Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
rustic bungalows dotted through the trees. The beachfront bungalows have sofa sleepers,
great views and are worth the price. Otherwise look elsewhere. Groups note: bungalows
sleep four, you can put five to 10 (very small) people in a cabin.
CABINS
$$$
Coco Cabañas
( 2276-5229; across street from beach; cabins US$90-150; )
These simple
cabinas
are way
overpriced, but give you another option in town. Most
cabinas
can sleep up to four people
and include use of a kitchen.
Puesto del Sol
(lunch special US$5, dishes US$15-30)
This is a casual beachfront eatery with lackadasical
service, cheap lunch specials and specialty items like lobster tails that are not worth the
price.
SEAFOOD
$$$
Refugio de Vida Silvestre La Flor
One of the principal laying grounds for endangered olive ridley and leatherback turtles,
this
wildlife refuge
( 8419-1014; admission US$8, campsites per tent US$20)
is 20km south of
San Juan del Sur. It's easy to visit on a guided tour from San Juan del Sur, or you can stay
in the attractive campground. Park guards sell water and soft drinks, but there's no food or
insect repellent, so come prepared.
Turtles lay their eggs here, usually between 9pm and 2am, between July and January,
peaking in September and October. Leatherbacks usually arrive solo, but olive ridleys
generally come in
arribadas,
when more than 3000 of them pack the beaches at a time.
Some people time these arrivals by moon cycles, but no one really knows for sure until
the ladies arrive; call the ranger station if you want to be sure.
When there aren't any turtles around, the park still has an attractive, undeveloped
beach, a couple of monkeys on-site and a few short trails; there's a decent beach break
(right and left) at the northern end. It's off-limits during turtle season.
El Ostional
This fishing village, practically a stone's throw from the Costa Rican border, has an at-
tractive brown-sugar beach with a well-known point break called 'Los Senos' (the
Breasts) that's best at midtide, with decent-sized swells. You can arrange accommodations
