advice on surf/yoga camp in nicaragua for ~ 1 week for solo traveller

my personal advice would be to skip the all inclusive yoga/surf/ecowhatever type resort. Generally those are foreign owned, provide the least culture, and are by far the most expensive. I would vote for your second option you mentioned. Just find a hostel on the coast somewhere and then take some local surf lessons. San juan del sur doesnt have the best surf on the pacific side, but if you are just learning, you probably wont care about the BIGGEST waves anyway. plus there are places to get a yoga class or two on your own if you need to, and still keep it cheaper and more open/flexible than an all in one resort.

A couple of years ago I spent some time in Jiquilillo and it was really nice. Maybe one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. There were a bunch of camps, like Rancho Esperanza and they all seemed to offer surfing lessons and equipment etc. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

What would a low end budget room go for at SJDS or Jiquilillo? And any idea about local food prices at local cafes or food stalls would be nice to have also...thanks, Phil

Depends on your idea of low budget.
My wife and i stayed in sjds at a hostel in the middle of town for 4 bucks. But thats as basic as you get. A basic bed, one pillow and a shared bathroom.nothing fancy, nothing extra. I told someone that once and they said ew. Ill pass.

Food prices vary wildly as well. Depends once again on your preference. You can eat street food for as low as 2-3 bucks a meal. If you arent comfortable with food on the street it just goes up from there for the more standard restaurants.

Its the same as the rest of nicaragua. The low end options are still there. In the more resort/tourist areas you just have more higher end options.

curious what you wound up doing @cjcon. thinking of taking a similar trip this month.

It is truly mind boggling what these yoga/surf retreats are getting for a one weeks stay. Upwards of $2000...

Cant you do Yoga anywhere? My wife does, and for surfing, just rent a board, and if need be, take a few classes in the mornings...

The Pacific coast of Nicaragua is not a value nor cheap IMO, its the same price, or even more, with even less access to a town, most the places on the Pacific coast, are not near anything, compared to Costa Rica, which has many many small tropical feeling cabinas and surf towns and villages that are far less costly than Nicaragua.

This place comes to mind, another gringo owned dynasty...

http://surfwithamigas.com/

if you Google, "Women Surf Yoga Nicaragua" ...there is a plenty, as is Costa Rica...

Nica just has an allure to most that sounds less known than Costa Rica and more exotic, in reality, its all gringos from one end to the other, and little local feel...pppffff