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PRESENTATION
LOS CARDONES SURF LODGE is located right on the beach
Just in front of some of the most pristine Nicaraguan surf spots.
Empty waves roll in all year. The beaches are exposed to both SW and NW swells, making the surf very consistent. An epic left point break, a right reef break, excellent beach breaks await our guests, just one hour from the airport of Managua. Surf, get back and snap a cold beer, enjoy our delicious meals, shoot the breeze about the last surf session with other guests, wake up and do it all over again.
This is Los Cardones Surf Lodge, a true Nicaraguan experience.
Awaiting guests are six beachside bungalows, each with its terrace, hammocks and lounge chairs. A spacious beach restaurant offers delicious food and plenty of hammocks for relaxing.
Los Cardones volunteers teach weekly art classes in a local village. Join us and share the stoke! Sign in for our Yoga & Surf Retreats, a wonderful growth experience in a beautiful environment.
Other attractions include great fishing, snorkeling, horseback riding and nature exploration.
The lodge is operated in the true spirit of ecotourism, striving to maintain a low environmental impact, promote conservation and a sustainable tourism that benefits the community.
Los Cardones is more than a Surf Lodge.
Come and discover other things to do with family and friends, private and cozy bungalows, plenty of space to relax.
And the food, might just be the reason why you'll come back!
Your ideal vacation
Lodging, meals and drinks all-inclusive starting at $70 per person per night.
Massage: $15 for a full body 1 hour massage with our licenced massage therapist.
Surfboard rentals: $25 per day
Stand Up Paddle rental: $35 per day
Surf lessons with board: $30
Horseback riding tour: $12 per 1.5hr
Explore Nicaragua day trips: $100-150 per vehicle
Bicycle rental: $5 per half-day
Fishing Charters, Surfing Charters, Boat tours with FishNica Charters: from $200 to $350
Fish with a local: $5-10 catching bait with a cast net and surf casting for snook, pompano, jack, snapper.
Volley Ball, Ping Pong, Board games, Sea turtle nursery tour, Join our mobile library, Visit local schools: Free
Your Bungalows & Cabanas
enjoying a cool ocean breeze in a private setting of lush vegetation.
Relax on your private terrace with lounge chairs and hammocks under a thatched palm roof. Listen to the Pacific Ocean rumble out in the dark right from your ocean-front hide-away. Wake up in the morning and catch some fun waves on our sandy beach. A surfer's dream.
Each accomodation is within 20 yards of the ocean.
The Beach Cabañas have a private bathroom with shower and sink and share compost toilets a short walk away. The Stilted Bungalows have a private toilet in their bathroom. The cabañas and bungalows do not have electricity. Sky maps are provided for star gazing…
Surf Lessons
SURF LESSONS
The beach break right in front of the Surf Lodge offers clean medium size waves that are perfect for learning to surf and longboarding.
The Surf
No crowd! Very consistent all year!
Enjoy a variety of quality breaks all year long. Perfect, un-crowded waves for all levels of surfing.
We also rent a variety of surfboards and offer transport to spots.
Hemmies
An island-like left Point. Fast and hollow. Breaks over
a flat rock shelf. Experts only
Asuchillo
Excellent beach break, A-frames all day.
Chiggas
Right reef point. Long, fast rights. Can get hollow.
Rancho’s
In front of the lodge, a gentle sand bottom beach with long lefts and rights breaking off a river mouth. Perfect for long boarders and beginner surfers
CONDITIONS
APR-OCT: biggest swells
NOV-JAN: waist to chest high offshore perfection.
FEB-MAR: chest to head high + swells, always offshore.
Our dry season starts in November. From mid-November on you can expect sunny days, warm temperatures all day, slightly cooler nights, warm water and offshore winds.
During the rainy season (Mid May to Mid November) we'll get the biggest swells coming from the South Pacific. The days will still be mostly sunny and warm with an afternoon shower. Some passing storms might switch the wind around and bring more rain but these don't usually last more than a couple of days.
The rivermouths fill in during the rainy season and give us some excellent, clean, long lefts and rights at Ranchos and Azuchillo all year and particularly from November to May. The winds are offshore most of the year, light offshore in November and December, stronger in January to April.
All surf spots are right in front of the lodge or within walking distance. There is absolutely no crowd; our guests are usually the only surfers around.
Los Cardones is more than a Surf Lodge.
You will discover other things to do with family and friends, private and cozy bungalows, plenty of space to relax.
And the food, might just be the reason why you'll come back!
Surf Board Rental and Detail of the Quiver
We have a quiver of 35 boards to satisfy all styles: longboards, shortboards, funboards, and stand-up paddle boards (SUPs) for cruising and performance.
Take advantage of our weekly board rental rates and save yourself the headache of travelling with a board.
