san juan del sur Archives - Wandering Dawn

Oh, Sunday Funday. How I both love and hate you. I recently experienced my first Sunday Funday in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua and have many thoughts (and tips!) to share on the subject.

If you’re on the backpacker circuit, you will undoubtedly hear of the infamous Sunday Funday the closer you get to Nicaragua. In the US, we also often refer to “Sunday Funday” when we’re having a boozy brunch or day drinking to extend the weekend and forget all about work the next day. I’m sure other countries refer to Sunday Funday commonly as well, but Nicaragua is the first country in Latin America where I’ve seen an official event sooooo close to a day pool party in Vegas that I just had to go. My cousin flew down to visit me and said it’s like everyone is constantly on Spring Break!

I first heard of Sunday Funday at a hostel in Colombia when other backpackers were sharing their epic stories. (We got so drunk! They were basically having sex in the pool next to us! I lost my pants! Etc.) If this sounds like your cup of tea, or if you want to just experience the debauchery for yourself, read on, dear readers. Read on. And if I can handle it / survive the day at the ripe old backpacker age of 33, chances are, so can you.

What exactly is Sunday Funday? It’s a pool and bar crawl in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua mainly comprised of backpackers from all around the world. Canadians dominate the circuit, followed closely by Australians. I met one group from Chicago, but my cousin and I were basically the odd ones out from the United States. At each stop there are cheap drinks (50-60 cordobas / $2 US each) and DJs playing decent music. Some people go in the pool, usually because they are either thrown in or want some makeout time, but most of us just stayed around the edge, swaying to the beat.

If you’ve ever been to a Sunday day party in Vegas, there are some striking similarities. Pool. Cocktails. Hot chicks. DJs. Debauchery. The biggest difference is that everyone is equal here in Nica. There is no bottle service, no attitude, and no flashing your money to get preferred service.

The Essentials:
You can find the official Sunday Funday Pool Crawl Facebook event here.

Tickets are $30 and go on sale at 10am Sundays at Pachamama Hostel. (They are only $15 if you’re staying at Pachamama.) Your purchase includes a Sunday Funday tank top, transportation between the parties, and a DJ at each event. It does not include alcohol. Not even a drop. While that may seem pricey the average backpacker (aka me!) this is a hard event to skip if you find yourself in San Juan del Sur over the weekend. It’s all anyone talks about.

Photo credit: someecards.com

I recommend arriving at Pachamama sometime between 930-11am to buy your ticket before the official pre-party starts at 12pm. That way you can avoid lines and the chaos. Hundreds of people are in attendance, but I’m not sure it ever sells out. The pre-party is essentially stop #1 and everyone was already hitting it HARD by the time we arrived around 2pm. One guy would only speak to me through hand gestures and then started speaking to me in Hebrew. (I do not speak Hebrew.) I just smiled and continued to grip onto my vodka soda for dear life. I’m so glad I had a cocktail beforehand! (Ironically, we became friends with the same guy the next day and went to a Chabad together. Anything can happen here, people!)

The Schedule:
The schedule changes from week to week, but here is what I experienced in Feb 2017.

10am Tickets on sale at Pachamama
12pm Pre-party at Pachamama (Again, an intense “pre-party!”)
3pm Walk to Hotel Anamar (It’s right on the beach!)
5pm Transportation to Naked Tiger (This hostel located just outside of downtown has the perfect view of sunset.)
8pm Transportation to Arribas (Return downtown for the final stop. There’s no pool here!)

Sooooo how does on survive this day of party, party, party? First, bathe yourself in glitter. And then…

My Top 5 Tips:
1. Bring snacks! There is nothing that will ruin day drinking faster than an empty stomach. I had a breakfast bagel pre-event and brought crackers and Larabars for during. I only wish I had more! The 5pm stop will serve burgers for 150 cordobas if you’re into meat. No other stops were serving food as far as I could tell, so plan accordingly. (You can also go hard on an empty stomach but please do not puke on your friends.)

2. Hydrate! Don’t pass out! Drink vodka sodas and sprinkle in bottled waters at each stop. Drinks are less than $2 each so a bottled water is worth the investment. I heard that you can bring in sealed non-alcoholic beverages at each stop, but I also saw people chugging and dumping water before entering a bar. (They do a full bag search at each stop. Tip 2a: Don’t smuggle drugs.)

