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Showing posts with label San Juan del Sur. Show all posts
Showing posts with label San Juan del Sur. Show all posts

Sunday, February 5, 2017

San Juan del Sur (Nicaragua) - Crouching Dragon, Naked Tiger

SAN JUAN DEL SUR -  (NICARAGUA)
05 February - 07 February 2017

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Located in a lush valley with a river running down to the town’s beach, coupled with a long stretch of fine dark sand set between two cliffs, visually San Juan del Sur is an appealing place. Having somewhat of a renaissance these days after once being a transport stop on the trans-isthmian steamboat line during the Californian Gold Rush of the mid-1800’s, San Juan these days is a draw-card for those types looking for easy days, sunsets and surf. 


The ride you need to take

Central American buses be like, 'We friends y'all'

Not difficult remembering the bus you're on, 'Yeah, mine is the one with the rainbow and Hawaiian vista painted on the front, have you seen it?

Essentially at its heart that’s what it is now, a small surf town comfortably equipped to handle the current spike in interest from gringo travellers on the Central American travel line.

Arriving mid-afternoon in San Juan on a Sunday we found a cool little coastal town that would not have been out of place anywhere in Australia or on the Californian coastline. Surfing shops and fashion boutiques, bars and seafood restaurants, it had that easy breezy vibe about it that automatically dialled our ‘chill factor’ back a couple of notches.


Henry's Bar - San Juan Del Sur - Nicaragua

View from the back porch of the Naked Tiger Hostel - San Juan Del Sur - Nicaragua

Naked Tiger Hostel - San Juan Del Sur - Nicaragua


We took the option of staying at a hostel out of town, the Naked Tiger.

Set in the lush hilltops of San Juan del Sur, the Naked Tiger has access to quite a stunning vista with views out over the beach and surrounding areas. The Mediterranean style villa with sweeping porches and a gorgeous pool to match lulls you into a sense of false luxury from the up-tick. That’s the danger of a place like this – it looks and feels like a place that once could have been the home of a powerful drug lord but now is overrun by dumb sexually depraved 20 somethings that end up turning the joint into a frat house dive.

The Hispanic villa, which was a  pleasure to stay in on its own, has been ruined by dumb arse wall graffiti for guests whose half-witted drunk arse comments aren’t worth the cost of the ink. Additionally, the owner of the place, some dumb American trustafarian leads the charge for the completely pliant and docile stuff who are either hungover for the majority of the time or too busy trying to look good for their latest interest.


San Juan Del Sur - Nicaragua

San Juan Del Sur - Nicaragua

San Juan Del Sur - Nicaragua

San Juan Del Sur - Nicaragua

The rooms themselves are spacious but feel like a petri dish of marinating teen bacteria whose filth and sexual juices have combined to push make these areas bio-hazards. When staff tell you straight up, Oh hang on, we need to fumigate yours beds first prior to you being able to use them – well, you need to reconsider your position.

That’s the Naked Tiger, it offers the possibility of luxury on a beer budget if you’re prepared to live like a student on Spring Break.


San Juan Del Sur - Nicaragua

San Juan Del Sur - Nicaragua

San Juan Del Sur - Nicaragua

San Juan Del Sur - Nicaragua

San Juan Del Sur - Nicaragua


San Juan del Sur is not the Naked Tiger however. A comfortable, breezy town on the Pacific coastline, we found it to be quite agreeable. Great whether, cocktails on the beach and the salt in the air, without the overwhelming development that comes with First World countries, its understandable why this place is having a spike in interest. Admittedly it’s not just San Juan that’s the draw card, the more pristine beaches further north are the real catches. With gorgeous deep blue rolling waves, rugged cliffs and a semi-arid type of environment, it has its own kind of Wild West on the beach feel about it.

We enjoyed our time here, it was nice enough for the few days that we set aside on our schedule, and admittedly, had we acquired a different type of accommodation we probably would have gotten into it a lot more.