Playa Madera: Profile of Playa Madera, Nicaragua

If San Juan del Sur is the California of Nicaragua, then Playa Madera, Nicaragua is Trestles.  Also called Playa Maderas, this surf spot holds clean, sizeable surf almost every day of the week.  Thanks to Lake Nicaragua, Madera enjoys offshore winds more than 300 days of the year.

Playa Madera: Profile of Playa Madera Nicaragua

How to get to Playa Madera:

The Panamerican Highway will bring you south to San Juan del Sur.  As you enter this small tourist city, you will see signs to your right for Playa Marsella, Playa Majagual and Playa Madera.  Take this right and follow a dirt road for approximately 2 miles.  On the way, you will see cow and horse pastures, along with a few pulperias.  Just keep following the signs to Playa Madera, and it's easy to find.

Accessibility:

Very easy to locate and there's free parking

Wave Quality:

4.5 Stars (1-5 stars, with 5 being best)

Experience Required:

Beginner to Experienced...you can do everything from ride straight to punt airs at this beach-break.

Wave Consistency:

Very consistent

Ocean Floor:

Sand

Wave Length:

20 to 100 meters

Best Swell Direction:

N, NW, W, SW, S

Best Tides:

Mid-Incoming tide

Other Playa Madera surf information:

There's a bit of localism here, so watch out.  But if you know what you're doing, it's usually not too bad.  The best restaurant on the beach is Cafe Revolucion.  You can find $10 dorm rooms right on the beach here, although the nearby Playa Marsella Beachfront Hotel is much more comfortable.  They have a pool, free breakfast, lockers, kayaks, repelling, snorkeling, and diving.  Rooms start at $17 per night.

Hope this helps!