San Juan del Sur: When to Go

Like the rest of Nicaragua, San Juan del Sur experiences distinct wet and dry seasons. The wet season lasts from mid-May to October, while the dry season is between November and April, with April being the driest, warmest month. So if you're hoping to hit the beach and work on your tan, you'd do well to bear this in mind.

The town is de rigueur for wealthy Managuans during Christmas and Semana Santa (Holy Week); make reservations in advance and expect prices to double.

Another consideration when planning your trip is turtle-watching season, peaking in August and September, when some 30,000 female Olive Ridley turtles and a few hundred very endangered leatherback turtles come to nest - a once-in-a-lifetime sight.

Weather

The sunny, dry climate that makes the beaches perfect along the Rivas Peninsula also hosts dry tropical forest, which wilts to brown and loses its leaves as the dry season (November to May) wears on. On the upside, the wet season in towns along the peninsula isn't as extreme as in other parts of the country: you can come to towns like San Juan del Sur when the rest of the country is drenched, and still count on at least a couple of hours of sunbathing each morning.