Best Time to Visit Nicaragua: Month by Month (2026 Guide)

The best time to visit Nicaragua's Pacific coast is the dry season, from late November through April. Around San Juan del Sur, January to April gets less than an inch of rain a month, and daytime highs sit between 86 and 90F. May to October is green season: hot, humid, cheaper and quieter, with showers on most days from June and the heaviest rain in September and October. The surf works all year. December to February has the smallest waves, which is what you want if you are learning. Bigger south swells run from about April into fall. Here is every month side by side, so you can pick your own best time.

One note: everything here is about the Pacific side. The Caribbean coast gets rain most of the year, and only March and April bring a short break.

SYB Nicaragua

Nicaragua month by month: the cheat sheet

Weather is the long-term average for San Juan del Sur, shown as the usual overnight low to the usual daytime high. Surf notes are for Playa Maderas, the beach break just north of town.

• Wave sizes are ranges, not promises. Expect ankle high to about 6 ft from November to March, and overhead on the good days from April to October. The biggest swells of the year can reach 13 ft.
• Bigger months do not rule out beginners. Our Surf Camp runs in October and May and is beginner friendly.
• Rain in green season often comes as short showers or overnight. September and October are the exception, when it can rain all day.
• The sea is warm all year (low 80s F), but it can cool off from December to April when the offshore wind blows. A thin wetsuit top earns its space in the bag.

So when should you go?

• You want guaranteed sun: December to March.
• You want the biggest waves: May to September.
• You want fewer crowds and better prices: May, June or November.
• You are learning to surf: December to February, when the waves are at their smallest.

Sources

1. Climates to Travel, Nicaragua climate page: monthly temperature, rain, wet days and sea temperature for San Juan del Sur, and the July and August dry spell.
2. Lonely Planet, The Best Time to Visit Nicaragua (updated October 16, 2025): high season December to April with prices up to 25 percent higher in popular spots, November as shoulder season, lower prices May to October, big surf from April.
3. Rough Guides, Best time to visit Nicaragua (updated May 15, 2025): the afternoon rain pattern, Semana Santa crowds and room prices, New Year in San Juan del Sur.
4. Lush Palm, Surfing Nicaragua guide (updated July 31, 2026): wave size by season, best months for beginners and for experienced surfers, the February cold water dip, the rain pattern.
5. Frommer's, Active Pursuits in San Juan del Sur: wave heights by season and the wetsuit top advice for December to April.

Where the sources disagree

• Start of dry season: Lush Palm starts it in November. Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Climates to Travel start it in December and put November in the wet or shoulder season. November averages 4.5 in of rain, so both are fair.
• Dry season wave size: Lush Palm describes ankle to chest high. Frommer's gives 3 to 6.5 ft on average. The cheat sheet gives the full range.
• Swell season: Frommer's says March to November, Lush Palm says April to September, and Lonely Planet puts the biggest swell between May and October.
• Water temperature: Climates to Travel shows 81F from January to March and 84F in summer. Lush Palm says 80 to 84F with a dip in February. Frommer's puts the average lower, at 77F, and says it gets noticeably cooler from December to April.

SYB Nicaragua

When we go (and why those weeks)

We run Nicaragua from mid-October to mid-May. That covers the whole dry season, plus the bigger-surf weeks on either side of it. Every trip is based at Playa Maderas. Trips are from $1,950 for 5 nights.

• Surf Camp (the surf-focused week, timed for swell season): May 4 to 9 and May 9 to 14, 2027. See Surf Camp
• Surf Yoga Beer (the classic week): Nov 16 to 21, Nov 21 to 26, Nov 26 to Dec 1 and Dec 1 to 6, 2026. Feb 8 to 13, Feb 13 to 18 (singles only), Mar 19 to 24, Mar 24 to 29 and Mar 29 to Apr 3, 2027. See Surf Yoga Beer
• Surf Yoga Babe (women only): Mar 14 to 19, 2027. See all Nicaragua trips
• Nicaragua NYE: Dec 27, 2026 to Jan 2, 2027. See Nicaragua NYE
• Reset and Recharge: Jan 2 to 16, 2027. See Reset and Recharge

Compare all five on the Nicaragua page, or see every date and open spots on the calendar.

SYB Nicaragua

Common Questions

What is the best month to visit Nicaragua?

February and March are the driest months on the Pacific coast, with about 0.2 inches of rain and highs of 88 to 90F. If you want green hills and fewer people, pick late November, when the rains are easing and high season has not started.

When is the rainy season in Nicaragua?

On the Pacific side it runs from May to October, and September and October are the wettest months. Outside those two months the showers are often short or overnight, and July and August usually bring a drier spell.

When is Nicaragua's dry season?

On the Pacific coast the dry season runs from late November to April. February and March are the driest months, and the rains come back in May.

When is the best time to surf in Nicaragua?

To learn, come between December and February, when the waves are at their smallest. For bigger waves, come between April and September, when south swells bring overhead surf. Our month by month surf guide has the detail.

When is the cheapest time to visit Nicaragua?

May to October is low season, when hotel prices drop and the beaches are quiet. Prices are highest from December to April, and Semana Santa, the week before Easter, fills the beach towns.

When does SurfYogaBeer run trips to Nicaragua?

From mid-October to mid-May, based at Playa Maderas near San Juan del Sur. Current dates, prices and open spots are on the calendar. Open the calendar.

Keep Reading

Everything we run in Nicaragua · The Surf Yoga Beer week · Month-by-month surf conditions · Every live date