Nica trip review: Hacienda Iguana

Last May I had an incredible week in Nica...and I had a bit of time and thought I share a bit of my experience as well recommend the place where we stayed…looking back on it…probably the best trip I’ve taken (been in around the US, central America, and the Caribbean). If you have the opportunity…I would recommend going to Nica and strongly consider the accommodations where we stayed. With the canal in the works...regardless if it will be complete on time or not...I thought I'd float a few of my thoughts…

Accommodations:

Left NJ with a crew of 8 and flew outta of PHL for about a $400 round trip ticket to Manguana (we purchased our flight in Nov. 2013). After a quick 2 hr. ride through a few main and back roads our driver dropped us off at Hacienda Iguana. To say the accommodations were unreal is an understatement: 4 bedroom, 3 baths, balcony, entertainment area, living room and full kitchen—every room AC’d. Although we brought an “insta-crowd” it was totally worth it as the group brought the cost down substantially. We also participated in their meal plan ($30 a day per person) and received 3 squares a day—cooks took requests and even gave us lobster tails 2x during the week. Meals in general were freaking unreal and always fresh…they provided with water, snacks…given how much I was surfing I was eating a ton and they always provided more…I easily benefited from the meal plan and snacks. The place was about 50yrds away from the beach but could easily be seen from our place (4th floor). They also had a beach bar/infinity pool, etc. right in front of the break—with happy hour starting at 4:30 and beers only $1 per. Overall, stoked with the accommodations and the amenities provided…the place itself is one wherein I would definitely bring my wife to…kids…well…plenty for them to do—swim, sand castles, beach walk (I have a 4months old and 5year old), but I am sure my older kid would get a bit bored. However, if just the wife and I—she doesn’t surf—but loves to lounge at the pool…it would be a perfect get away.

 

Surf:

As I said…our place was about 50yrds from the beach, but we could see part of Colorado’s from where we were staying each morning (solid beach break). Every morning I’d wake up look outside to get a sense of what we were in for that morning. Pretty much we surfed 3x per day (1 before breakfast…after breakfast…and after lunch…sometimes the evening). Luckily the surf was unreal all week 4’+ all week (depending on the tide) and built up to around doh by mid-week and then trickled down from there. We also surfed at Pangas which is about a 10 minute walk down the beach. Pangas broke really well at dead low and usually filled in pretty quickly…Colorados was always pretty solid and worked around mid-tide. As you can see in the pics below…Pangas was a fun wave…powerful but wouldn’t break top-bottom like Colorados. Colorados on the other hand was a monster at times…really manageable in the morning, but by time the push came through it was dredging…pretty freaking incredible. Although a lot of the locals were telling us the wave was a bit wonky—given where the sand was placed, etc. Didn’t really feel out of the ordinary for me given the beachies in Jersey. However, the water was incredibly warm—hot on a few days and we had solid surf. Overall, surf was definitely good and we hit a solid swell all week…nothing to complain about on my end…

 

Boat Trip:

Mid-week we decided to take a boat trip out to a break called Playgrounds (supposed like trestles) and a left point break called “Lance’s Left”—sadly, no pics from either place due to how we had to get out ot the boat. After working the logistics with our “agent” of sorts, 7 of us went on the trip. Boat showed up at 6a and we paddled out through the line-up jumped into the boat for a 40-50min. ride to Playgrounds—we skipped surfing Lance’s in the morning as there already seemed to be about 4 boats on site and thought that Playgrounds would be empty. Happily, it was empty…basically, Playgrounds is a cobblestone soft wave…according to my buddy who has regularly surfed trestles…the only similarity was that it had a rock bottom. The wave itself was fun…a soft left that was about head high. Nothing special, but fun and different from the surf at Colorados. Lance’s left on the other hand was freaking unbelievable! Part of the reason is that I am a goofy foot and the other is because the surf was fairly solid! I was frothing when the boat pulled up…most of my crew wanted to scope it out as there seemed to be around 50 guys already in eh water and about 5-6 boats hanging outside the lineup…I couldn’t wait and pretty much jumped in as the boat was moving. After paddling into the lineup I waited down the line to scope out where I should set up. After a few set waves I just paddled to the peak…sat off it a bit and snagged a long set wave…such a fun long wave…50 yrds later I jump out the back and paddle back up to the peak. Did that about 10x and my arms were noodles…after about a good 2 hrs. climbed back in the boat and headed back to Colorados…sadly when getting dropped off the driver threw us right into a rip and had to battle that for a bit then finally made it inside. Would strongly encourage anyone to head to lances…it made the trip for me…just a quality wave, easy going crowd…super fun.

Cost:

Overall the cost of the trip was fairly low given all the amenities and extras we enjoyed. I am sure that I could have done the entire trip for much less…but to be honest, I’d pay just as much again in a heartbeat. Further, the fact of the matter is that traveling with 8 (although hectic at times and socially trying) definitely brought down the cost significantly. A general estimate below:

Flight: $400 (roundtrip)
Board bag fees: $200 (each way)—I didn’t pay these…those of you who bought boards from me over the last few months pretty much secured this for me so thanks!
Housing: $240 per person
Transportation (to from airport Nica): $40 per
Food: $30 per day = $180 per person (nt., includes 3 Squares a day with unlimited nonalcoholic drinks [coffee, tea, soda sports drinks water] and snacks as well as clean-up for each meal)
Transportation (to from airport US): $20 per
Boat Trip: $23 per
Tips: $40 (for drivers, cooks, etc.)
Total: $1300 (roughly)

Overall…a great trip…I can honestly say that it was one of the best trips I’ve taken given the cost, quality surf, accommodations, and the company. Hell of a time…I would definitely recommend anyone taking this sort of trip…as the winds were pretty much offshore all day long (except between 3-4p when it would go sideshore and then back down). As for boards…I brought down my 5’9” HS Shred Sled and 5’11” HS Shred Sled King and a few of the days I wished I had a bit longer board for Pangas…however, both held and handled themselves well…

 

Yank...nt., the pic below. On this trip I was along for the ride and one of my buddies worked out the housing logistics. Place was pretty unreal...I was oblivious to the politics and such, but could only imagine...but man...two stories and a great place to stay. While we were there...Pancho showed up and was in the apartment next to us...saw him a couple of times, but he was smoking some stogies on the porch when I did catch him. Really nice guy...sadly his board smacked him in the face and he had to get stitches...



Illuminate...as for making that barrel...not that one...I got hammered...a good punishment for dropping in too low...;-) But the waves really were great...just a solid swell all week...so much fun!

Nica...Pangas was always fun for us in the morning during the tide. Then we hit breakfast and it'd be just about right for Colorados...hope to go back in the near future!