IT'S TIME FOR YOUR SURFCATION
Everything You Need to Know Before You Go
Getting to Nicaragua is easier than you might think. We put together the practical information we wish every surf traveler had before boarding the plane—from passports and airports to surfboard baggage, money, transportation, and what to expect when you arrive.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED
Travel Insurance
While Sirena Surf Lodge does not require travel insurance, we cannot recommend it strongly enough. A good policy can provide important protection for medical treatment and evacuation, trip cancellation or interruption, delays, and other unforeseen changes.
Because Sirena operates under a non-refundable reservation policy, we cannot reimburse guests for missed trips, cancellations, travel disruptions, or other unforeseen circumstances outside our control. Travel insurance is the best way to protect the money you have invested in your trip.
ALLIANZ TRAVEL → IMG TRAVEL → WORLD NOMADS →Coverage varies by policy, residence, activity, and circumstances. Review plan terms carefully, including surfing and medical-evacuation coverage, before purchasing.
What to Pack
It is very easy to overpack for a trip to Nicaragua. The weather is warm enough that most travelers need far less clothing than they expect. Swimwear or boardshorts, sandals, and a few T-shirts can often carry you through an entire week without wanting for much more.
That said, a lightweight long-sleeve shirt and a pair of light pants are useful for additional protection from mosquitoes and other insects during the early morning and evening hours. A pair of socks can also help protect your ankles. During the rainy season, a lightweight rain shell can be handy.
Phone chargers, medications, a reusable water bottle, and other personal necessities are also useful to bring, although many everyday items can be purchased locally if you forget something.
Pack light, but come prepared. Use the packing checklist alongside this section as a guide and adjust it to your own trip.
Passports & Entry Requirements
Your passport must be valid for at least six months for entry into Nicaragua.
- Keep two printed copies of your passport and a secure digital copy.
- Save your flight itinerary and return/onward travel information for offline access.
- Keep two printed copies of your travel-insurance policy, and save a secure digital copy with your emergency contact information.
- Save or screenshot your foreseen address in Nicaragua.
- Keep your passport, arrival information, and foreseen address accessible when arriving.
- The tourist card costs $10 cash upon arrival.
FORESEEN ADDRESS — SAVE THIS
You’ll Need This for Your Arrival Form
You will need this address to complete the customs and immigration arrival form provided before landing in Managua.
Sirena Surf Lodge
Orilla del mar, 100 metros norte de la cancha a la entrada de Miramar, León, Nicaragua
Have the form completed before leaving the aircraft arrival area. You will be asked for the completed form during the arrival and customs process.
Flights & Managua Airport
Nicaragua’s principal international airport is Augusto C. Sandino International Airport in Managua, airport code MGA.
Before departure, save your flight itinerary and return or onward travel information for offline access.
If you have arranged an airport transfer with Sirena, please send us your airline, flight number, arrival date, and scheduled arrival time.
Keep WhatsApp available for arrival coordination, and notify Sirena if your flight is delayed or your itinerary changes.
When traveling with surfboards, check your airline’s current surfboard and baggage rules before departure.
Traveling With Surfboards
Before departure, check your airline’s current surfboard and baggage rules, including size, weight, number of boards permitted, and applicable fees.
IMPORTANT — Airline Surfboard Embargoes
IMPORTANT — Inspect Your Boards Before Leaving the Airport
IMPORTANT — Plan for Delayed or Lost Board Bags
Airlines occasionally impose surfboard or oversized-baggage embargoes that can restrict the size of board bags or, in some cases, prevent surfboards and other oversized luggage from being checked at all.
These embargoes are not always regularly scheduled and can sometimes appear with little notice. Do not assume that because an airline normally accepts surfboards, it will accept them on your particular flight.
Check your airline’s current oversized-baggage and surfboard policies for your specific route and travel dates before going to the airport.
If an unexpected restriction prevents you from bringing your boards, surfboard rentals are available at Sirena Surf Lodge.
