LOS CARDONES SURF ECOLODGE From 470€ for 7 nigths

Situation

The SurfCamp is located on a deserted stretch of beach where beautiful beachbreaks along the Cote Paficique Nicaragua.
It is north of Montelimar and south of El Transito , about 1:30h drive from the capital Managua .
The owners will welcome you in this paradise of Eco Tourism , a wild and beautiful area, sea turtle sanctuary, iguanas and birds of all kinds .
Environmentally , they will share their love of this country and they will advise you on the best conditions for surfing waves just in front of your bungalow ! ...

Acres of the property are reserved for observing the environment. The Resort was built in this respect and that of nature . Materials made of local wood only, fit completely in the vegetation.
We use the sun, the water to heat or cool buildings and public areas. All powered by solar energy. only a few energy bulbs are lit in the evening to minimize power consumption. The water comes from our source , powered by a pump. Wastewater is collected , filtered and irrigate gardens. Our purchases are made locally and food from the neighborhood. We recycle plastic and aluminum and glass . Food waste is turned into compost.

Services Included

• Parking

Services non Included

• Airport transfers
• Spa & Wellness
• Laundry

Other Services

We can arrange your transportation to/from anywhere in Nicragua, for an additional cost.

Activities

Horse riding :
For those who do not want to get away from the ocean , enjoy a horseback ride on the beach.
The ballad ends up swimming in the Pacific Ocean. An unforgettable experience.
A local guide will accompany you along the shores of 1:30 for hiking.
Price: $ 12 per person

fishing:
A multitude tropical fish can be caught from shore .
The best time is during the rainy season from June to October . The rivers are full and empty into the estuary , rich in fish.
In the dry season (November to May) eels are in parrages . Barracuda and bonito too.
bring your own equipment ( rod and reel ) as well as your most appropriate lures.
Fishing boat charters are available at additional cost. All equipment is included.

WILDLIFE :
You can explore miles of pristine beaches, rocky headlands , lagoons around the Resort .
We work for the conservation of endangered sea turtles. 3 different species lay on the beach front of the resort .
You can also enjoy nature and extraordinary environment around the hotel in the forests of Los Cardones . You'll find herons , iguanas , egrets, colorful parrots , squirrels ... As many migratory birds .

A DAY EXCURSIONS :
Day Leon and Cerro Negro volcano ($ 140)
Climb the volcano to enjoy the view . Visit the old town of Leon of the 1979 revolution (museum, Cathedral ... ) . Lunch on site

Mombacho Volcano Granada & ($ 150)
Go in the primary forest of Volcan Mombacho en4X4 . Enjoy the view from the canopy and explore the jungle wildlife and extraordinary flora : monkeys, pumas, orchids. Visit the city of Granada and its typical architecture.

Other Activities

• Yoga
• Fishing
• Horse Riding
• Bicycles
• Excursions

Lodging

Three Ocean Front Bungalows are made of high precious wood on stilts on the ocean front. There is a spacious balcony with chairs and hammocks , a bedroom and a nice bathroom with private toilet, shower and sink .

Five Beach Side Bungalows are spread along the beach. These are individual pavilions with palm roof . Each bungalow has a bedroom, a bathroom with shower and sink, and a terrace with hammocks and beach chairs. The bungalows are furnished with comfortable beds with mosquito nets. The cabins do not have electricity, but solar lamps are provided.
Compost toilets are located within walking distance of housing . The rooms are furnished with beds of various sizes depending on the number of occupants.
It is recommended to come with flashlights or headlamps, but it is by no means uncomfortable ! Camp , you get up early to surf, and the evenings are short after a good meal and a good beer face at sunset ...

Traveling with children is always nice . With a variety of beach activities and a safe natural environment are guaranteed satisfaction for the whole family .
Baby- sitter on site

Meal Plan

A spacious restaurant with solar electricity, overlooking the dunes, offers 3 delicious meals a day and from your hammock you watch the surf while relaxing ... The owners run everything in the Lodge ... 
Optional: for vegetarians as well as vegan, gluten free and lactose are always available.

Sport Services

You get access to surf among the best of Nicaragua against the Camp or a short walk along the beach.
One spot is a bit remote to 1 hour walk, but others are just in front of the bungalows, or walking distance. -

Surfboard Rental  :
$ 20 for 2 hours,
$ 25 per day or $ 150 per week

Stand Up Paddle Rental  :
$ 35 per day or $ 205 per week

Bodyboard Rental  :
  $ 5 per day
Lessons: $ 30 / person / hour

Types of boards for rent :
9'0 longboard
Shortboards 7'10 twin fin, single fin 7'4 Channin, 6'4 or 6'2 fish fish
PADDLE from 9'0 to 11'0

Spots

Most spots are at or near the hotel. We will advise you on the conditions and access .
April to November : The biggest swells and waves
November to January : de0 waves, 80m at 1.20 m. Glassy and perfect conditions
February-March : Average Size . Regular offshore winds

4 spots are in front of the hotel . NOONE BUT YOU ! ...
The few surfers are the Lodge's guests. The spot at the lodge is a beach breaks on sand bottom, without danger.
We will accompany you to further spots by waverunner.

