How to get to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Everything you need to know to get to San Juan del Sur… and how we actually got here.
After living in Mexico for almost two months, we were antsy to move on. But after learning to surf, we wanted to keep our momentum going.
So after hearing about San Juan del Sur, a laidback Nicaraguan surf town, we decided to make that our next destination.
But how do you get there?
Why San Juan del Sur? Check out this complete guide!
The Plan
How to Get to San Juan del Sur from Managua
Flying directly into Nicaragua (the only airport is in Managua, the capital) is difficult – either ridiculously expensive or ridiculously inconvenient. Like 3 stops, 24-hour travel time inconvenient.
However, if you are lucky enough to find a decent flight into Managua, take it! The other option is a lot more difficult.
Once you get to Managua, you’ll still need to find a way to get the last few hours to San Juan del Sur. You can book a private transfer from the airport to your accommodation for less than $60.
Book a private airport transfer from Managua to San Juan del Sur!
How to Get to San Juan del Sur from Costa Rica
The other option, flying into Liberia, Costa Rica, is a lot more accessible (from the US at least), and about the same driving distance to San Juan del Sur as Managua.
The next dilemma: how to get from Costa Rica, across the border, to San Juan del Sur. There are several shuttle companies that operate that route and even help with your paperwork ahead of time. If you want to save money, you can also take a bus.
The shuttles will pick you up from the Liberia airport, take you to Peñas Blancas (where you cross the border by foot – scroll down for details), and another shuttle will be waiting for you on the other side to take you wherever you are staying.
Shuttle: The private transfer company we used was Macua Tours, but it is a bit pricey. You can also catch a daily shuttle from Liberia around 9am with Caribe Shuttle ($45). Or there are always taxis.
Bus: Take TicaBus to Peñas Blancas, then get on TransNica towards San Juan del Sur.
TLDR: Our journey seemed simple enough…
- Fly into Liberia, Costa Rica
- Shuttle from Liberia – Peñas Blancas – San Juan del Sur
- Arrive at our hostel before sunset
What Actually Happened
Viva Mexico
We woke up around 4am to get ready for our 7am flight to Miami. As soon as we got to the check-in counter, the trouble began. In the two months we had been in Mexico, the US had changed its entry requirements from a negative COVID test 72-hrs beforehand, to 24-hrs.
Even though we were flying on to Costa Rica, our layover in Miami still required a test. After begging and pleading and getting the supervisor involved, they allowed us on the flight since luckily our test was only 36-hrs old.
Welcome to Miami
Step one complete. We can leave Mexico! But, just as we are boarding our flight to Miami, I get a text from AA. Our connecting flight to Liberia got canceled. I am running through every option in my head as we sit helpless on the plane. The next flight to Liberia is the next day (Monday).
Unfortunately the ‘digital‘ part of ‘digital nomad’ means we have jobs, so traveling all day on a Monday is not an option. Our mindset now: get to San Juan by any means necessary.
Getting through customs in Miami is pretty painless if you have Global Entry or Mobile Passport (free).
A quick word of advice.. if you have an international flight connecting to another international flight, you do not have to pick up your bags at baggage claim even though they try to tell you need to get your bags. You can wait, but they wont be coming.
After coming to this conclusion the hard way, we wandered over to the AA customer service desk to speak to someone. The line was so long and winding, I wasn’t even fully aware of how long the line actually was. We decided our Plan B was to get on the next flight to San Jose, Costa Rica.
As we continued to wait in the long lines at the counter, the ‘next flight’ became later and later..
The Not-So-Pura Vida
At last we booked the 12:20pm flight to San Jose. Our shuttle company was able to change our pick-up (for more $$ of course) and things were looking up again. At the very least we were getting to Central America. We got off the plane in San Jose full of energy. We finally made it!
Just as we were high-fiving each other, we get to the customs line… oh no. The room was packed. The line was going out the door. Feeling optimistic I told our shuttle driver we would probably be out in 45-min… 45-min later we had barely moved.
