San Juan del Sur to Omepete

Hi,
In my opinion SJDS is not all that great unless you are a young surfer who likes to drink. Remember the water in the bay in town is polluted from all the sewers draining into it. The beaches north and south are very nice but require transportation. Of course you should avoid lonesome beaches and you should not go out alone at night. That is a given. The best way to get to the ferry for Ometepe is to take a taxi from SJDS. I am sure the 3 of you can split $30US without breaking the bank account. There are lots of places to stay on the island but transportation can be a problem. The buses are infrequent and some of the roads to Maderas are in pretty bad shape. I am sure that you will have a good time as long as you stick together and use your heads. Three heads are better than one.

Ditto #1, good advice. I actually think SJDS is a dump compared to anything in Costa Rica, the town itself is really nothing tropical or inviting, the beach sucks off the town, and the atmosphere is party city for wannabe gringos that saw Survivor...

That said, 5 days on the Pacific side near SJDS is well worth it if you surf, north or south of town, keep in mind its rainy season though...

1. We plan to stay in SJD 5-6 days. Is that aboutright or should we spend more / less time in SJDS? see above

2. We have heard mixed reports about security in SJDS: bascially, we were told that while Nicaragua was at least as safe as Costa Rica, women should still avoid lonesome beaches in general and going out alone at night. Is that certain? Well single females on any desolate beach, road, bar, park, trail, need to be careful, all over Central America, and Males too, mugging is not uncommon, rape is though

3. Can anyone describe us how to get to Omepete? How long does it take and how much money do we need to calculate for the journey? Its rather easy, just hire a taxi from SJDS to San Jorge, with 3 people its cheap. Otherwise, take the bus to Rivas, and another bus to San Jorge.

4. Then, we plan to stay about 5.6 days on the island. Same questions basically: will that do or should calculate more / less time? I Love this island and its atmosphere and culture, 4-6 days is ideal, but depends on your interest? You going to hike the summit of the volcano?

5. If travelling on a budget, which accommodation would you recommend on Omepete? Not necesarily the cheapest place, but rahter the most economic hostel etc. Whats your budget? Have you looked at Trip Advisor or a Guidebook?

I have to ask, what are using to get info on Nicaragua? Maybe an investment in a LP Guidebook would do you wonders, and all the info you ask about, is in the book? You don't mention a budget, interest or reasons for staying anywhere, nor your lifestyle

Nicaragua is more a cultural and nature destination to me, not to great for beaches unless you surf, or head to Corn Islands. If you want adventure, and nature, consider the Rio San Juan and El Castillo areas

1. 5-6 days in San Juan is a bit much IMO. It depends what you are into. Like Greggo says, SJDS offers a night life and other tours. The beaches around SJDS are great, offering good surf and a relaxed atmosphere. I would recommend venturing out north or south of the town for a night or two. I'd recommend Playa Gigante or La Flor Reserve where you can see turtles at night.

2. SJDS can be a bit dodgy, but no more so than most tourist towns. It still is a safe place but take the same precautions you would anywhere else.

3. Bus or Taxi to San Jorge ($2US or 10) and take the 1 hour-ish ferry to Ometepe. About 55 cords, but depends what type of ferry you catch.

4. 5-6 days is plenty and you'll see everything. Climbing a volcano (20$ for the mandatory guide) is a day venture in itself and you can rent scouters and motorcycles for 25$US a day and less for additional days.

5. Not sure about hostels. I've stayed at Little Morgans -8$ a dorm or 30$ for a 3 ppl private room. It's a good place to meet people but it's definatley more of a party place. I've also camped up the road at Santa Cruz Hotel for 3$. Nice place with a great view and menu. There is plenty of hostel info on wiki travel.

Cheers.

1. it all depends on you. San Juan Del Sur isnt that big, so there isnt a ton to do. And its full of tourists. But if you just wanna relax and chill you can easily spend 5 days there. Just depends on your preference.

2. san juan del sur is not a lonesome beach by any means. its the 2nd most popular tourist spot in nicaragua. And as with every tourist spot it attracts a different element looking to capitalize on all the wealthy foreigners. Its not terrible, but use normal common sense like anywhere else. Its not terribly safe anywhere in the world for a single woman walking alone at night in a lonesome dark area.

3. You just take a bus to Rivas / San Jorge. Or you can take a taxi if you wanna splurge. A couple bucks for the bus, 15-20 for a taxi. Then you take a ferry to ometepe which will cost you 2-5 dollars.

4. Once again, depends on your preference. If you do one thing a day and take it slow and easy, you can fill 6 days and not see everything. If you like to see one thing for an hour and move on to the next, you can cram the basics in in just a couple days.

5. I always recommend Yogi's Hostel in moyogalpa. Im biased cause my friends own it, but i have personally stayed there myself and enjoyed it.

Hey folks,

Thanks for the advice, it has definitely helped a lot!

Kind greetings,

alemantico

There sure a lot of first time posters here lately talking up lindas guest house and posting her cointact info around then also talking about this tony dude as well........starting to get a bit sketchy