredients. Absolutely delicious.

Goat Cheese bruschetta at The Garden Cafe

Pita Pita – This was such a surprise to find such authentic Mediterranean food in Nicaragua. The baba ganoush, hummus and falafel were excellent.

Hummus, Baba Ganoush, Feta and more at Pita Pita

Boca Baco – We had an exceptional meal at this little tapas place that also serves sushi. What more could you want? We enjoyed half a dozen tapas to share, including fabulous deep fried shrimp and a delicious beef carpaccio. Highly recommend.

These shrimp with spicy sauce – so good at Boca Baco

Bistro Estrada – another delicious surprise, and in a beautiful garden courtyard. We loved this hidden little gem and the authentic Nicaraguan menu.

Beautiful garden courtyard at Bistro Estrada

Arne loved this traditional Nicaraguan Tierra Dentro only $8

Tosto Metro – You must eat here…if you can find it. We went to the Mercado three times trying to find it. On the third try we were determined and we found it. It’s very hidden in the chaos that is the Granada Mercado. Just a few steps to the left from the main entrance, but if you blink you’ll miss it. And we did…but the third time was the charm. Tosto Metro does burgers. Only burgers, but it is exceptional. You choose beef, chicken or pork. It’s served on a bun made from plantains. Accompanied by the absolute best sauce. And sweet little treat at the end. Perfecto.

Tosto Metro Burger with Plantain Bun. Messy and delicious.

There are many, many more. You won’t go hungry in Granada Nicaragua – Colonial Charm and Much More

Granada A Pleasant Surprise

I encourage you to visit Granada Nicaragua. It has a lot to offer and you will be pleasantly surprised. Next week I’ll post about San Juan del Sur Nicaragua so be sure to come back!

See last week’s post Our Favorite Things in West End Roatan

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South & Central America Travel

Our Favorite Things in West End Roatan

February 10, 2023

Laureen

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Location: West End Roatan Honduras

We spent five weeks in a condo in West End, Roatan, Honduras, without a car, so we stuck pretty close to our neighborhood. It’s a very authentic little village, though also with lots of tourists. We liked it better than nearby West Bay because there are no big resorts in West End. Just a cool local vibe. Our Airbnb condo (see it here) was about a half a mile walk (with a very steep hill) to the center of the tiny town of West End. We did the walk nearly everyday and sometimes more than once. Over the course of our time we got to know the village pretty well. So here are our favorite things in West End, Roatan, Honduras.

The Main Drag

Just walking along the main drag is entertaining. West End is in a protected bay, so many of the dive, snorkel and fishing operators are based here. The water taxi to West Bay is also based here, and they tie up the boats here at night. This creates a nice nighttime scene with lots of bars and restaurants, although it never seems too noisy. West End was originally a fishing village and remains focused on water activities, although the town is bursting at its seams in its small one and half mile stretch of road that fronts Half Moon Bay.

Half Moon Bay

There are just a couple beaches to swim from in West End, the best one is the public beach at Half Moon Bay. A very narrow beach with easy water access that feels safe. Nice sandy bottom makes it a great place for families or those who just want to float around. Palm trees provide beach shade and the sargassum grass and trash are cleaned up each morning.

Snorkel Tour

Because I suffer from extreme motion sickness, I can only snorkel on a calm day. While the weather is usually calm, Roatan, like the rest of the world, was having some unusual weather during our visit and we experienced a lot of wind. But we managed to pull off a wonderful hour long snorkel right off the beach in West End on one of the best weather days. Very calm and sunny as we did an afternoon snorkel of the Blue Gulch that we booked through Roatan Tour Guide Association. We highly recommend working with Dani from RTA who was very helpful and understanding for my concerns. We had a great snorkel.

Rent a Kayak

We didn’t need a guide, although there are guided kayak tours as well as kayak snorkel tours. We just wanted to leisurely paddle around beautiful Half Moon Bay. So we rented a kayak from Harry’s Hideaway in West End for $18 an hour. It was just perfect to get out and enjoy the water on a calm day and get some good photos looking back at the village of West End.