Depending on the season all levels are possible.
Spots in front of the Lodge are ok for beginners because the bottom is sandy and the waves reach.
Also in the vicinity of spots reef with waves more hollow and fast, reserved for surfers higher levels . We will indicate those .

Waves for different levels. However, the Lodge is ideal for beginners or casual surfers who are not looking too hard spots and crowded with surfers good levels .

Wind

130 day(s) / year

Weather / Temperature

Air temperature : 30°C (Summer) / 26°C (Winter)

Water temperature : 27°C (Summer) / 25°C (Winter)

Surf Story

If you think that Costa Rica’s atmosphere is sometimes too US, if you are looking for virgin spots and all kind of waves, in a surprising Latino mood, in the heart of Central America, well then come aboard to surf in Nicaragua!

This is a destination where surfing is not that common, a wild nature and kilometres of beachbreaks in the warm waters, no one around only some friendly locals…

History

Nicaragua was first populated by Mayas. Then, the Miskitos and the Sumos arrived from Colombia and settled in the Northeast. Other Amerindian peoples came from Honduras and Salvador. They all lived together until the Spanish landed.
Christopher Columbus gave his name to the Cape of Gracias a Dios, at the border of Honduras.
Nicaragua’s conquest was achieved by the Pacific coast. The Spanish Christianized right away the autochthon populations and imposed the Spanish language.
In 1542, the Spanish created seven provinces: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Soconusco, Chiapa and Verapaz.
In the 17th century, Nicaragua was the target of British pirates. The Miskitos began later on a long traditional opposition with the British against the Spanish settled on the Pacific coast.In Nicaragua, the Spanish colonization always remained in the Pacific coast.
Nicaragua’s independence was declared in 1821 but came apart in 1823 to create las Provincias Unidas Del Centro America including the States of Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador and Costa Rica.
Wars broke out between the States if the federation and the opposite factious party. Then, the country was divided in 1839 to form five new independent States.
In order to wheedle the Miskitos, the British went as far as declaring in 1845 one of them as the “King of the Miskitos”.The British had in mind to build a channel connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. They sent slaves and then workers from Jamaica, who spoke Creole.

Then, the Americans arrived, stole at leisure the region promising jobs for the population.
German missionaries converted the local populations to Protestantism.
From the British presence in Nicaragua, there is still a Creole population with British origins.
In 1823, Managua was proclaimed the national capital. William Walker, an American pirate invaded the country leading a mercenary army and declared himself the President of Nicaragua.
He restored slavery and issued English as the official language of the whole country. But Walker was ejected in 1857.

The United States intervened more and more in the country’s daily life and settled a “Big Stick doctrine” launched by President Theodore Roosevelt.
For Amerindians, the history of their country can be summed up as a slow erosion of their autonomy before the Europeans’ domination.
From 1912 (until 1932), Nicaragua fell under a complete dependency towards the United States who militarily occupied the country and enforced the checking of customs and railroads.
Nicaraguan nationalist Augusto Cesar Sandino attempted to oppose the American domination stirring up a part of the population.
Americans intervened once again. Sandino was assassinated in 1934 while he was negotiating for peace. Anastasio Somoza Garcia coming from the national guard created by the United States declared himself as the President in 1936 and enforced his dictatorship until he was assassinated in 1956.
His sons followed one another. The Somoza clique seized upon the main wealth of the country and promoted the plantation of large foreign companies (American ones).

In 1978, the assassination of Pedro Joaquin Chamorro, the leader of the Conservative opposition, launched an insurrection movement led by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (in honour of Augusto Sandino) which forced the dictator Somoza to leave the country.
The civil war would have engendered the death of at least 50 000 people. Once in power, the Sandinistas settled an economic program on the socialism spur, particularly by nationalizing, an agrarian reform and seizing the lands of the Somoza tribe.
In spring 1987, Managua’s Sandinista government began an autonomy status with two autonomous regions: the RAAN (Region Autonoma del Atantico Norte) with the Miskitos and the Sumos, and the RAAS (Region Autonoma del Atlantica Sur) with the Mestizos and the Creoles.
It was the first autonomy given to autochthons on the American continent. The important economic crisis of 1988 engendered the defeat of the Sandinista Daniel Ortega.
Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, widow of Pedro Joaquin Chamorro, Conservative candidate backed up by the United States was then elected as the President.

Geography

The Republic of Nicaragua is located in Central America and forms a stretchy belt connecting North America to South America.
It divides the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Geographically, Nicaragua is bordered by Honduras in the North, and Costa Rica in the South, the Atlantic Ocean in the East, the Pacific Ocean.Nicaragua, whose total area is 139 682 km², is the largest Republic of Central America.
7% of the total area is composed of the lakes of Managua (Xolotlan) and Nicaragua (Cocobolca), this last one constituting one of the largest reserve of soft water in the world.

