Nicaragua's surf hub curls around a horseshoe bay watched over by a clifftop Christ statue, but the waves are out of town: shuttles bounce daily to Playa Maderas, where a forgiving beach break and a taco shack cover most human needs. In town it's fish dinners, cold Toñas and sunsets from the malecón. Prices undercut Costa Rica, an hour south, by a comfortable margin. The dry season, November to April, brings offshore mornings; swell peaks mid-year.
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