Imagine a remote island where there is sunny weather, consistent waves and no crowds. Imagine a place with fun people, ice-cold beer, volleyball tournaments and party games. And imagine a starry night with good music and a bonfire. Put all of this together and you find yourself at the Surfing Turtle Lodge in Nicaragua. This is a place where chill and fun takes place at the same time. Even Lonely Planet has called it “one of the coolest spots in all of Central America”.
Verdict: You can stay for weeks at the Surfing Turtle Lodge. This is the definition of chill but with plenty of activities to keep you entertained. Not a must do, but definitely worthwhile to visit this little paradise if you are in Central America.
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After doing everything I needed to do in Leon (i.e. after volcano boarding), I looked for my next destination in Nicaragua. Looking at its website, the Lodge seemed to be highly rated by National Geographic, BBC Travel and Lonely Planet. It seemed remote, relaxing and exotic. Being lazy and simple minded, I was already sold and decided to spend two nights at the Lodge, not fully knowing what to expect.
From Leon, I took Surfing Turtle’s shuttle to the Lodge. Along with another 8 tourists, we were dropped off at a pier. I looked around a little confused, not knowing what would happen next. A minute later, a small wooden boat arrived at the pier and pocked up the tourists. We were taken to a little hut surrounded by trees on an island at the other side of the river. If I thought this place was quite isolated, I was wrong. It was really isolated. After arriving at the hut, we had to walk another 10 minutes to reach the Lodge.
As you’ll see from the pictures, the place is very relaxing, with a number of cabanas and hammocks for guests. The beach, right beside the Lodge, is endless. According to any guest, it stretches around 7km. He suggested going for a 14km run the next morning. I politely told him to fuck off.
In terms of the surfing, there are boards for rental but there isn’t a great deal of variety. From my limited time there, the waves seemed pretty consistent, reaching around 1.5 to 2 meters high. Beginners, who were less confident, can enroll for private surf lesson to ride the whitewater waves nearer to shore. I don’t think sharks are a worry on the beach as the waters are extremely shallow. The beauty of this beach is that it’s right next to the Lodge. You can therefore surf multiple times a day easily.
Apart from surfing there are quite a few other things going on. Every afternoon, there’s a volleyball tournament with the winners getting a round of drinks. Guests can also attend yoga sessions in the morning, release turtles, or horse riding sessions in the afternoon.
The evening gets more boisterous. At 9pm everyday after dinner, activities will be arranged so that guests can mingle. On Tuesday, there was a karaoke session. On Wednesday, there was a flip cup challenge where different versions of the game were played. On Thursday, there was a treasure hunt challenge. After these events, the party would then move on to the beach at around 10pm. A bonfire would be lit and guests start playing beer pong and sexual jenga under the stars.
My only complaint would be the price and waiting time for the food. The food was a little pricy for Nicaragua standards (around USD6-7 for a burger or pasta) and takes around an hour to prepare. Perhaps the food is pricier because the ingredients have to be delivered to the island the same way we arrived. But quite why it takes so long, I’m not too sure.
While the evening activities were fun, don’t expect manic parties that run deep into the night. After all, the animal noises will wake you up at 6am, and some people will want to surf early in the morning. The more infamous place for surfing and partying in Nicaragua is probably San Juan del Sur. Maybe next time, I’ll get to experience the notorious Sunday Funday pool party (the biggest party in Central America) there.
Additional information
| When to do it? | All year round. You may wish to consider going during the turtle hatching season (September to February) and/or the non-rainy season. |
| How to book? | You can book online with Surfing Turtle Lodge. |
| How much does it cost? | Depends on your room. |
| How to get there?
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Transfers from Managua costs USD85. Alternatively, you can travel to Leon and then take a shuttle from the Surfing Turtle Hostel in Leon to the Surfing Turtle Lodge for USD3. |
| How long does it take? | As long as you like to stay. |
| Is it difficult/safe?
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Very safe area. It is basically a remote island that is remote from mankind. |
| What to wear? | Bring your usual beach gear, rashguard and surf shorts. |
| Language | English is spoken. |