Water Taxi

Even if you have no reason to go back and forth between West End and West Bay we still recommend taking the water taxi just for the fun of it. The $5 one way charge is reasonable and gives you a great view from the water side. The Water Taxi runs all day long every day and is located right in the middle of West End.

Fun Shops

As I have said before, I am not a big shopper. Mostly because we have no room in our suitcase, but also because I just don’t love shopping. We did however visit a few shops that were fun, such as Rusty Fish, which is a recycled art store. My favorite shop in West End however is an absolute don’t miss… the beautiful Waves of Art Gallery. Unlike most the other shops it is full of LOCAL artists works and I bought some beautiful handmade baskets from the Lencan Indian Tribe of mainland Honduras.

I also visited the Roatan Chocolate Factory on several occasions to pick up something from the bakery on the main floor. And then on my birthday I took a chocolate making class in their upstairs kitchen and museum. The class was $40 and I was the only person in the class. It was great fun to learn the process from bean to bar.

There are several “mini-marts” offering beverages, snacks, toilet paper and some other essentials but no meat and very little produce. The nearest supermarket is in the larger town of Coxen Hole, about a 15 minute drive. But we used Roa Market for must of our smaller needs and they had the best selection.

There are a couple of fruit markets in the village and we stopped in about every other day for fruit, tomatoes, avocados and occasionally we could find lettuce. Our favorite was Frutas Verduras.

So Many Restaurants

There are so many restaurants in this little tiny town. Really amazing. When we visited West Bay there were not nearly as many restaurants, except for the ones in the resorts. Another reason we loved West End. We cooked most of our meals, but ate out a few lunches, a couple breakfasts and about once a week for dinner. Our last five days we were out of food so we ate out each night, and we never ate anyplace twice…we wanted to try them all. Here is a list of our favorites, with links when possible. Most restaurants use What’sApp for reservations.

Roatan Oasis – hands down the best meal we had. Definitely get a reservation.

Blue Thai Elephant – very authentic and delicious Thai food. Reservations recommended.

Stowaway Gastropub – teeny and delicious little place. Reservations recommended.

Calelu’s – open breakfast, lunch and dinner also great take-away. This is THE place for baleadas, the favorite food of Honduras.

Gingers – delicious seafood and Caribbean favorites with a nice waterfront location.

Lorettas Island Cooking – an absolute must for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Local and delicious.

Pazzo – our driver Dario recommended we go here. Without his recommendation we would have overlooked it. Authentic Italian pasta and more. Possibly the best beef carpaccio ever. Cash only and bring your own alcohol.

Tijuana Taco Stand – friendly proprietor right on the beach, very authentic Mexican food to eat at the picnic tables or take away.

La Ruta Del Sabor – is a teeny place that front an abandoned hotel but where you will find the most authentic and delicious El Salvadorian pupusas. I’m drooling thinking about it.

Fun Bars

We don’t spend a lot of time in bars, but we did stop into a few places, watched football at a few places and enjoyed mostly the local beer called Salva Vida. We visited the Sundowner (nice view and they also serve food), Blue Marlin (also nice view), Tequila Jack’s (beautiful view and some appetizers), Harry’s Hideaway (fun bar and restaurant on the water), Tita’s Pink Seahorse (an awesome hidden beach bar worth searching for) and Booty Bar (great for football and excellent food).

Our Advice

There are no sidewalks. It’s kinda annoying. Unless it’s early in the morning, most cars drive pretty slow, because the heavy traffic requires it. But you are walking in the street with cars, busses, taxis and scooters. This is true in most places in the island. So be prepared and stay aware.

We always felt safe, but that said don’t carry a lot of cash or unnecessary valuables.

Use bug spray. The tiny sand fleas (also known as midges and no-see-ums) are prolific, and not just on the beach. Bites are painful and take 7-10 days to heal. Also don’t forget your sunscreen.