The country is divided in 3 main zones :
The Pacific coast, long strip of fertile land going from the border with Costa Rica (South) to the Gulf of Fontesca (facing Salvador). It is bordered in the West by the ocean and in the East by a volcanoes chain. The country has 58 volcanoes of which several are active ones. This plain is sprinkled by lakes and volcanic lagoons.
This is where the major cities are located : Managua (capital), Leon, Granada, Masaya, Chinandega, Corinto (the main harbour) and this is the most populated part of the country.

The mountainous zone : two lakes divide the Pacific coast and the mountains, the Nicaragua (8 200 km²), the Cocibolca (in indigenous language, it means the soft sea) and the Managua (2 000 km²).Mountains are not that high, the Mogoton reaches 2 000 m near the Honduras border.
This is a forest area, coffee plantations and bovines-farming.The major cities of this region are Matagalpa, Jinotega, Esteli, Ocotal, Somoto.

The Caribbean coast represents 51% of the total area of the country.
This is also the least populated region. There are hills covered with rainy forests where rivers such as the Rio Coco (part of the Honduras frontier) and the Rio San Juan are flowing. The coastal plain is often swampy.
The major city of the Caribbean coast is Bluefields, followed by Puero Cabeza.The Pacific and Caribbean coasts are separated by two large mountains ranges : the Cordillera Centroamericana and the Cordilleras Segoviana and Yolaina. In the west of the Cordillera Centroamericana, there only is a stretchy strip on the shore where 90% of the population live, with big cities like Managua, Leon and Granada.

Infos

FORMALITIES 
A compulsory visa for a short stay has been suppressed for French nationals who wish to enter Nicaragua. A 5 $US fee must be paid when you arrive in the country and a 32 $US fee when you leave. It is not possible to exchange euros.
The passport must be valid at least 6 months and in good conditions (not wrecked, wrinkled pages)

LANGUAGE
Spanish. In some isolated zones, the indigenous languages are still spoken like Miskito, Garifona, and Sumu.Nicaragua has about 5 million of inhabitants.
More than half of the population is under 16 years old. Very quickly after the colonization, the Spanish blended themselves with Amerindians and the Nicaraguans are the result of this union. The Mestizos represent the largest part of the population.

HEALTH 
No vaccine is mandatory. Prevent yourself from mosquito bites especially during the wet season from mid-May to September. Besides, it is advised to have a treatment against malaria before and while you stay in the country.

TIME DIFFERENCES
from October to March = GMT – 7 hours.From April to October = GMT – 8 hours.

WEATHER
Warm and humid tropical climate with two seasons: in summer, it is very dry and hot from November to April and this is the best period (28°C on average during the dry season, 34°C max) and in winter (the wet season) from mid-May to October (25°C).
The hurricane period goes from July to October.

DRIVING CONDITIONS
The main road (Transamerican), crossing the country from North to South can be driven by any kind of vehicles. During the rainy season, a 4X4 is usually necessary. Renting a car is quite expensive. The price of gas is high, about 1 $US the liter.

WATER/ELECTRICITY
110 V like in the US. Bring an adaptor. For the telephone, buy prepaid phone cards that can be used from any kind of public phone even to call abroad.
Natel, the cellular network begins to spread. Calling code for Nicaragua = 505.

CURRENCY
Cordoba (NIO). About 16.40 NIO = 1 $US. Bring dollars along, always useful…

EXTRA TIPS
A destination quite safe if you do not tempt the devil like anywhere else! You will be able to bring back several original items from Nicaragua: braided hammocks, rum (delicious), jewelries, Guayaberas (traditional shirts), Masaya’s shoes (all leather, home-made), cigars, potteries with Amerindian decorations.
On the Caribbean coasts, music sounds like Reggae and Steel band. The most famous group is Dimension Costena.

Price from

470€ for 7 nigths

Price includes

Lodging and 3 meals a day with non alcoholic drinks. Green Season rates, May to October

Rates & Packages

Saison Verte: Mai a Octobre
SURF TRIP
Formule pour les surfeurs invétérés c'est la meilleure affaire. Les beach breaks sont tous à distance de marche. Vous surferez sur des vagues désertes et de haute qualité tous les jours.
Taxes Gouvernementales de 15% + tip de 10%  non inclus dans le prix

Green Season Rates, May to October
For hard-core surfers this is the best deal. Left point break, right point reef, A-frames, beach breaks, are all within walking distance. You will be surfing uncrowded high quality waves all day and everyday. Let us take care of everything for you.
Do not include sales tax (15%) and Tips 10%

Prix par Bungalow Front de Mer en saison Verte (Mai a Octobre)
Taxes Gouvernementales de 15% + tip de 10%  non inclus dans le prix

Price per Ocean Front Bungalow during the Green Season (May to October)
Does not include sales tax (15%) and tips 10%

Prix par Bungalow Bord de Plage en saison Verte (Mai a Octobre)
Taxes Gouvernementales de 15% + tip de 10%  non inclus dans le prix

Price per Beach Side Bungalow during the Green Season (May to October)
Does not include sales tax (15%) and tips 10% 

Users Booking Terms and Conditions

Lodging Photos

Water Sports Photos

Other Photos

Videos

A day at Los Cardones !