San Juan is known for surfing and you can learn how to balance on a board here.
At the bottom of the steps that lead up to Pelican Eyes, there is the unforgettable town of San Juan del Sur. This casual beach community is a treasure. Colorful houses are lived in by Spanish descendants who pour out onto the streets at the end of the day.
Check out the small market and don’t hesitate to order a “licuado” sometimes called a “batido," a local fresh fruit shake.
Stop in at El Gato Negro — a bookstore/café reminiscent of what you might expect in a New England town. The U.S.-born owner will regale you with political musings. Her co-owner husband is quietly thinking of his commodity trades while he brews shade-grown coffee behind the bar.
The beach in town is a working harbor. Swim off to the North for a more secluded swim or hang with “la gente’ (the people) in front of the many thatched-roof bars along the sand. Settle down in one to catch the long sunset.
Back at the hotel, have a massage with Luna Belle, an Italian masseuse by way of LA. You can get one of her excellent massages for a quarter of the price she charged there.
