The How to: Surf in Nicaragua


	One package based in San Juan del Sur, a small resort town with many bars, restaurants and nightlife. If you are looking for a true Nicaragua experience, San Juan is where it’s at. The other is our Hidden Bay Surf Lodge. A very small (500 people) fishing village a little north of San Juan. If you are looking for a week of waves, books, and beers with just your buddies, this is your spot.



	Hidden Bay Surf Lodge



		More secluded than SJDS, but closer to where you want to be - THE SURF! $1200 a week. Max eight people in double occupancy rooms. Brand new custom-built surf lodge is right on the beach. The four bedrooms come with A/C and their own bath with hot and cold running water. There is satellite internet access and skype in the great room of the surf lodge. Bring your laptop! A boat and captain stand at the ready to take you surfing to any of the breaks — five to twenty minuets away. In Hidden Bay (you’ll learn the local name when you get here) I’ve tried to preserve the ambiance of a Nicaraguan fishing village. I have limited the foreign staff to myself and maybe one other. My captains don’t surf so you have one less guy competing with you for waves. Part of the mystery of new surf spots is lost when you’re led around by a guide. I try to keep the impact low and the idea of a full service gringo compound defeats the purpose of surf travel IMO. I let my clients pay normal dinner prices in the local restaurants. This gives you a chance to interact with the locals and honestly the whole paying for the meal is one of the most meaningful interactions of a surf trip to a foreign country. You are injecting your money directly into the local economy. You can change dollars into cordobas with us on the first day and we buy back your cords on the last. At my lodge in Hidden Bay you will eat local cuisine in local restaurants. There might be dogs and children on the floor but the fish is fresh and the smiles genuine. There will also be the opportunity to sample the fine cuisine of Cordon Bleu trained Maria Esperanza’s fine dinning on the beach. We also will travel to Rancho Santana for at least one meal so you get a feel for the Nicaraguan delight that is Tola. There will be coffee and fruit available early everyday. We will make brunch before noon, usually after morning sessions. In the afternoon there will always be a lunch/snack available, whether it be a pasta salad or fruit in addition to a larger meal if you so desire. Please let us know how this will best suit your sleep/surfing schedule. Keep in mind that you won't need to rent a car, which many surfers will tell you is one of the most annoying and costly parts of a "road" surf trip. We make it possible for you to spend your time doing exactly what you want, whether it’s surfing all day or not. I can say with confidence that you'll have an experience you'll never forget. One of my recent guests called his trip ”an unpredictable adventure.”

What makes Dale Dagger different?

First and foremost. Boats. Our fleet is far superior to the crafts our competitors use. Most of the tour operators in San Juan don’t have canopy’s shielding the passengers. We don’t over stuff our rides, if you are a group of four or more, the boat is yours. In the event that we have a problem with one motor (it’s rare but can happen), because we have three (soon to be four) boats, we’ve got backups for our backups.

Second is that Dale has spent more years surfing this coast than anyone. If it breaks, Dale knows when.

All trips include airport transfers and daily surf trips on either our flagship boat, the Masayita, or our speedy Pangas set up specifically for surfing. We have the most experienced crew and best outfitted fleet in San Juan del Sur.

Our captains have fished these waters long before surfers came looking for waves, and know the Nicaragua pacific better then the Dorado jumping in the bay.

All three boats have canopy covered roof tops(an absolute must have, one bad sunburn could ruin your trip) to keep the blazing sun off of you while in transport. The boats will have coolers full of soda, water, and beer.

The San Juan trips include lunch on the boat (another reason to be shielded from the sun), and Hidden Bay trips you will return back to the bay for lunch.

Gear

We have diving and fishing gear available for you to use freely. Please acknowledge our “Break it, buy it” policy. This same policy applies to lost lures.

Land

We have guides waiting to take you on a free tour of the beautiful coastal lots available if you’re interested in seeing what the buzz is all about. The area you’re in at the moment is one of central America’s best kept real estate secrets.

Notes

Our cheerful staff is on duty during the day to help you with anything you may need. However, they do live at camp full time, so please be respectful of their privacy in their rooms and at night.

We try to keep our operations as low impact as possible. Please bring all trash you may have back to the chalet and use toilets when you need to use the facilities.

Tipping

This aspect of the trip is of course voluntary and shows gratitude for service provided. Please note, that although you see your captain every day, there are several people behind the scenes (I.e. the cook, people who prep the boats in the morning) who you do not see, but who help make your trip run smoothly. We ask that you ear-mark a portion of the gratuity for these people, and allow us to distribute it behind the scenes. How much is appropriate? Anything is of course appreciated, however, past guests have left anywhere from $5-$20 per person, per day.

MPORTANT: Please let us know about any allergies or eating restrictions right away. If there is any item or service you would like midweek, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Dale Dagger Nicaragua Surf Tours

San Juan del Sur Magical Luxury Tour

Airport Air Conditioned rides both ways with English speaking guide.

First day: If you arrive before noon we can get you in the water the first day!
Second day through last second to last day:
Surf in Finest Surf Boats and the most experienced surf guides in country.

Hotel includes private bath, hot water, A/C, in room video with free library, choice of American style or fruit and cereal breakfast. Hotel provides 24 hour coffee, tea, and cold beer. The hosts are American and they have an Internet and business center and friendly English local information.

On the boat, fresh water showers, Ripping grinds and cold beer, sodas and purified water included.

On this trip you don’t have to move your boards every night. We have a watchman that sleeps aboard so you only handle the boards when you arrive and when you go home.

The San Juan del Sur Luxury Tour runs $1200 a week and we need a minium of three people to make it work.

Let us know if you want to take a land tour. We have Nicaragua wired

Local dinners range from Barbecue chicken at the chicken lady for $2.50 to shrimp and lobster in an oceanfront restaurant for less than $13. Beers less than a dollar. Media bottle of rum with mixes five dollars.

We try to book the tours Thursday to Thursday. It's cheaper to fly and fewer people.