IMPORTANT — Inspect Your Boards Before Leaving the Airport
Surfboard damage can occur during air travel. Always inspect your surfboards before leaving the airport. If you discover damage, report it to the airline and begin the claim process while you are still at the airport. Once the surfboards have left the airport, making a damage claim can be considerably more difficult. It is tempting to get to the lodge, unpack, and go surfing, but take a few minutes to inspect your boards first.
IMPORTANT — Plan for Delayed or Lost Board Bags
Checked baggage, including surfboard bags, can occasionally be delayed or misplaced. Airlines are generally very good at locating delayed bags and getting them to us at the lodge, but this can take 12–24 hours or longer.
If you are traveling with a friend, consider splitting your boards between your two board bags: put one of your boards in your friend’s bag and one of theirs in yours. If one bag is delayed, you will each still have at least one board to surf. This is a simple and very useful travel tip when traveling with friends.
Airport Arrival & Customs
Before You Get on the Plane — Have a Pen
Bring a pen in your carry-on and make sure you have it with you before you board the plane. You will need it to complete the customs and immigration declaration form for your arrival in Nicaragua.
Having the form completed and ready before you get off the airplane can potentially save you 30 minutes to an hour during a busy arrival.
Keep your passport, arrival information, and Sirena foreseen address accessible while completing the form.
The Arrival Process
Immigration → Baggage Claim → Customs/X-Ray → Secondary Inspection, if required → Exit Terminal
Your passport must have at least six months validity, and the tourist card costs $10 cash upon arrival.
Customs & Secondary Inspection
Most travelers with ordinary personal luggage will pass through the customs X-ray without a secondary inspection.
Avoid traveling with prohibited or questionable items. Drones, spearguns, firearms or other weapons, explosives, illegal substances, and excessive quantities of almost any item can create customs problems.
Excessive quantities of items such as snacks, electronics, books, camera gear, shoes, or clothing may draw additional scrutiny. Remove retail tags and unnecessary packaging before traveling, and pack conservatively. Large quantities of new or identical items may lead Customs officials to believe the goods are intended for resale or donation, which may make those items subject to import duties or other Customs fees.
If Customs identifies something requiring additional examination, you may be directed to secondary inspection. A secondary inspection costs US$3, whether or not Customs determines that you owe duties on any of your belongings. Be prepared to pay the fee at the airport. The fee applies to the inspection itself, so once you have been selected for secondary inspection, there is no way around it.
Items can also be confiscated, held, or assessed Customs duties, and resolving an issue can take hours.
Meeting Your Sirena Surf Lodge Driver & Exiting the Airport
After immigration, baggage claim, and Customs, turn right and exit through the automatic glass doors that lead out to the curbside pickup area. Your driver will be waiting outside with a sign displaying the name of at least one traveler, normally the principal contact on the booking.
Keep WhatsApp available for arrival coordination and notify Sirena if your flight is delayed or your itinerary changes.
Getting to Sirena Surf Lodge
If you have not arranged an airport transfer through Sirena Surf Lodge—or prefer to arrange your own transportation—there are several ways to reach us.
Finding Sirena
Sirena Surf Lodge is easily identifiable on Google Maps, Waze, and Apple Maps. Tap your preferred map service to open the lodge location.
SEARCHABLE ADDRESS
Getting Here From Other Parts of Nicaragua
Private transportation or a pre-arranged taxi is usually the fastest, safest, and easiest way to reach Sirena Surf Lodge from other parts of Nicaragua. We can help arrange transportation and provide a custom quote based on your starting point, group size, vehicle requirements, and schedule.
As a general planning estimate, private transportation typically runs approximately US$30–$50 per hour of travel time. Actual pricing can vary depending on traffic, time of day, number of travelers, vehicle type, and whether the driver is able to coordinate another fare for the return journey.
For example, Popoyo to Sirena Surf Lodge is roughly a three-hour trip and will generally cost approximately US$100–$150. From Chinandega or the Boom area, allow roughly 2½ hours and approximately US$100–$150, depending on the transportation arrangement.