US Dollars are widely accepted but your bills will not be accepted if they are torn, written on, old or damaged. Carry fresh pristine bills…but try to use the local currency if you can.

There aren’t really any addresses, so having a good driver is useful. Currently there is a ton of road construction going on, widening the main road that runs through the island. That work will continue into 2024.

We used Omar’s Tourist Transportation and our driver Dario for several trips we made. We highly recommend them if you want a safe and reliable transfer service. Reach them at visitroatanisland97@gmail.com

Taxis are abundant and there is also a funky little bus system. Not actually busses but vans. Flag them down. Cheap too.

If you don’t already, download What’sAp to use during your visit. It is the communication tool all the locals use including for dinner reservations.

Don’t drink the water. Filtered water is easily available and very inexpensive.

Thanks for reading our post Our Favorite Things in West End Roatan. It’s a safe and wonderful option for visiting Honduras. We hope to visit this tiny place again someday.

See last week’s post Twelve Things to do on Roatan for Non-Divers.

See our Sixth Annual Travel Awards 2022 here.

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South & Central America Travel

Twelve Things To Do On Roatan for Non-Divers

Roatan Island Honduras

February 3, 2023

Laureen

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Location: Roatan Honduras

Diving is king here on this tropical island, in the Caribbean, just off the coast of Honduras. But if you are not a diver, there are still lots of things to do. Whether you are here for a long snowbird stay or just for a brief visit from a cruise ship, take a look at our Twelve Things To Do On Roatan for Non-Divers.

This is my honest opinion on the things we did during our five weeks in Roatan, Honduras.

Take an Island Tour

One of our most favorite things was a full island, full day tour of Roatan. If you only have one day this might not be for you, but those staying longer definitely should do this. We booked with Omar Tourist Transportation and our driver Dario was amazing. We discussed the things we were interested in seeing and he made sure we saw those and much more. He also took us to the most amazing place for lunch, an out-of-the-way, over-the-water spot with delicious food called La Sirena. We would never have known about that without Dario. One of our favorites of our twelve things to do on Roatan for non-divers.

Daniel Johnson’s Sloth Hangout

I really wanted to hold a sloth. I know this is against some people’s beliefs, but for me, it was on my bucket list. So on our full day island tour we stopped at Daniel Johnson’s Monkey and Sloth Hangout in French Caye. There are other things to do at Daniel Johnson’s but I was only there for the sloths, so we were in and out quickly. There are many tours to Daniel Johnson’s or you can arrive on your own and entrance fee is $12.

West End Snorkel Tour

We booked a snorkel day right in West End where we were staying with Roatan Tour Guide Association. Dani runs Roatan Tour Guide Association and he was great. He took seriously my concerns about my motion sickness (something I have dealt with my entire life) and created a tour just for me. The coral reef that surrounds Roatan is part of the second biggest in the world (the MesoAmerican Reef) and it really was a wonderful thing to see…and all the fish too. Definitely work with Dani.

West Bay Beaches

We took one day to visit West Bay. It’s very different than West End where we were staying. West Bay is home to many resorts along a long sandy white beach. It’s very pretty but also crowded so if you want a beach spot arrive early. Personally I am glad we stayed in West End and not West Bay.

Water Taxi Between West End and West Bay

Whether you are staying in West Bay or West End, you should take the water taxi just for fun. It’s five dollars one way and a great way to get out on the water and see the island. It’s also a great service to get between the two small towns; West End which has more restaurants and shops and West Bay which has more resorts and a bigger beach.

Gumbalimba Adventure Park

Okay I didn’t love this place, but it had a few fun moments. Lots of cruise groups come here but it was pretty quiet the day we visited. You start with a guided tour learning about flora. Next some rather outdated dioramas of the history of the island. Then you get to see animals which I really enjoyed. Giant iguanas, beautiful scarlet macaws (the national bird of Honduras) and white faced monkeys. If you want to hold the monkey or birds the guides will help make this happen. These animals are wild, but know to come to the guides and they will get a treat.

