Las Penitas Beach

León, Nicaragua

A long, golden-sand beach surrounded by bars and restaurants that is not overcrowded, with surfboard rentals and lessons.

Places in Las Penitas Beach

Las Penitas Beach bars Bars surrounding the long, golden-sand beach that is not overcrowded.

Best time to visit: November to April (dry season) offers the best conditions for volcano boarding and beach days.
Getting around: The colonial centre near the cathedral is the main hub for hostels and restaurants, with Cerro Negro reached by hostel-arranged tours and Las Penitas Beach a short trip away.
Currency: Nicaraguan Córdoba (C$)
Language: Spanish. English is limited outside hostels.
Timezone: CST (UTC-6)
Current trends: León's hospitality scene continues to be defined by volcano boarding down Cerro Negro, with Bigfoot Hostel's fame as the city's best party hostel anchoring a backpacker circuit that now also embraces CocinArte's vegetarian colonial-house dining and Las Penitas Beach's uncrowded surf.

Colonial centre near the cathedral — Home to El Bodegon, a few blocks from the cathedral on 2da Ave North.
Sutiaba neighbourhood — Home to CocinArte, the city's first vegetarian restaurant, located in a colonial house.