Jaunted

This article was written by someone who hasn't been to SJdS recently.
If they had really been to San Juan del Sur a few months ago like your article states they would know Ricardo's has closed and become a dive shop and Majagual has been sold to the largest company in Central America.
The "oh so hip and current" attitude doesn't make up for the glaring lack of information.
If you never go you'll never know but Playa del Coco is not a good swimming or surfing beach. Read the moon Handbook if you want to crib some notes they actually spent some time here

Hey pbb--did you go here when you were in Nicaragua a couple months back or not?  Was Ricardo's open then?

Hey dale d--the article was written by pbb--his byline is at the end of the story, and instead of typing vitriol you might just want to ask him if he visited SJdS firsthand.

Either way, thanks for the updated info on Ricardo's.

Yikes, I didn't know it was such a sensitive subject. I didn't go to San Juan del Sur "a few months ago," but I did visit Majagual and Ricardo's awhile back. I think the link to an article that was published a couple months ago caused that confusion.

I'm sorry to admit I didn't call up Ricardo's to confirm if they were still open--if the place is shuttered, I'd love to find out why they closed down. Dale, would you mind sharing the name of this new dive shop or the name of the company that bought the resort at Majagual?

As for the Moon guide, it's the book I used while visiting Nicaragua. That's why I recommended it in my post. It's sitting next to my computer right now. (I'm not very good about putting things away after using them.) Here's a snippet from page 221: "Playa Coco is a jewel of a beach, great for swimming and fishing"

PBB,

http://www.scubashack-nicaragua.com/ is the site for the Scuba Shack in San Juan del Sur, which used to be Ricardo's Bar. Ricardo and Marie (the previous owners of Ricardo's) split up a ways back, so they eventually decided to sell the business. There has definitely been a hole in the local drinking hole market since then. Some other places have picked up the demand, including some new businesses.

Playa Coco is a great surfing beach for beginners, as long as the swell is not too large. It is a pretty fickle wave, but I have seen a great right come off the north end of the beach by the rocks. It needs a full tide to work.

Majagual was purchased last year by a semi-retired higher up at one of the U.S.'s largest financial firms. The place known as "Australian Paul's" was shut down soon there after.

We live in SJDS full time and have several businesses related to the tourism and real estate industries. If you want any detailed information about the local happenings just drop us a line and we will be happy to help. The best way is info@realtornicaragua.com Take it easy and if you make it down here we'll have to grab a cold beer at one of Ricardo's replacements!

...appreciate the great info. Hope you'll keep us posted on the latest Nica news. And we'll be in touch about that beer!

The town of San Juan del Sur is amazing!  If you're interested in real estate around the area check out this link:

Nicaragua Beachfront Real Estate

A growing number of Nicaragua rentals are available for vacation and long-term stays including single family homes, hotels, condos, and eco-lodges. If you are planning to surf Nicaragua or relax on the Pacific coast, visit Nicaragua Vacation Rentals to see your options!