We also spent a little time on the beach here…chairs were not in great condition, nor was the restrooms. We ordered a hamburger and it was awful. Entrance fee of $35 seemed really expensive for this rundown Gumbalimba Adventure Park.

Carambola Botanical Gardens

We took the local “bus” three miles from West End to Carambola Botanical Gardens. Their website is not very well maintained, but the gardens were fun to see, if you like natural sites like this. I do and so we went. You can also hike up to the top of the mountain on a poorly maintained trail for a beautiful view.

Take a Cooking Class

We found a lovely local lady who came to our condo and we cooked Honduran food together. We booked this class through Viator Cook With a Local. First we went to the market to get all our ingredients which was fun. Then we spent two hours prepping, cooking and eating a delicious meal. It was a wonderful day. Definitely request Karla if you do this class. She was wonderful.

Make and Eat Chocolate

There are two chocolate making facilities in the West End and we visited both Mayan and Roatan. Roatan Chocolate Factory was very close to where we were staying and we stopped there several times to get some things from their bakery. Then on my birthday I decided to spend a couple of hours in a chocolate making class. This is something I have never done before and I really enjoyed it – especially since the earlier class that day was big for the cruise crowd but in my class I was the only one. And of course I got to eat what I made. $40 if you book direct, it’s a lot more expensive if you go with a tour group. I really enjoyed this activity, and my guide Jackson was amazing.

Overnight Visit to Utila

We took the ferry to the small island of Utila for two nights, just to see what that was all about. It is very tiny and very focused on diving BUT we had an awesome morning of snorkeling so I am so glad we went. I saw lots of things I’ve never encountered snorkeling before including a gorgeous Eagle Ray, a Reef Shark and a Puffer Fish. There a many, many places to stay…but don’t expect luxury. Our simple and a bit run down hotel Coral View Beach Resort was clean, and the bar and food was excellent. We snorkeled right off their dock.

Snorkeling right off the dock at Coral View Resort (Mainland Honduras in the distance)

Visit Microbrewery

A bit out of the way but definitely worth it is the Roatan Island Brewing Company. Only open 11am-5pm Wed – Sunday, they serve an excellent selection of their own microbrew (changes regularly), superb food too, all under a beautiful palm canopy. A must visit.

Try Some Local Foods

We always love to eat – and on the island of Roatan we had some wonderful local foods. You definitely need to try Conch while visiting. Available in different preparations, we enjoyed Conch fritters and especially Conch Ceviche.

As you might suspect, being an island, seafood is abundant. The shrimp here was the best I have had anywhere in the world! We also tried Lionfish for the first time. You will find lots of Grouper, Red Snapper, Wahoo (Ono) and sometimes tuna available.

Two local specialties we fell in love with. Baleadas are a Honduran specialty. Like a very big taco, but the tortilla is much thicker and soft. A baleada always has beans and queso. Then you add your protein. Super cheap and super delicious. We tried pollo, pastor, and egg and avocado.

The next local specialty I LOVED was the pupusa. Native to both Honduras and El Salvador, we first had these on our visit to El Salvador a few years ago. The ones we had here in Roatan were fresh made to order. They are like a corn cake filled with lots of yummy goodness. Just amazing.

As I mentioned above, you must eat the locally made chocolate from wild cacao trees while you are here. So good.

Twelve Things To Do On Roatan for Non-Divers

Though not as upscale as Maui or some other tropical destinations, Roatan has many activities to enjoy even if you don’t dive. So hopefully this post Twelve Things to do on Roatan for Non-Divers helps you see why you should visit this hidden gem in the Caribbean.

Next week we will have another post about West End, Roatan.

See last week’s post Fearless Travel – Conquering Your Fear

See our Sixth Annual Travel Awards 2022 here.

See this week’s top performing post here Maui on a Budget.

