Photo: Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Playa Maderas
The wave San Juan del Sur is known for: an a-frame beach break in a bay north of town that peels right and left and holds size well into the wet season. Schools run lessons here and it earns its reputation, but it is a step up from the sheltered bays to the south.
Surf outlook
We don't have a forecast outlook for Playa Maderas yet. The seasonal guidance below is based on long-run averages, not on this week.
Live conditions
We don't have a current forecast for Playa Maderas. The seasonal guidance below is based on long-run averages, not on today.
Surf Snapshot
Estimated seasonal guidance — not a live forecast.
When to surf Playa Maderas, month by month
Estimated from our authored seasonality — not a live forecast.
Peak season: May (All-time).
| Month | Surf consistency |
|---|---|
| Jan | Flat |
| Feb | Rare |
| Mar | Rare |
| Apr | Moderate |
| Maypeak | All-time |
| Jun | High |
| July | Moderate |
| Aug | Moderate |
| Sept | Moderate |
| Oct | Moderate |
| Nov | Inconsistent |
| Dec | Flat |
Does this wave fit your level?
Rated for Levels 2-6 · Best at Level 4.
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Find my Level →Beginner notes
Widely sold as a beginner wave and it is not a first-ever one — the sources agree it starts working at 3-5ft, the bottom carries rock at both ends of the bay, and it is crowded at weekends. A second-week wave with an instructor rather than a first-morning one; Remanso is the wave to start on.
Hazards
- rocks at both ends of the bay
- weekend crowds
Nearby spots
The closest graded spots to Playa Maderas, straight-line distance.
- Playa Remanso~10 km · Levels 1-4
- Playa Grande~107 km · Levels 4-6
- Tamarindo~111 km · Levels 1-5
- Playa Avellanas~120 km · Levels 2-6
Best months to surf here
In-season months for Nicaragua, from our editors’ season calendar.
How this spot is sourced
Cross-checked against 4 sources from 2 independent lineages, last checked August 2026.
Sources disagree on exact position. Treat that figure as unsettled — we would rather say so than pick one and sound certain.
Two or more independent sources agree on best tide, wave type and which way it breaks.