El Tránsito, Nicaragua
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It was one offhand conversation while checking out of my hostel in Popoyo that put me in the north Nicaragua surf town of El Tránsito. I was told it had a lot of similarities to Popoyo - small town, cool people, good waves, refreshingly simple. I can confirm all of that is true, but in such a different way than how Popoyo brought those qualities together. Whereas Popoyo, for me, felt like a community brought together by place, with surf as a side, El Tránsito felt like a community brought together by surf, with place as a side. El Tránsito is where I, for the first time, felt part of a greater global surf community. It happened in the little moments - the applause from other surfers in the water when I caught the wave of the day, the generosity of so many who shared their time and surf experience with me, and the way literally everyone I met guided me as to where in the world I might want to surf next. It was also the surfhouse-style lodging that did it for me. From Nimbu Surfhouse to Solid Surf Camp & Hostel, I felt literally and immediately at home, be it around the dinner table, in a rocking chair on the porch, or falling asleep next to 5 others in the dorm. At the end of the day, El Tránsito is a town you don’t weather the overheated and breaking down chicken bus for unless you’ve come to surf, and because of that you’re “in” if you do. El Tránsito will forever be the place I joined the surf family and felt like it too. While the place is the side in El Tránsito, there are a few restaurant, cafe, and attraction gems worth pairing with your days surfing this beach town’s waves.
Restaurants & Cafes
El Oso
This open-air eatery at the end of town dishes up some great international cuisine, to include my personal supply of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls.
Surf Coffee
Perhaps the best cup of coffee in town, alongside a menu of nourishing and healthy surf fuel in a refreshingly air-conditioned space.
El Ancla Bar y Comedor
This is a beloved local spot with a rotating daily menu of cheap local cuisine, as well as some consistent fish and seafood-focused staples like breaded shrimp, fried fish, and seafood soup.
Olas Clandestinas
This beachfront bar and restaurant has a nice mix of local and international staples, including pizza and burgers, all served while you stare out at the surf and sunset.
Comedor Doña Urania
This unassuming spot has two things on the menu: chicken or fish. Snag one of their limited tables if you’re lucky and chow down on some home-cooked Nicaraguan classics for a great price.
Top Things to Do
Surf Lessons
No matter where you stay in El Transito, it’s likely your lodging grants you access to surfboards and surf instructors for a nominal fee. With the waves on your doorstep, this is a no-brainer thing to do in El Transito.
Tide Pools
Bookending the beach on both sides are some stunning tide pools, especially when the tide and sunset hour collide. Head north or south down the beach and snag your own private tide pool with your favorite company.
Hostels & Hotels
Nimbu Surfhouse
This lovely spot at a quiet end of the beach has a mix of private cabanas and one five-bed dorm room. They offer surf lessons, yoga classes, free breakfast, and the option to sign up for a daily dinner around the same table as your fellow guests.
Check Availability - Prices start at $29 per night
Solid Surf Camp and Hostel
This surf camp-style lodging offers a hard-to-beat package that includes surf lessons, board rentals, unlimited drinks during happy hour, and a daily breakfast and lunch for $50usd. You can book your stay in a private room, air-conditioned dorm, or dorm with fans.
Check Availability - Prices start at $16 per night
Bananoz Surf House
Technically the first surf house to exist on El Transito’s off-the-beaten-path shores, Bananoz Surf House is a family-run, laid-back surf house with just 4 private rooms and an open kitchen for guests to use during their stay. Coffee’s served every morning and there’s a great rooftop for relaxing and watching the waves, not to mention plenty of hammocks and spots to rest up between surf sessions.
Check Availability - Rooms start at $24 per night
Alive Beach House
Alive Beach House is a small beachfront surf and yoga stay in El Transito. Each of their 10 modern rooms come with ocean views and private bathrooms, including hot water showers. Breakfast is included and there’s an open-air yoga studio and on-site bar and restaurant serving nourishing, farm-fresh cuisine. You’ll also have access to Alive’s in-house surf pros for lessons and pointers throughout your stay, as well as a solid wifi connection for those working and traveling.