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Relaxing in Puerto Escondido Mexico

December 17, 2021

Laureen

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Location: Puerto Escondido Oaxaca Mexico

We really were looking for somewhere to relax and enjoy some quiet time, after a whirlwind week in Mexico City. I had heard good things about the state of Oaxaca but we had never visited. I didn’t want to go to another big city after being in Mexico City, so we settled on the small town of Puerto Escondido. Here is what we did during our 17 days relaxing in Puerto Escondido Mexico.

Sunset Puerto Escondido — The Beach near our Airbnb

Where is Puerto Escondido

Located on the Pacific Coast in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, it’s 246km from the city of Oaxaca and you can drive it in about four hours. However, a new highway will open soon and will cut that time in half. We flew from Mexico City on Viva Aerobus. The flight was about 50 minutes.

History of Puerto Escondido

Though pre-hispanic peoples lived in this region from time to time, the area was not really settled permanently until the 1930’s due to lack of fresh water. The word Escondido means hidden, and refers to an ancient story of a captive Mexican woman escaping and hiding in the jungle from her pirate captors.

Today it is one of the most popular beach and surfing destinations for both Mexicans and international travelers. But prior to tourism the mountains around the town were known for coffee growing and the port was used to ship coffee.

Mexican coffee — Coffee roasting in Puerto Escondido

Surfer’s Paradise

We found the area home to the surfer crowd, much younger than us. We had no interest in surfing or partying, but there is a lot of that going on. Since the crowd is young, there is plenty of inexpensive lodging and dining available too. Parts of the area are very rural…sometimes I felt like I was in Southeast Asia, and sometimes it even felt like third world Africa. But we always felt safe and finding our way on foot with Google maps always worked. There are plenty of taxis too.

We noticed a lot of construction of condos and mansions being built on rough dirt and nearly impassable roads. We learned Europeans are coming here in droves and buying or building second homes because it is so inexpensive. Like in so many places, this is displacing locals and causing them to move further from town.

Zicatela — Beautiful homes on horrible roads

Villa Tortuga

We found a beautiful villa through Airbnb called Villa Tortuga located several miles from the actual town of Puerto Escondido and 2 miles to the small surfing village of Zicatela. The villas were beautiful, comfortable and with a view. Our villa included daily housekeeping and our housekeeper Mary also did some shopping and cooking for us and did our laundry. However, we found on the weekend even Villa Tortuga attracted a younger (and noisier) crowd. Listening to other people’s loud music doesn’t fit into my fab fifties life. We really loved the lap pool and the larger pool at the beach about a five minute walk from our villa. The waves are really big so we didn’t swim in the ocean, but sitting ocean side by the pool was our favorite thing to do. Airbnb $150 USD before tax.

A Couple Things To Do

Since our goal was to just spend time relaxing in Puerto Escondido Mexico we really didn’t do much else. However we did take an informative and delicious Food Tour with Puerto Food Tours – cost $60 USD per person.

Our favorite activity was a Mezcal Distillery tour we took with Puerta Mezcal Tours. Owner Antoine was excellent and shared his enthusiasm for Puerto Escondido and Mezcal with our group of six at Ruu Piiil Distillery in Zicatela. I learned so much and we tasted eleven different Mezcals! $59 USD per person.

We found it safe to run in the morning although most of the time we were on dusty roads. One time I had to wait while the goats (and a very small goat herder) took up the entire road.

We also walked to lunch in Zicatela at Savanna one day (about 2 and half miles from our villa) and took a taxi to another popular restaurant called Agua Sala. We had great meals at each – neither have websites.

Enmoledas — Delicious Enmoleadas for Lunch at Savanna

We walked to tiny shops and tortilla stand close to our villa to get simple supplies for cooking at home. We walked one day to the Zicatella Mercado about 2.5 miles. We picked up some produce and had a nice coffee and croissant with a view.

Relaxing in Puerto Escondido Mexico

There is more to do here if you are so inclined…hiking, shopping, lots of street food and restaurants. There are cooking classes and surfing lessons and snorkeling tours, as well as whale watching. A popular activity is releasing baby turtles into the wild that have been hatched in a turtle nursery.