Need a ride from somewhere else in Nicaragua? Contact us with your location, number of travelers, luggage and surfboard requirements, and we’ll be happy to help arrange transportation and provide a quote.
If Your Package Includes Airport Transportation
If airport transportation is included with your Sirena package but you’re traveling to or from another destination instead of Managua Airport, we may be able to apply a transportation credit equivalent to the airport-transfer portion toward your alternate transfer. These arrangements are handled case by case and must be confirmed with us in advance.
Sirena Surf LodgeOrilla del mar, 100 metros norte de la cancha a la entrada de Miramar, León, Nicaragua
Private Taxi
Taxis are readily available outside the arrival terminal. Depending on time of day, demand, vehicle size, and number of passengers, expect approximately US$70–$100 for a standard taxi or US$100–$150 for a larger van.
The drive to Miramar can take approximately 1½ to 3 hours. Use a legitimate registered taxi with proper identification/registration and a roof light.
Rental Cars
Several rental-car companies operate at or around the airport. Advertised rates may not include insurance; a vehicle advertised around US$25 per day may have an additional US$20–$50 per day in required insurance.
If relying on credit-card rental coverage, verify the details directly with your card issuer before traveling.
Some rental vehicles are available with roof racks, but tie-down straps are generally not provided. If you plan to transport surfboards in a rental car, bring your own quality surfboard straps whether or not the vehicle is advertised as having racks.
Driving in Nicaragua
Foreign driver’s licenses are generally recognized in Nicaragua while the license itself remains valid. Even so, traffic rules, road markings, police procedures, and local driving customs may be unfamiliar, so visitors choosing to drive should proceed cautiously.
Police checkpoints are common, and vehicles may be stopped for routine document checks. Keep your driver’s license, rental-car documents, vehicle circulation document, and proof of insurance readily available. A rental vehicle carrying surfboards on the roof can make it especially obvious that you are a visitor, so make sure your paperwork and vehicle are in order before setting out.
Major roads are generally in good condition, but conditions can change quickly. Watch for potholes, damaged or missing manhole covers—particularly in Managua—pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, roadside vendors, livestock, dogs, horses, ox carts, and other slow-moving traffic. Drive defensively and never assume another vehicle will stop simply because you have the right of way.
You may see local drivers proceed through red lights, particularly late at night. Do not assume cross traffic will stop when your light changes; look carefully before entering an intersection. At intersections, keep doors locked, valuables out of sight, and remain aware of people approaching the vehicle.
We recommend using Waze while driving. In addition to navigation, it can alert you to reported traffic conditions and police activity ahead. Treat these alerts only as advance information—not as a substitute for obeying traffic laws.
Do You Need 4WD?
Usually not for simply reaching Sirena. A 4WD can be useful for remote exploring, but four-wheel drive does not turn a rental car into an off-road vehicle. Avoid driving on soft beach sand.
The ocean takes no prisoners.
DRIVING AT NIGHT — USE EXTRA CAUTION
Whenever possible, we recommend driving during daylight hours in Nicaragua. Driving at night is possible, but potholes, missing manhole covers, pedestrians, bicycles, carts, animals, and other unexpected obstacles can be much harder to see after dark.
During sugar-cane harvest season, cane frequently falls from trucks onto rural roads. Livestock may wander onto the roadway to eat it, so encountering cattle or horses standing in the road after dark is not unusual—and dark-colored animals can be extremely difficult to see.
If you need to drive after dark, slow down, leave additional following distance, avoid outrunning your headlights, and expect the unexpected. Exercise considerably more caution than you might normally use when driving at night in your home country.
A final word on driving at night: Nothing will end the joy of a Nicaraguan vacation quite like a major traffic collision at night on a remote rural road in a foreign country. Slow down, stay alert, and stay safe.
Buses & Shuttles
Public buses and shared transportation are inexpensive but can be slow and tedious, especially with luggage or surfboards. Expect several connections. Pickpocketing and petty theft can occur, so keep valuables close.
