12 Months of Nicaragua & the Best Time to Visit

Photo by: Drink Tea Travel

When researching your upcoming trip to Nicaragua online, mostly everyone has the question, when is the best time to visit?  The answer is not that simple as each month offers something different. We have saved you the trouble and put together a description of what each month is like in Nicaragua.

Which month would you like to come visit Nicaragua?

1. January

January tends to be the most popular travel month for tourists coming to Nicaragua. The reason is that it's after the holidays, beginning of a new year and everyone wants to travel.  Rain is very unlikely, the landscape is lush, and temperatures are very pleasant.  Due to a lot of tourists, the rates tend to be high for the first 2 weeks, then you will find discounts and happy hours for the rest of the month.

Surfing:  In January, the water gets the coldest, the wind gets the strongest, and the waves are the smallest.  Waves are great to learn how to surf.

2. February

February is a popular month to visit Nicaragua and is the last month of the windy season.  The surfing is not the best at this time, but the winds in Lake Nicaragua make it great for kite surfing.   In February, the weather is hot, but there are consistent winds to cool you off.    The landscape is hot and dry, so do not expect lush green trees.

Surfing:  The surf is the smallest this time of the year, which is great for beginners to learn.  The water is the coldest this time of the year, but it goes hand in hand with the hot weather.

3. March

March is when the winds calm down and the surf gets better.  You will see many surfers starting to come down in March.  Also in March is Semana Santa (Easter / Holy Week ), so during this time, all hotel rates increase and the town fills up with tourists from Nicaragua and neighboring countries.  It is best to book way in advance if you are coming during Semana Santa which the dates vary, as even sometimes it takes place in April.  Semana Santa takes place from a Monday, lasts all week and over the weekend.

Surfing: Waves start to get better as the winds calm down, which creates a greater probability of a strong swell.  This month is when more advanced surfers start planning their surf trips.

4. April

April is known as being the hottest month of the year.  Nothing but clear skies and less wind.   During this month, it's too hot to do a lot except to surf, drink, and cool off in the pool or ocean.  There are still a lot of tourists during this month and a great time to visit.  It usually rains at night during the last week of April, which starts to turn the landscape green.

Surfing: The winds calm down, which creates a greater probability for a strong swell.  A great time to surf.

5. May

The month of May is when the first rains start to fall, transforming the dry barren landscape in weeks, to a lush green paradise.  The rains are usually at night, and the days are sunny with clouds.  The weather starts to cool off and there are barely any winds.  Tourism is steady, but not very busy, so there is still a lot of things going on, great surf, amazing weather and everything is green.

Surfing: Waves in May, when it is not raining, are pretty much perfect, and have consistent swell and gentle offshore winds.

6. June

June is part of the green season, so you may experience some light rains, but usually at night.  This keeps the landscape lush green.  The weather is hot and sunny with clouds.  The waves are perfect with consistent swell, the weather is nice and there are gentle offshore winds.

Surfing:  The waves are the best for intermediate to advanced surfers. June is a great time for surfing.

7. July

In July, the surf is best for intermediate to advanced surfers.  It is green season, so everything is lush green, the weather is hot and sunny with clouds.  July is a great time to visit Nicaragua to surf, party, and see the country in it's pristine beauty.

Surfing: Waves are the best for more experienced surfers.  The sun shines and the swell is top notch.

8. August

August has clear skies, green landscapes and hot weather with clouds.  It is the month before the rains start to come (if there is no El Niño), otherwise the rains don't end up coming at all.  Tourism is plentiful as people are traveling during their summer breaks from back home.

Surfing: Surfing is great during this month.  If it is not raining, the swell is the best.

9.  September

In September, 1821, Nicaragua declared Independence from Spain.  For around 4 - 5 days, during Independence Day in Nicaragua you will see many celebrations, street performances and marches as they celebrate their freedom.  It is a great time to visit as it is still green season.  The weather is hot with clouds.  Rains usually start to pick up during the second half of the month.

Surfing: Surfing is the best during the first half of September.  The second half, expect heavier rains and onshore wind. 

10. October

October in Nicaragua is the wettest month of the year, except through El Niño, which there is barely any rain for a few years.  But when the year comes, it pours almost everyday.  Tourism slows down, but this means there are discounts on everything and a great time to travel as the country is lush green.  From July - December, you can also witness 1000's of Olive Ridley turtles lay their eggs just south of San Juan Del Sur.  An amazing thing to witness.

Surfing: Waves are the best for intermediate to advanced surfers. Bad weather this time of the year can set-in for up to two weeks. When the storms clear, the wind will shift back offshore immediately, and with plenty of energy in the ocean, the surf conditions improve overnight.

11. November

The first two weeks of November is when the light rains stop, as the beginning of the dry season starts forming.  The last two weeks of November is when tourism picks back up again, prices go up, and the weather gets hot again as the winds slowly start coming.

Surfing: Surfing is great for the first two weeks of the month, then the last two weeks of the month, the winds start to pick up.

12. December 

December in Nicaragua is a busy month and best to book in advance if vacationing in San Juan Del Sur.  Rooms usually fill up 3 - 6 months in advance, especially for Dec 25th - Jan 1st, as many people from Managua, neighboring countries and everyone else come to celebrate the holidays for Christmas and New Years.  December is the beginning of the dry season, so for the first part their may be light rains, but every day is sunny and hot as the weather switches to the beginning of the dry season.

Surfing:  Offshore winds get strong. Surf hindering strong winds typically come in blasts of 3-5 days, but can last up to two weeks. The swell is least consistent during this time.


Which month is your favorite to visit Nicaragua? Let us know in the comments below.