Your Nicaragua team includes expert bodyboarders, and this destination is a favourite among many of our Trip Leaders. Our hosts are also a keen bodyboarders, ensuring insider knowledge of the best booging waves. All Bodyboard Holidays staff are fully trained in-house and qualified lifeguards, so you’re in safe, expert hands for every session.
Rob Barber is not only the Director of Bodyboard Holidays, he is also a former European and British Bodyboarding Number 1. After a remarkable 25-year career combined with his role as Head Coach for the British Surfing & Bodyboarding team, he was inspired to create unique bodyboarding experiences for like-minded people. A chance conversation at a bodyboarding contest in the UK gave him the tip off of the waves in this area of Nicaragua. That was back in 1998. Roll on to present day and he has held many trips to Nicaragua and received endless glowing reviews on the experience. While Bodyboard-Holidays took a hiatus from the visits to this region during and post the pandemic, they are now back and have things set up better than ever before.
Jacob has been voted as instructor of the year for 2 years in a row for good reason. Maturity beyond his years, strong in the water (he’s a triathlete as well as a bodyboarder), a great explainer and definitely the biggest fins out of any of the team (he’s a size 12 shoe and 6 foot 4 inches tall). Jacob flew through the 4 month instructor training course, climbed the ladder of achievement among his peers and now finds himself working on the Central America camps each winter. When he’s not working for Bodyboard Holidays he is training aspirant watersports and surfing instructors. He’s extremely safety conscious, knowledgeable and approachable. If you hear him being called ‘John John’ it’s because of his likeness to World surfing champion John John Florence!
This trip includes seven nights in two spacious, beautifully equipped houses and an apartment set within a private, gated community just a two-minute bike ride (or five-minute walk) from an epic bodyboarding wave. The properties feature private or twin rooms, fully kitted kitchens, big lounges with huge TVs for our video analysis sessions, and plenty of hammocks to relax in.
Your accommodation includes:
Nestled in a quiet, lush setting, this is a very chill, bodyboarder-friendly base. With on-site facilities for both fun and relaxation, you’ll be just steps from the waves while enjoying comfort, community, and a relaxed tropical vibe.
Our expert instructors provide daily tuition tailored to your ability, from complete beginner to advanced. You’ll get hands-on guidance in the water, on-the-beach tips, and detailed video analysis to accelerate your progress.
Before the trip, a pre-arrival form helps us assess your level, so you’ll start your holiday in the right group. Each day, coaching sessions are adapted to the swell, tide, and conditions, ensuring you’re always in the best spot. Expect guaranteed improvement, professional land and water photography, and plenty of fun as you ride Nicaragua’s epic waves.
Seeing yourself in action is one of the fastest ways to improve. Every day you’ll get a move-by-move breakdown of your sessions with footage from both land and water, captured by your dedicated trip photographer.
We guarantee everyone will leave with at least one epic barrel shot. You’ll also get a full photo and video package, uploaded to an online gallery during the week. It’s perfect for tracking your progress and sharing your waves to make friends seriously jealous!
Your trip includes three delicious meals a day, all freshly prepared onsite by our private chef and served at the main villa. Meal times are flexible and planned around the surf, so you’ll always be fuelled for the best sessions. Hot coffee and bottled water are available 24/7.
Expect hearty, healthy breakfasts featuring staples like scrambled egg on toast with avocado or pancakes with banana. These will be paired with fresh fruit and hot coffee. Perfect fuel after a dawn bodyboarding session..
Lunches and dinners are relaxed, social affairs enjoyed outdoors. You can expect a mix of local and international dishes including fresh fish, grilled meats, tacos, chicken burger, salads and plenty of veggie options. Dietary requirements catered for are vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.
The food is simple, fresh, and full of flavour, exactly what you want after long days in the water. Inclusive are fresh juices or coffee. Expect great company to round out the experience, making mealtimes a daily highlight of the trip. There are also great restaurants on the complex, so if you fancy missing an inclusive meal and eating out, just let us know in advance there are options from sushi, to pizza, poke bowls, pasta dishes. All tastes are covered and we can personally recommend the beach club as a lovely spot to enjoy a sunset, happy hour drink and dining experience while watching the last of the empty waves roll through as the sun drops.
You will need to arrange your own flights to Managua International Airport (MGA), Nicaragua.
We highly recommend that you have a read of our ‘How to book a flight’ blog to help you organise the best flights for your holiday.
Please arrange your flights to arrive before our 14:00 transfer from the airport and after 10:00 when we drop you back at the airport on departure day.