It’s a sweet place with a quaint vibe and awesome weather. We paid more than we needed to for our Airbnb, but generally everything else is dirt cheap. I can see why the young people love it…and it’s not too bad for us oldies either. There are many options to stay busy or pursue our goal of relaxing in Puerto Escondido Mexico.

Looking to chill? I recommend relaxing in Puerto Escondido Mexico. Muy Bien.

See last week’s blog post about Eating My Way Through Mexico City.

Check out our YouTube video about Eating Local Mexico City.

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Please Note – No Travel Friday blog for the next two weeks. We wish you a pleasant and safe holiday wherever you are and however you celebrate. Hoping for a joyful and safe 2022 with less strife and fewer travel restrictions. Thank you for your continued support. Stay safe. All the best!

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South & Central America Travel

Seven Things to do in Punta Cana Dominican Republic

On a Budget

May 24, 2019

Laureen

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Location: Punta Cana Dominican Republic

We spent twelve days relaxing and mostly lounging around our Airbnb pool in Punta Cana Dominican Republic. Many days we never left the apartment…enjoying the sun, reading and just kicking back. That was really what we wanted to do.

We were staying in the wonderful residential community of Puntacana Village, a gated, friendly and

Playa Blanca

beautiful neighborhood. We loved the neighborhood for running (nice and flat and beautiful) and for the easy walk to restaurants and shopping. We didn’t need much more than that. But during our visit we also discovered some fun businesses to patronize and places see in the general area, both with and without a car.

So if you are thinking about visiting Punta Cana, and are considering the less expensive option of not staying in a beachfront resort, we can recommend Puntacana Village and the following;

Puntacana Village Shuttle – we used this shuttle several times from the Four Point Hotel at Puntacana Village. The shuttle goes into to the beachfront gated resort area with several stops including the Westin Resort and Playa Blanca. It’s free and runs every 30 minutes.
Playa Blanca – using the shuttle to arrive at this beachfront restaurant and bar is the perfect start
Altos de Chavon

to a great day at the beach. Playa Blanca has lounge chairs available for guests. Just order a drink or two, maybe lunch, and the lounge chairs are free. We enjoyed this beach three times and recommend it over the higher priced Westin.
Altos de Chavon – renting a car one day we drove the hour and a half to the La Ramana region and Altos de Chavon. Altos de Chavón is a re-creation of a Mediterranean style European village located atop the Chavón River in La Romana, Dominican Republic. It is the most popular attraction in the city and hosts a cultural center, an archeological museum, and an amphitheater. It was really beautiful and we enjoyed just walking around and having lunch.
La Yola Restaurant – hands down the best meal we had in the DR and actually in all of the time we were in Central America and the Caribbean. La Yola situated right on the water was superb in
La Yola

every way – beautiful waterside setting in a spectacularly designed open-air beach-themed building. The service was impeccable. The roving quartet a nice touch. The prices were reasonable. But the best part – the delicious, locally sourced and freshly prepared food. My red snapper was the best I have ever had.
La Casita de Yeya Restaurant – not fancy but oh so delicious, this locally owned restaurant in Punta Cana Village gave us the opportunity to taste several authentic Caribbean/Dominican Republic dishes including Mofo, pork, stew and plantains.
La Casita de Yeya
Nadia’s Bike Tour/ Garota Tours – we met Nadia in the village and spent two hours riding around on bikes she provided us for our tour. She showed us all over Punta Cana, giving us a peek into places, and resorts and neighborhoods we would not have even known were there. We enjoyed this activity very much.
Ananda Yoga – During our visit I took yoga classes on four morning at Ananada Yoga studio, right in Punta Cana Village. The classes were excellent andprofessionally led by a bi-lingual instructor. The tiny and very personal studio requires advance reservations.

We enjoyed the small part of the Dominican Republic we were able to see. I hope we can return again when we can travel farther afield on the island nation and enjoy a bit more diverse and authentic

Our bike tour with Nadia

Dominican Republic.

Muchos Gracias!

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