IMPORTANT — BUS STATION SAFETY & AWARENESS
Bus terminals are one of the places in Nicaragua where travelers should be particularly alert for petty theft. Tourists carrying large backpacks, handling luggage, checking phones, and obviously trying to figure out where they are going can make easy targets.
Most Nicaraguans you encounter will be honest, friendly, and genuinely helpful. Unfortunately, busy transportation hubs also attract a small number of people looking for opportunities to take advantage of distracted travelers.
Keep your bags and valuables physically close at all times. Be aware of anyone following you or repeatedly approaching you, remain in busy and visible areas, and avoid becoming intoxicated while navigating a terminal. Whenever practical, we recommend making bus connections during daylight hours—preferably morning through early afternoon—rather than after dark.
You should also expect numerous bus callers or ayudantes approaching you and trying to direct you toward a bus. They can be extremely helpful, but they can also be overwhelming, and some earn money or commissions by filling particular buses. Sometimes it may seem that, conveniently, wherever you say you’re going is exactly where their bus is going.
If you’re unsure, choose one person who seems helpful, clearly explain exactly where you need to go, confirm the destination and price, and have them point you toward the correct bus. Confirm passenger fares and any additional surfboard or baggage charges before loading your belongings.
Go in expecting a little chaos, keep your wits about you, and don’t allow yourself to be rushed. The goal is to save money by taking the bus—not have a moment of distraction turn into an expensive lesson that costs more than the taxi ride would have cost in the first place.
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking is relatively common but we do not recommend it as a primary means of transportation for our guests.
Your mother never told you it was okay to hitchhike—and we won’t either.
Let Us Arrange Your Transport
Sirena can arrange your airport transfer. Airport transfers are included with all-inclusive packages of six nights or more and can also be added à la carte.
Money, Banking & ATMs
IMPORTANT — Bring Clean, Undamaged U.S. Bills
Torn, damaged, stained, dirty, heavily worn, written-on, marked, or otherwise marred U.S. bills will not be accepted.
Bring clean, newer-looking bills in good physical condition. Check every bill before leaving home. $5 and $20 bills are generally practical denominations.
Dollars, Córdobas & Currency Exchange
Nicaragua’s official currency is the Nicaraguan córdoba (NIO). For 2026, the official exchange rate established by the Central Bank of Nicaragua is C$36.6243 per US$1.
It is not necessary to exchange U.S. dollars for córdobas immediately—or at all. U.S. dollars are widely accepted as long as the bills are in excellent, undamaged condition.
If you do want local currency, we do not recommend exchanging money at the airport, where the exchange rate is generally less favorable. Dollars can easily be exchanged after leaving the airport if you prefer to carry córdobas.
Credit & Debit Cards
Visa, Mastercard, and American Express are widely accepted. Discover is not widely accepted and should not be relied on as a primary card.
- Notify your bank that you will be traveling internationally.
- Know your ATM PIN and confirm your cards are enabled for international use.
- Consider carrying a second card separately.
A foreign ATM transaction can trigger fraud protection. A card may work once and then be declined later. This is common and is typically resolvable with a phone call to your bank.
ATMs
ATMs are available at gas stations, convenience stores, and other businesses, particularly in larger towns and cities, although they can sometimes be found in more remote areas. If you anticipate needing cash during your trip, it can be a good idea to withdraw some while you are in Managua or before traveling into more remote areas.
There is an ATM in Puerto Sandino located at the Happy Go Market at the Empalme Puerto Sandino, approximately 4 miles (6.5 km) from Sirena Surf Lodge. It is generally working and stocked with cash, although availability cannot be guaranteed. Happy Go Market is open 24 hours a day, making this the most convenient nearby ATM for guests staying at Sirena.
Local ATM fees are generally around US$5–$6 per withdrawal, in addition to fees charged by your own bank.
The easiest way to reduce ATM problems and fees is to bring enough clean, undamaged U.S. cash to cover a reasonable portion of your anticipated expenses.