If you want to arrive earlier before the trip begins and book a night at an airport hotel to recover from your travel, that’s fine. If you’d like to tag extra days on to the end of your trip, we can help you to arrange that. Many guests choose to arrive early to relax and sleep off the jet lag or to enjoy some cultural experiences before the bodyboarding bonanza begins. We’ll let you know where and when to meet us on the first day of the trip or how to book extra nights in the accommodation at the end. If you’re after something slightly longer, you may be interested in our Nicaragua and Costa Rica Multi Stop bodyboard tour.
If you arrive at an airport other than at Managua, you will need to make your own way to our accommodation.
If your flight includes a stop, please allow enough time to make your connection and factor in short delays. If you’re flying from Europe, your stop will often be in the U.S.
It’s best to book a ticket that transports your luggage directly to the airport in Managua if possible. If you’re transiting through the U.S. you will most likely need an ESTA visa. Ask your travel agent.
When you walk through arrivals (after collecting your bags) your driver will be there to meet you, please keep an eye out for him. He will be holding a sign with ‘Bodyboard Holidays’ on it. Once your bags are loaded, they will take you to the accommodation, which is approximately 2.5 hours away.
Airport transfers, in an air conditioned minibus, are included in the price if you can make the times that we have available.
The (inclusive in price) airport pick up and drop off times are:
14:00 on arrivals day, from Managua airport
10:00 arrival at Managua airport on departures day
If you can’t make the transfer we can arrange your pick up at a charge of $100 each way. If you share a transfer this price will be split between the passengers. We will try our best to group you together to keep the cost down.
This is a fully all-inclusive trip, meaning your accommodation, meals, transport, coaching, and activities are all covered. Nicaragua offers incredible value, so you can enjoy a first rate bodyboard lifestyle without constantly reaching for your wallet.
VISA
Tourist visa entry fee is $10 USD, paid in cash on arrival at the airport.
FOOD
All meals are included and prepared onsite by our private chef, so there’s no need to budget for food during the trip. Everything is taken care of, leaving you free to focus on surfing and relaxing. If you choose to dine out one evening you should budget $25USD with drinks.
DRINKS & SNACKS
Budget around $20 a day for extras like a cold beer at the beach club, snacks, or a post-surf doughnut from the local bakery, purely optional treats after long, wave-filled days.
When you’re not bodyboarding, there’s plenty of time to relax. Chill by the pool, stretch out in a hammock, or recharge between sessions. If you’re keen to explore more, Nicaragua offers an incredible range of adventures beyond the waves.
All activities are optional and some incur extra charges. For example, you can:
Whether you’re after relaxation or adventure, there’s no shortage of unforgettable experiences to round out your trip.
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All trips must be paid in full no later than 12 weeks from start date. We can’t guarantee your place until we have received a payment from you. Once you have made a payment, you’ll then be sent a trip confirmation email with all details on.
Yes definitely! We pride ourselves on being super welcoming and friendly. Most of our guests arrive solo and leave with a host of new bodyboarding buddies.
Due to this trip being in high demand and having limited spaces, we can only hold your space for up to 24 hours without payment.
You are welcome to attend for a shorter period to suit your personal schedule, however the package price will remain the same.
Group booking discounts are available, please contact us for more information.
ASAP! These holidays fill up quickly and, with limited spaces available, sell out fast. We operate on a first come first serve basis. If you want to secure your place on the trip, it is advised that you pay as soon as you can.
If you are based outside of the UK and would like to book or chat through the holiday details, we can be contacted through our online chat.
If you wish to bring a non-bodyboarding partner with you, that is absolutely fine, however, the price stays the same.
We have a great mix of all ages from young whipper-snappers to silver surfers.
The gender ratio at the moment is around 60% men to 40% women. However, this is constantly changing and Bodyboard Holidays is inclusive to all.
The accommodation has acceptable WiFi which can be used for video calls, emails etc. It would not be strong enough to support the downloading of films and large files.
You’ll be asked to fill in an enrolment form as part of the booking process. You’ll signify which level of bodyboarder you are. You may be in a different group suited to your ability, however, there will be plenty of time to see each other back at the accommodation and during our social evening meals.
We choose the time of year and location for our holidays based on local knowledge and historical swell data. In the event of flat waves or stormy conditions, we will offer alternative activities and day trips to help you get the most out of your holiday.
We may also adjust the format of the week, for example, choosing to run more bodyboard sessions on the days that the waves are at their best.