Stand UP Paddle Boards
Brand: Oxbow
Squash tail thruster epoxy
Length: 10'11"
Width: 28" 3/4
Thickness:4" 1/4
Brand: Bob MacTavish
Single wings swallow tail epoxy
Length: 9'0",
Width:29"
Thickness: 4" 1/4
Longboards
Brand: 7S Super Fish XL, Epoxy
Length: 8'0",
Width:
Thickness:
Brand: Doug Hout Designs Epoxy
Length: 8'6"
Width: 21 1/2"
Thickness: 2 1/2"
Brand: South Point Epoxy
Length: 9'1"
Width: 22 5/8"
Thickness: 3"
Brand: Santa Cruz Epoxy
Length: 9'0"
Width: 22"
Thickness: 3"
Brand: E3 Epoxy Thruster squash tail
Length: 8'6"
Width: 22"
Thickness: 2 1/2"
Brand: 7S Super fish XL, epoxy
Length: 7'3"
Width:
Thickness:
Brand: Totora Z Tech Epoxy
Length: 7'6"
Width: 21 1/2"
Thickness: 2 1/2"
Brand: BZ
Softtops
Length: 8'0"
Fun boards
Brand: Rusty Epoxy
Length: 7'3"
Width: 20.87"
Thickness: 2.8"
Brand: Awall Retro Fish Epoxy
Length: 6'
Width: 20"
Thickness: 2"
Brand: NSP Epoxy
Length: 6'8"
Width: 21"
Thickness: 2.8"
Brand: Rusty Piranha Epoxy
Length: 6'10"
Width: 22"
Thickness: 2.75"
Brand: South Point Time Bomb Epoxy
Length: 6'6"
Width: 22 5/8"
Thickness: 2 9/16"
Brand: Stretch F4 Epoxy
Length: 6'10"
Width: 20"
Thickness: 2.75"
Short boards
Brand: Al Merrick Flyer Epoxy
Length: 6'2"
Width: 19 1/4"
Thickness: 2 1/4"
Brand: Al Merrick Sashimi
Fish thruster fiberglass
Lenght: 6'2"
Width: 19 1/4"
Thickness: 2 1/2"
Brand: Ben Haipa Hawai
Thruster squash tail epoxy
Length: 7'4"
Brand: Quiet Flight
Swallow pin tail thruster fiberglass
Lenght: 7'0"
Width:21 1/2"
Thickness: 2 1/2"
Brand: Russel
Thruster pin tail
Length: 6'5:
Thickness: 2 2/3"
Brand: Five Shortboards
Thruster squash tail
Length: 5'
Width: 18 3/4"
Thickness: 2 3/4"
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Testimonials
Name: Jenna
City: St. Augustine
Message:
From the moment we were picked up at the airport, our Nicaraguan experience was made extra special by the people from Los Cardones.
I cannot say enough about their hospitality, customer service and overall good vibes.
The grounds are immaculate, the food is amazing, the break right out front is consistent and clean and their contribution to the preservation of sea turtles is inspiring.
If you are thinking about staying there, do not hesitate! Tell them Las Chicas Poderosas sent you:)
Time: Tue Aug 9, 2011 03:10pm
Name: Tiffany
City: St. Augustine, FL
Message:
Our sink and shower were located inside, which was nice...
the toilet was located in another little outhouse outside...
which surprisingly really isn't a big deal.
You walk through the path and might catch a glimpse of an iguana or colorful crab. All in all..
EXCEPTIONAL, AMAZING...We WILL be back
Time: Tue Aug 9, 2011 03:08pm
Name: Tiffany
City: St. Augustine, FL
Message:
I also loved how much Los Cardones contributes to its local schools and communities with its school programs and turtle preservation programs and ecolodge way of sustenance.
You leave feeling like you helped contribute to a better future for Nicaragua and the world.
We stayed in a cabana without electricity, only lanterns and flashlights.
It helps you to slow down and appreciate the natural light...especially the amazing sunsets
Time: Tue Aug 9, 2011 03:06pm
Name: Tiffany
City: St. Augustine, FL
Message:
Los Cardones sets it up for you to meet amazing travelers as well!
You eat dinner in a communal atmosphere and exchange stories over Victorias or Tonas (cervesas [beer]).
The meals they provide are true gourmet meals. They ask you individually as to what you would like to dine upon 3 times a day - for breakfast, lunch and dinner...
WOW! I felt honored each time!
Time: Tue Aug 9, 2011 03:04pm
Name: Tiffany
City: St. Augustine, FL
Message:
Talk about feeling special! Lucia - AMAZING MASSEUSE - she could teach the masseuses here a thing or two about giving a massage...kneading out every knot created by 3+ hour surf sessions in PERFECT, GLASSY, WELL OVERHEAD (sometimes almost DOUBLE OVERHEAD) surf conditions! Haycee, Maricela, Antonio & Juan... more examples of incredibly sweet and cool local people who work at the lodge...
My friends and I were all giggling with them as we all got to know them better and exchanged jokes :)
Time: Tue Aug 9, 2011 03:03pm
Name: Tiffany
City: St. Augustine, FL
Message:
JB aka Jean Baptiste is just as exceptional...blowing me away when he called our driver as we were leaving the Managua airport to see as to what my friends & I would like to eat upon our estimated arrival time at Los Cardones! WOW!
Time : Tue Aug 9, 2011 03:00pm
Name: Tiffany
City: St. Augustine, FL
Message:
My two friends and I can attest to all of the great testimonials being ABSOLUTELY TRUE! Everyone at Los Cardones is so kind, considerate and really treat you as an individual, special guest.
Laure (Owner) is an AMAZING hostess.
She provides awesome customer service and as a great bonus, is also a great person whom my friends and I enjoyed just hanging out with and surfing with [Laure = Awesome surfer!] :)
Time: Thu Feb 3, 2011 05:33am
Name: Kate Schwartz [HomePage]
City:
Message:
What an amazing place to ring in the New Year! I was told this place was like paradise but couldn’t understand how amazing it was until I got here.
The 7 beautiful days we spent surfing, reading, doing yoga and just hanging out here were amazing.
This is truly a special place and I look forward to returning. Besos~ New Year 2011
picasaweb.google.com/katherine.schwartz
Time: Fri Dec 17, 2010 04:42am
Name: Pascal, Bertrand et Stéphane
City: Bordeaux France
Message:
une semaine absolument parfaite avec un temps idéal, des vagues et surtout personnes dans l'eau.
des repas délicieux et une équipe super sympa.
le calme absolu hormis le bruit des vagues et de la forêt.
six jours ou le temps s'est arrêté, quel bonheur!!
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