Car rental in San Juan del Sur
San Juan del Sur is the hub for the beaches to the north (Playa Maderas, Marsella) and south (Remanso, Hermosa). Beach roads vary from paved to steep dirt, so the right vehicle depends on where you are staying.
- To Managua airport
- 2 h 40 min132 km
- Dry season
- December to April
- Vehicles
- economy car, 4x4, scooter, ATV, motorbike
- Population
- 16,082municipality, INIDE 2023
Drive times from San Juan del Sur
| Destination | Distance | Drive time* |
|---|---|---|
| Playa Maderas | 9 km | 11 min |
| Playa Remanso | 7 km | 9 min |
| Playa Hermosa (San Juan del Sur) | 10 km | 12 min |
| Popoyo | 49 km | 59 min |
| Playa Gigante | 34 km | 41 min |
| Rivas | 30 km | 36 min |
| San Jorge | 34 km | 40 min |
| Managua Airport (MGA) | 132 km | 2 h 40 min |
| Tola | 35 km | 42 min |
| Nandaime | 75 km | 1 h 30 min |
| Jinotepe | 95 km | 1 h 55 min |
| Catarina | 96 km | 1 h 55 min |
| Granada | 99 km | 2 h |
| Diriamba | 100 km | 2 h |
| Peñas Blancas border (Costa Rica) | 43 km | 52 min |
| El Guasaule border (Honduras) | 302 km | 6 h |
* Time at the 50 km/h limit the National Police have enforced on all roads since June 2025 (40 km/h on motorcycles), or the router estimate if longer, without traffic or stops. The traffic law still lists 100 km/h on highways: follow posted signs and police instructions, allow extra time in the rainy season and avoid driving at night.
Which vehicle do you need?
If you stay in town and drive the main highway, an economy car works. For houses up dirt hills or daily trips to the surf beaches, many visitors choose an SUV, a scooter or an ATV. Ask the rental company about the current state of the road to your beach, especially from May to November.
When to go
Around San Juan del Sur the dry season runs from December to April and the rains from May to November, with a drier spell in July. Dirt roads to beaches, farms and villages are easiest in the dry months; in the rainy season some get muddy or flood after storms, which is when a 4x4 or higher-clearance vehicle earns its price.
Searches for car rentals in Nicaragua peak between December and May, the dry-season high season, so book early for those months.
Show the monthly data
| Month | Rain (mm) | Mean temp (°C) | Humidity (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2 | 27.2 | 72 |
| February | 2 | 27.9 | 67 |
| March | 3 | 28.7 | 63 |
| April | 23 | 29.8 | 63 |
| May | 187 | 29.3 | 71 |
| June | 182 | 28.4 | 79 |
| July | 119 | 28.1 | 79 |
| August | 178 | 28.4 | 78 |
| September | 276 | 28.2 | 79 |
| October | 316 | 27.7 | 80 |
| November | 133 | 27.3 | 79 |
| December | 9 | 27.2 | 76 |
Before you drive
Sources: Distances: OSRM on OpenStreetMap (ODbL); times at the 50 km/h limit; Government of Canada travel advice: Nicaragua (2 Nov 2026); NASA POWER monthly climatology 2001–2025; INIDE 2023 population estimate (via citypopulation.de); Google Ads monthly search volume (DataForSEO), Nov 2026.