Playa Madera is a 20 minute drive from SJDS and only a few minutes from Surf Zone and Swell View Villa. As well as being a idyllic sandy beach, it's also the best for surfing in San Juan del Sur. Playa Madera picks up both south and north swells and waves can range from chest high to double overhead, depending on the swell size and direction. The best waves are usually at medium to high tide.

Playa Majagual is a 10 minute walk north of Playa Madera. It's a stunning quiet beach, sheltered from the larger waves and is ideal for swimming.

Playa Marsella is ideal for snorkeling and swimming, this beach is only 7km from San Juan del Sur.

Playa Remanso is the first surfing beach to the south of San Juan del Sur. It's a beautiful beach that has smaller and less crowded waves than Playa Madera. It's perfect for beginners or if you are not in the mood for fighting for waves.

Playa La Flor is a protected wildlife reserve because it is a nesting area for sea turtles. Each year thousands of turtles arrive here between July and January to lay eggs. The eggs start hatching a month and a half after laying and then the thousands of baby turtles make their journey to the ocean.