Getting Around San Juan del Sur: Walkability, Public Transit & Biking

San Juan del Sur has a compact town center that makes it easy for travelers to navigate on foot. The majority of essential services, including hotels, restaurants, and markets, are conveniently located within walking distance. This eliminates the need for a car for daily activities, allowing travelers to handle errands smoothly on foot. Although the immediate beaches aren’t the most attractive, the overall walkability of the main part of town is excellent.

While public transit in San Juan del Sur includes bus connections to cities like Rivas and Managua, the options may not meet the needs of most travelers looking to explore extensively. The bus schedules are often infrequent or not ideally aligned with a traveler’s itinerary. Hostels provide shuttles to nearby beaches, but taxis and shuttles can add to costs, as there is no Uber service available in Nicaragua. This makes public transit less convenient for thorough exploration.

Biking in San Juan del Sur is manageable for travelers within the central areas due to the small size of the town and generally flat terrain. Although there are no dedicated bike lanes, the town’s layout supports cyclists. However, road conditions and traffic require caution, and biking to more distant beaches could be difficult because of longer distances and potential hills. Mountain bikers might find trails outside of town appealing.