Marsella Valley Nature Center, Nicaragua

After four fantastic days visiting with Colleen, it was time to move on to our next location.

P1030023Our friends at Girl Gone Galaventing had recommended the Marsella Valley Nature Center to us. Located just 5 miles from San Juan del Sur, the reserve is in the perfect location for those wanting to explore both Playa Marsella and Playa Maderas. Each beach is 1km away from the Center. Walking to Marsella was a breeze, but there are some pretty intense hills getting to Maderas. Luckily, anyone who sees you walking up them will likely stop and offer you a ride.

Our Cabin

Our Cabin

The centre has several cabins for both short and long term-rentals. The majority of the rooms we’ve rented have consisted of a bed, bathroom, and shared kitchen, so the novelty of having a fully stocked cabin all to our selves was irresistible.

Our room was huge, and consisted of a double bed, kitchen table, small couch, coffee table, and lots of storage space.

Our Porch

Our Porch

Our kitchen was just outside our unit and had all the amenities we needed to make a couple decent cook ups. Outside of our cabin we had a little garden, and a large porch with several places to sit.

Aside from their accommodations, the Nature Center also offers their guests and visitors a wide variety of unique experiences. The property is huge and those visiting can spend time walking through the vast array of hiking trails. You will undoubtedly encounter all sorts of interesting flora and fauna along the way.

The most unique part of the Marsella Valley Nature Centre is their Disc Golf course. Yes, that’s right…Disc Golf! You better believe that Shaun and I rocked a Disc Golf tournament during our stay there. More on THAT later!

The only downside to our stay here was the heat and the bugs: two factors that simply go without saying when you are staying in Central American in March. We had several very hot nights here in Marsella, and mosquito netting was definitely a must. Shaun also kept getting bit by something that his body did NOT like. He woke up one morning with baseball mitt hands, and the next morning with Angelina Jolie lips. No, I did not take photos!

Despite the heat and bugs, this was a really unique and nice place to stay. If you are looking for a cheap place to stay that has all the amenities, including Disc Golf, Marsella Valley Nature Center is a great spot. Just make sure you back the bug spray!

What is the worst thing you’ve ever been bitten by?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

 

Exploring in and Around San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

Alright lets really get down to our trip to Nicaragua shall we?

San Juan del Sur is often described as a “surf town”. It’s proximity to the Costa Rican border makes it a popular destination for both surfers, and people looking for a quick get away on their Visa run. Located about 1km from Lake Nicaragua, San Juan del Sur is home to a gorgeous 3km horseshoe shaped beach with fun beach side restaurants dotted along its shore.

The beach of San Juan del Sur

The beach of San Juan del Sur

The town itself has everything you need for a good time. Lots of bars, coffee shops, tour companies, souvenir shops and hostels. There is a great market in the centre of town where vendors sell all sorts of fruits and vegetables. The only thing that San Juan del Sur is missing, is the surf. There is actually no surf in San Juan..none at all.

San Juan del Sur tends to be the epicentre for those who are interested in surfing, as it has the most amenities.But the closest surf beach, Playa Maderas, is about 9km away.

Colleen and I on the shuttle

Colleen and I on the shuttle

There are tons of shuttles, vans and taxis that you can catch that will take you to and from San Juan to Playa Maderas. The cheapest option is by far the shuttle that leaves every few hours from Casa Oro. This tourista cattle car is 3 bucks for one way or 5 bucks for a round trip. Certainly beats the 15 dollars that the cabs will charge you!

I don’t blame the poor cab drivers for charging so much though, the road to Maderas is pretty brutal. Pot holes, tight squeezes, low hanging branches and extremely steep hills can make it seem more like a faulty ride in Disneyland then a commute to the beach.

Busy surf in Playa Maderas

Busy surf in Playa Maderas

Once you get to Playa Maderas, you will be greeted by a small but dedicated surfer community. There are a couple of hostels, restaurants and board rental shops on the beach, but other then that, it is pretty remote. You can certainly find a place to get a beer, bed, meal or coffee, but there are no grocery stores or other amenities nearby.

During our stay, the beach at Playa Maderas was always really busy. We aren’t sure whether it is always like that, or if it was because the other surf beaches nearby were really flat. Either way, with so many people trying to catch waves in a very small space, I opted to partake in a little beach side coffee time instead of attempting to surf. Although we left Shaun’s board back in Costa Rica, he did rent a board and go out one afternoon, but with the amount of people in the water and the lack of decent waves, he didn’t last long.

If you are an avid surfer, and are wanting to catch some decent waves, I suggest doing your research. There are tons of nearby beaches that have great waves, alot of which are relatively undiscovered. Playa Maderas is certainly the easiest surf beach to get to from San Juan, so I think that may be another  reason it attracts so many people.

A much less busy Playa Marsella

A much less busy Playa Marsella

If crowds and surf aren’t your thing, there is another beach option. In between San Juan and Maderas is another little beach called Playa Marsella. The lack of surf makes it far less busy then Maderas, but it is perfect for swimming or lounging in the sun. It also boasts several little hotels as well as one beach side bar. There is also a great authentic Nica restaurant on the road to Marsella.

We spent 9 days in Nicaragua, 4 in San Juan del Sur and 5 just outside Playa Marsella. There is lots more to come about our adventures there,  but I figured this was the perfect post to get everyone up to speed of the area I’ll be talking about for the next couple days.

What are you experiences with surfing? Ever tried it?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress