Nicaragua is our new favourite place. Bordering Honduras in the North and Costa Rica to the South, the Nicaraguan coastline is a tropical, jungle hideaway. It boasts incredible waves, atmosphere and a fraction of the crowds.

We suggest staying in Playa Gigante. This quaint local village has a few restaurants, a hostel (including a variety of rental properties for long and short term) and best of all surf camps. Even if you aren’t staying with the camps, there’s surf board rental and you’ll be able to jump on the boats (for a small fee) frequenting one of the 14 local and amazing breaks.

If you love to practice yoga, there are also daily classes run by the Papaya Wellness girls (who you’re sure to meet out in the water). Carly and India run incredible retreats including delicious nutrition courses.

Volunteer:
There are also lots of opportunities to volunteer with the locals to give back to this awesome community. Check out The Sweet Water Fund and Project Woo.

Wildlife:
There are 3 groups of Howler Monkeys around Playa Gigante and you’ll hear them early in the morning. There’s also an abundance of local seafood, pigs that wander the streets and local dogs and kittens who are all very friendly.

How to Get There:
Catch a plane to Managua, or enjoy a delightful bus ride (sarcasm noted) from one of the surrounding countries. For safety reasons we suggest you take a King Quality (ask any local tourist tienda). If you like living on the edge you can catch Chicken buses all through Latin America for a fraction of the price.

Currency:
They take both US dollars or Nicaraguan Cordobas.

Language:
Spanish

Things to pack:
Sunscreen
Swimmers (make sure they are tight as the beach breaks can be heavy!)
Board
Wax (can be hard to get in town).

Remember:
Don’t drink water from the tap! Sadly, it’s only bottled or purified water. (Please try and recycle your bottles to save the environment).

If you want any more information – head to www.playagigante.com