A typical day starts early, because the wind on this coast is usually best in the morning. You meet the surf guide after coffee, they choose the break based on swell and tide, and you surf the first session while it's clean. Then you're back for a proper breakfast. The middle of the day is quiet. People nap, read, get a massage or sort out an excursion at the front desk. Late afternoon brings a second surf, then the daily yoga class, which works well for shoulders and hips that have been paddling all day. Dinner is at the resort, since all three meals are included.

What makes Malibu Popoyo different from a beginner surf camp is the guiding. The package is built for people who can already surf and want someone local to get them to the best break of the day. With over ten breaks nearby, that knowledge is useful. You'd lose a lot of time driving between spots on your own. Stays of five nights or more add a shared boat trip on the Honu, which reaches breaks you can't easily get to from land. That trip is for advanced surfers only and runs when weather and swell allow.

If you want structured coaching rather than guiding, the resort runs dedicated programmes. The current one is a surf coaching week with Jonny Alvarez, aimed at surfers with ocean experience who want to improve. It includes in-water coaching, video analysis of your waves, skatebowl sessions and yoga. It runs 2–8 November and spots are limited. Surf lessons for less experienced surfers can also be booked separately at the front desk.

The property is right on Playa Santana in Popoyo, roughly 2.5 hours by road from Managua airport and about 3 hours from Liberia in Costa Rica. Plenty of guests fly into Liberia and cross the border overland. The resort will help with transport if you get in touch beforehand. The area is rural coastline with dirt roads, small villages and beaches, not a resort strip, and the rooms are designed with that in mind.

The resort describes itself as eco-conscious and grounded in Nicaraguan culture. In practice it is a small, independent place run by its own team, not a chain hotel. Expect a front desk that sorts out your days, guides who know the water, and a crowd who are mostly there for waves.

What's included

- Accommodation in an individually designed room - 3 meals per day - Unlimited water and soft drinks - Daily yoga class - Daily surf guiding to the best local break - 1 shared boat trip on the Honu for stays of 5+ nights (advanced surfers only, weather and swell dependent)

What's not included

- Flights - Airport and border transfers (arranged with the resort on request) - Surf lessons - Massages - Excursions - Surf photo packages - Alcoholic drinks - Surf coaching programmes (booked separately) - Travel insurance - Personal expenses