Check Availability - Rooms start at $85/night
How to Get To & From El Transito
By Public Transportation
Getting There
It’s a bit of a mission to arrive to El Transito by public transport, but definitely doable. I did it from Granada and it only required one bus change in Managua. Here are some instructions if you’re traveling from/through Managua or Leon to El Transito:
From Managua: Get yourself to Terminal ISRAEL where three direct buses for El Transito depart daily at 12pm, 1pm, and 2:50pm (worth verifying if these times are still accurate). The cost should be around 25-30 cordobas and maybe a bit more for your bag. It’s about a 2-hour journey from there to El Transito. Alternatively, you could depart from Mercado Oriental in Managua (see pin for exact location), which has buses departing Monday to Saturday at 11:30am, 12:30pm, and 2:20pm plus a Sunday bus at 11:30am.
From Leon: Hop on one of the buses (there are 2 daily) heading to Managua via the Carretera Vieja Leon and tell the driver you need to get off at KM 44. This will put you at the entrance of the road heading to El Transito. El Transito is still another 12km down the road. From there, you’ll catch the direct bus coming from Managua that will bring you to the center of El Transito. Just be sure to time your arrival at KM44 sometime before 4pm and in sync with the departures of the Managua buses listed above, as you’re not likely to catch a bus after that time. Also, try not to travel to or from El Transito on a Sunday as buses are limited to once daily.
Getting Out
To Managua: Direct buses to Managua depart Monday to Saturady at 5am, 6am, and 7am and Sunday at 6am only.
To Leon: You’ll need to hop on one of the buses headed for Managua from El Transito and ask to be dropped at KM44, where you’ll then cross the street and wait for the bus to Leon at the bus stop there.
By Taxi
If chicken buses, navigating a Managua market, and waiting on the side of a highway aren’t your preferred way to travel, there’s always a taxi that can take you, taking a 2+ hour journey and shortening it to 1 hour. Here’s what that should roughly cost from Managua and Leon:
From Managua & Airport: $50-70USD
From Leon: $50-70USD
I recommend coordinating your taxi through your hotel or hostel.
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Travel Resources
Accommodations: When I’m not booking directly with the accommodation (which is sometimes cheaper), I often use Booking.com, Trivago, and Hostelworld.com. Agoda is also a great tool when searching for longer stay options at discounted rates that include hotels and private homes.
Tours: While I personally prefer do-it-yourself travel most of the time, sometimes it’s just better with a guide. In those cases, I typically use Viator, GetYourGuide, EatWith, and Airbnb Experiences. For self-guided audio tours, I recommend WeGoTrip.
Flights: My favorite flight aggregator tool is WayAway and my favorite tool for finding out about the best flight deals is FareDrop, while Hopper’s great for keeping track of when to book at the best price.
Shuttle Services: My go-to’s are Bookaway and 12Go. Both sites aggregate vetted local transport options in destinations all over the world with the added benefit of 24-hour live support should anything come up during the journey.
Rental Cars: While I more often take public transport when I travel, there have been destinations that are better explored by renting a car (like Costa Rica and Europe/UK for example). In these instances, I recommend starting your car rental search on Discover Cars. They compare car rental deals across more than 500 suppliers, including Hertz, Enterprise, Avis, and more.
Travel Insurance: If you’re a full-time nomad like me, I recommend SafetyWing. Look into their Nomad Travel Medical Insurance and Nomad Health Insurance (a full-fledged health insurance that covers your emergency and non-emergency medical needs worldwide, including in your country of residence). If you’re not a full-time traveler, I’d recommend Squaremouth. It aggregates your insurance options across more than 22 providers and offers what I’ve found to be the best rates.
Travel Debit & Credit Cards: If you travel often and like perks like airport lounge access and annual travel credit, I recommend the Capital One Venture X credit card that includes Priority Pass, a $300 annual travel credit, and covers your Global Entry or TSA Precheck fee. For a fee-free ATM card that reimburses you at the end of every month for any incurred ATM fees, I recommend opening a Schwab Bank Investor Checking Account.
VPN: I recommend Surfshark. It’s one of the best and most budget-friendly VPN services out there.
What to Read Next
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El Transito is a no-frills surf stopover where the main attraction is the waves. Here’s a guide to all the best bites, stays, and things to do in the unassuming Nicaraguan surf town of El Transito.