Tipping
Tipping is customary in Nicaragua and is always appreciated, but never mandatory. Restaurants and hotels often add a 10% service charge, so double-check your bill to see whether a service fee has already been included. You are always welcome to leave an additional tip if you feel it is appropriate—just be aware of the service charge so you do not accidentally tip twice unless you intend to.
At Sirena Surf Lodge, we do not automatically add gratuity. A tip box is available at checkout for cash gratuities. If you prefer, we can also add a gratuity to your final bill, or you are welcome to give a tip directly to the individual staff members who helped you.
Phones, Wi-Fi & Staying Connected
Wi-Fi at Sirena Surf Lodge
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout Sirena Surf Lodge. Our internet service comes via a fiber-optic connection at approximately 80 Mbps and generally provides good, reliable service.
Multiple Wi-Fi access points positioned throughout the property provide good coverage throughout the lodge. The networks may have different names, but they use the same password. Connect to whichever network provides the strongest signal.
The Wi-Fi password is posted at the front-desk check-in area. Occasional outside service interruptions can occur, although they are relatively uncommon.
Cellular Service in Nicaragua
Cellular service is widely available throughout most urban areas and populated regions, although occasional dead spots can be expected.
We also have cellular reception at Sirena. The second-floor terrace typically has the strongest cellular signal at the lodge.
Local SIM Cards
Local SIM cards are available at the airport and many other points of sale. A basic SIM costs only a few dollars and typically includes a small amount of calling minutes or data. Additional data packages can be purchased as needed.
For most guests a local SIM is not necessary because free Wi-Fi is available throughout the lodge. If you'd like cellular data as a backup, let us know and we'll be happy to help you acquire and set up a local SIM.
WhatsApp Guests Channel
The Sirena WhatsApp Guests Channel is an optional but helpful communication channel for in-house communication, surf trip planning, activities, menu information, massage requests, schedule changes, lodge questions, and other time-sensitive updates.
Participation is not required, but it provides an easy way to receive useful information from us and send us notifications or requests during your stay.
Getting Around & Local Services
Miramar is a small beach community with limited restaurants and a few small markets (pulperías). Puerto Sandino, about two miles away, has additional basic services, including pharmacies and an ATM, but no full grocery store.
Transportation to Puerto Sandino generally costs about $5 by caponera moto-taxi or lodge vehicle. Ask staff or use the WhatsApp guest chat when you need transportation or help locating an item.
Sirena keeps drinks, ice cream, toiletries, and other basic items available for purchase at the lodge. If you need something we do not have, staff can point you in the right direction or help you procure it.
Activities, sightseeing, fishing, and excursions are intentionally handled on a separate Activities & Excursions page.
Health, Medical & Emergencies
Medications & Personal Medical Needs
Bring an adequate supply of any prescription or specialty medication you rely on, ideally in its original packaging. It is also wise to keep a copy or photo of your prescription information available while traveling.
Pharmacies & Basic Medical Needs
Basic pharmacies are available in Puerto Sandino and in larger towns and cities. If you need medication, first-aid supplies, or another basic health item during your stay, speak with our staff and we can help you locate the nearest appropriate option.
Many antibiotics and other medications that would normally require a prescription in the United States can be purchased directly from pharmacies in Nicaragua without a prescription. If you need a specialized medication that does require a Nicaraguan prescription, doctors are available for walk-in consultations or scheduled appointments and can provide a prescription when medically appropriate.
If You Need Medical Attention
If you become ill or injured while staying with us, let our staff know immediately. Whenever possible, contact Jomar or Greg first so we can determine the best logistics, transportation, or evacuation procedure for seeking appropriate medical attention. Local emergency services are not always readily available in remote areas, so coordinating transportation directly with the lodge may sometimes be the fastest practical option.
In a life-threatening emergency, use the appropriate emergency service immediately. If circumstances allow, notify Jomar or Greg at the same time or immediately afterward so we can assist with transportation, directions, communication, and other logistics.
Reviews & Feedback
We greatly appreciate positive feedback through our various review platforms. If you have a concern or negative experience, please come directly to us so we have an opportunity to understand it and address it.