Please visit our Terms & Conditions for more information.
Expect uncrowded, sand-bottomed waves that are fun, bowling, and perfectly peeling, just like the photos. Conditions are clean over 320 days a year, with warm tropical water and generally chest- to overhead-high surf, delivering all-day bodyboarding in relaxed, uncrowded line-ups.
We do not offer a discount for bringing your own equipment.
Remember to check the baggage size and weight allowance with your airline, as well as reading their guidance for carrying bodyboards. Baggage handlers can be unforgiving, so a tough bag and intelligent packing are a must.
Firstly, pack your board(s) in a protective, padded board bag, and write FRAGILE and TOP LOAD ONLY on it with a permanent marker. Make sure you wrap your towel and clothes around your board inside the bag for added protection. Place your shampoo and other wet toiletries in a separate sealed bag in case of leakage. We also recommend locking the zips on your bag with a padlock.
Many nations can visit Nicaragua for up to three months without a visa. However, entry into the country may be refused and airlines may turn you away if you have less than six months left on your passport or if you don’t have an onward ticket.
Please check international travel requirements for your nationality. Please contact your travel agent or airline if you are unsure or have any further questions.
You may also need an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation). If you are travelling through America you should take a look at this website: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/
There are now enhanced security requirements to travel through the U.S using the Visa Waiver programme. There is a charge for the ESTA. If you are unsure, please contact your travel agent or the company that you purchased your air ticket from for further information.
If you’re not a British national, please check international travel requirements for your nationality.
It’s a good idea to carry photocopies of your important documents and guide books and pack them separately. We also suggest scanning copies and emailing them to yourself for extra reassurance.
If you are under 18, we will need to chat to you on the phone and you will need to be accompanied on the trip by a parent or guardian throughout the holiday. If you are 60 or over we’d love to chat with you about the trip before you book. Please contact us via our online chat.
On the day you travel please keep your mobile phone handy so we can stay in touch in case of delays and flight changes. Please inform us if you’re early or delayed for any reason.
If you need help booking your flight then just drop us a line or read our helpful blog post about booking flights.
If you can’t find our representative at the airport, stay there and wait, they won’t be far away. Our transfer representatives will have access to your arrival details. However, if you’re having difficulties finding them follow the instructions in your pre-arrival email. One of the team will locate you. Upon booking the trip the trip leader will share their direct mobile number so that you can contact them if you need them.
As with any holiday, full travel insurance is a requirement for all guests booking a trip with the company.
Please also ensure that your policy covers you for ‘disruption to travel’ and ‘cover for cancellations’ as standard.
For further help please read our helpful blog post about travel insurance.
You may need to add additional cover for surfing or bodyboarding, it is essential that your insurance policy covers you for all activities during your stay. Failure to take out travel insurance breaks the contract between Bodyboard Holidays and the client.
If you are joining one of our trips and you are native to the country of its location (i.e you live in Lisbon and are joining our Portugal trip) you do not need to take out medical travel insurance. This is as long as you have your own personal health-care plan or are covered by your country’s National Health Service. Although, we kindly request that you still take out trip disruption and cancellation insurance to cover all possible eventualities.
The local currency in Nicaragua is the Nicaraguan Córdoba, but US dollars are widely accepted, especially in coastal and tourist areas. We recommend bringing small-denomination USD in cash, as it’s easy to use for extras like drinks or snacks.
It’s best to arrive with cash already changed, as ATMs can be unreliable, may charge high withdrawal fees, and aren’t always nearby. While some places accept cards, cash is king here, coming prepared will make your trip smoother and stress-free.
Nicaragua is generally a safe and welcoming country for travellers, particularly in coastal regions where surf tourism is well established. The local communities are friendly, laid-back, and accustomed to visiting bodyboarders and surfers.
At our camp, safety is a real standout. We stay within a private, gated community with controlled access, and the area is quiet, relaxed, and very well looked after. Crime is nonexistent, and guests regularly comment on how safe and comfortable they feel. It’s common for accommodation owners in the area to leave homes and vehicles to be left unlocked, allowing you to fully relax and focus on the waves.
We are a UK based company that delivers trips all over the world welcoming travellers of all nationalities.
If your circumstances change and you can’t join the trip, please let us know as soon as possible via email. Your cancellation notice will start from the date we receive it.
Cancellation terms:
We hold part or full costs, depending on when you cancel:
Cancellation may fall under the terms and conditions of your holiday insurance policy and you may be able to claim.
Please take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions videos.
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