SURF RANCH · LOCATION GUIDE
Stay by the town bay for dinners on foot, near a surf beach for early sessions, or inland for pool days and space for the whole family. Here’s how the four locations fit different trips.
01 · COMPARE THE AREAS
San Juan del Sur is a town on a horseshoe bay. Playa Remanso and Playa Maderas are separate surf destinations. Surf Ranch lies inland between the town and Remanso. A room marketed as “San Juan del Sur” can put you in any of these different settings.
Choose the streets around the malecón if you want to leave the room for a waterfront walk, watch the fishing boats and choose dinner as you go. For a short stay without a car, check the exact walking route from the property to the bay.
Plan for a ride to the surf beaches. If a quiet night matters, ask how close the room is to evening activity on the waterfront.
Remanso is the beach Surf Ranch uses for beginner lessons. Staying nearby makes sense if the lesson is the center of the trip and you want your downtime at the beach. Confirm how far the particular room is from the sand.
Allow for a separate trip into town for an evening on the malecón. If you stay inland instead, the surf packages include return beach transport for the scheduled lessons.
Our local surf guide lists Maderas for intermediate and advanced surfers. It’s a practical base for friends who already surf independently and would rather check the break than head into town each morning.
For a mixed group, decide how non-surfers will spend the day and arrange a return ride before you leave for dinner in town. Ask locally about conditions before entering the water.
The resort sits inland at the edge of the jungle, with a pool, waterslide, splash pad and skatepark on the grounds. You can have breakfast, swim and take a break in your room in one morning. It suits families or groups whose members want different activities.
Plan transport to town or the beach. Choose this base if a pool or a separate bedroom will be more useful every day than stepping straight onto the sand.
02 · FIND YOUR BASE
Choose a place to see it on the map. Maderas is north of town, Remanso is south, and Surf Ranch is inland. Use the directions link for a route from your starting point.
Get directions to the selected place03 · WHO’S TRAVELING?
A room in town works well if you expect to be out at restaurants most of the day. If one child naps while the other still wants to play, Surf Ranch puts the pool and the rooms on the same grounds. A condo has two queen beds for four people. A villa gives the family two separate bedrooms.
Compare family roomsIf one person wants their first lesson and the other is comfortable surfing Maderas independently, avoid planning the whole trip around the same break. Choose the base where you both want to have dinner, then plan separate surf outings. Reception can confirm the beginner lesson schedule before you set out.
Plan a first surf lessonFor a weekend centered on the malecón, a walkable town address simplifies evenings. At an inland resort or beach property, confirm pickup and return transport for the outings you want. Surf Ranch lesson transport covers the booked lesson. For airport travel, use the separate shuttle information.
Plan an airport transfer
Write down your first and last journey of the day. Two dinners on the waterfront make walking distance to town worth checking. Two surf mornings make the lesson pickup and beach destination more important. A family returning for an afternoon nap may care more about getting back to the room than the distance to dinner.
At Surf Ranch, ask reception about paid trips to the beach or town. The surf package includes return beach transport for the booked lessons. Before comparing two room prices, add any rides you’ll need for the rest of your plans.
04 · STAY AT SURF RANCH
A Standard suits one or two guests. A condo sleeps up to four on two queen beds, and the villa offers two bedrooms. For several households, decide who needs their own room before choosing dates. Direct room bookings include breakfast. Enter your dates and guest count to see availability and pricing.