We dragged our backpacks across the floor as the hours passed. Our shoulders ached, our feet were swollen, our backs were giving out. THREE HOURS later we get to the front of the line. “Please just let us pass” I thought as I fake laughed at whatever the agent was joking about.
At this point it was after 5pm, and we still had about a five hour drive ahead of us. I had hoped we would be through the border by nightfall, but that was obviously not going to happen.
Letting Go of Our [Emotional] Baggage
Baggage claim was a complete disaster, as you can imagine. Suitcases scattered everywhere, waiting hours for their owners to retrieve them. Unsure where exactly ours might have ended up, we split up and started searching.
After an initial scan, we knew immediately what had happened. I began running through the rows of suitcases, pleading with the Universe they were just hiding. No luck.
Standing at yet another customer service counter, the man informs us our suitcases are still in Miami, but will be on a flight to San Jose later that night. Our hearts sank. We must get to San Juan tonight.
After some quick deliberation, we asked the airline to send our luggage to the Managua Airport. At least it will be in the same country, and only 2.5 hours away. The man agreed. At this point I just needed to be out of the airport.
Fresh air! Finally. We spotted our shuttle driver and followed him to the car. It was such a relief to be sitting.
On the Road Again
Now that we made it to the land portion of the adventure, we were off to Nicaragua. The sun was setting as the airport grew smaller in our rear view mirror. Landing in San Jose added an extra three hours to this leg of the journey, and it was already 6pm.
The thought of not making it to border before it closed had not even crossed my mind until now. I pushed that thought aside as it didn’t close until midnight and I had no more anxiety to feel at this point.
We made a pit stop in Liberia for Burger King and an ATM; cultured of us, I know. I looked at my phone, it was already 10pm. The drive was taking a lot longer than we thought and we still had about an hour until we reach the border. Still, I felt optimistic.
No Man’s Land
Once we got to Peñas Blancas, our shuttle driver whizzed us past the mile-long line of truckers. The first stop was stamping out of Costa Rica. Quick and easy. We thanked our shuttle driving angel, grabbed our bags (what was left of them), and took off on foot.
From this point we had to traverse “no mans land“, dodging semi-trucks and trying our best to not look like vulnerable American tourists. A second check point examined our passports and Covid tests, and sent us on our way.
Without any clear direction, we wandered aimlessly in the dark towards some bright lights that appeared to be another check point. But upon arrival, we were informed we never actually got the stamp to enter Nicaragua. Time was ticking. Retracing our steps, we found the Customs building.
What followed was a series more paperwork, lines, and emotional breakdowns, until we were finally stamped and released. We ran to the final check-point and seeing our next shuttle driver holding my name on the other side nearly brought me to tears. The border closed for the night at 11:30pm; we got to our shuttle at 11:28pm.
For those reading this for informational purposes, here’s a rundown of the process…
How to Cross the Nicaraguan Border
- Get stamped out of Costa Rica (if you took a shuttle, this is as far as they can take you)
- Walk down the road for a while until someone will checks your Costa Rica stamp (and Covid test).
- Keep walking towards the big buildings on your right.
- The little building in front will check your Covid test again and give you a ticket, if required.
- The big building will process your paperwork, ask you some questions, and stamp you into Nicaragua (there is a $13 fee per person). This part could take anywhere from 15min to 2hrs.
- After scanning your bags, walk out of the building and continue straight down the road.
- The final checkpoint will confirm your Nicaragua stamp – watch out for semi-trucks.
- If you took a shuttle, they will be waiting just on the other side in a small parking lot on the left.
We visited Nicaragua in February 2022, when there were still some Covid restrictions. Check here for the latest requirements.
Home Sweet Hostel
Half-passed midnight we arrived at our hostel, which thankfully still had our room waiting for us. Our luggage was still missing and we only had the clothes on our backs, but that is a problem for tomorrow (or the rest of the week). Now it’s time to sleep.