3. Buy tickets, then do brunch. There’s no need to be the first one in line to buy your ticket and then wait around for 2 hours for the official pre-party to start. Pachamama gets hot with the crowds and you will have all day to drink. After receiving your wristband and tank, go update your outfit or put your shirt back in your hostel, and then grab a sandwich at El Gato Negro down the street. You’ll thank me later.

4. Wear minimal clothing. It’s so hot in San Juan del Sur! You will be outside exposed to the elements all day, constantly sweating, so wear a bikini, swim trunks, etc. I wore a bikini top and jean shorts. I found the Sunday Funday tank top to be too hot for me since it’s made with a heavy cotton. Some girls wore it as a dress. Others completely ignored this advice and dressed in costume, so that’s another way to go.

5. Pace yourself. There is nothing like starting too hard at 9am (pre-partying before the pre-party so to speak) and then passing out face down at the first bar. I saw that guy. Don’t be that guy. The last event starts at 8pm. If you want to hang with your friends, take it easy and then ramp it up as the day goes on. (Don’t forget tip #2: hydration!)

So there you have it my friends. Everything you need to know about Sunday Funday in Nicaragua. Will I try this event again? I think once was enough for me, but I’m still glad I went to see it for myself! It actually wasn’t quite as crazy as I thought it would be. It was mostly just a bunch of 20-somethings looking to let it all go and have a good time. (And some miming.)

Would you try Sunday Funday?

I recently got back from a girls’ trip to Nicaragua and have never felt more refreshed.

Travel is my passion. I try to get abroad at least once a year and am actively working towards my goal of number of countries visited = current age. (I’m only 2 shy!)

If you’re looking for an affordable place to visit that isn’t too far away from the states, I highly recommend looking into “the land of lakes and volcanoes.” Nicaragua is north of Costa Rica and just as full of natural beauty, but truly, it’s in a league of its own. The secret is out, and it’s becoming more and more popular, so get ahead while you still can!

Volcan Concepcion Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua

Here are 10 reasons to visit Nicaragua ASAP.

1. It’s affordable. I generally try to seek out countries that are less expensive than the US when I travel so I can maximize my time there. Maybe one day I’ll choose to spend 6 nights in Bora Bora instead of 16 in Nicaragua, but for now, I’ll take the extended trip with a bit more adventure. I bought a round trip ticket from LAX to Managua for $500. That’s cheaper than a trip to the east coast! The currency is the córdoba and the exchange rate is favorable at approx $1US = 30C. You can easily pay for things like tours and tips in American dollars. Nice hotels cost ~$100/night & there is always the hostel option around for $20 if you’re traveling solo.

It’s $1 to climb to the top of this tower in Granada, but the views are priceless.

Play time is always free.

2. It’s easily accessible. All you need is a flight, passport and a few vacation days. My flight home was direct & only took 5.5 hours. You can definitely see the highlights of Nicaragua in 1 week if that’s all the time you have. My trip lasted 2+ weeks and I was nearly in tears when it was time to leave. I went over Thanksgiving which is the end of rainy season and just before the pricier high season. My friends and I spent time in Granada, Ometepe, San Juan del Sur, and Little Corn Island. Leon and the north are also worth looking into, and I plan to visit those areas on my next trip. We had to prioritize.

Horse drawn carriage rides are a fun and easy way to tour Granada.

The most difficult place to get to was Little Corn Island, but it was my FAVORITE.

3. It isn’t TOO touristy…yet. People like to refer it to as “how Costa Rica was 10 years ago.” I went to Costa Rica 14 years ago, so I guess I’m a trendsetter. (Actually, that was my dad’s doing. I get my jetsetter vibes from him.) There were definitely more tourists there than I originally thought when I heard this, so there’s still the option of doing “touristy” things or going off the beaten path. The locals are quite respectful of tourists as well, and if you tell them you don’t want to buy something, they walk away with a smile and never hassle you. That was a serious breath of fresh air! Have you ever tried to say no to a vendor in India?

My tour guide and I were the only two on this “trail” at Volcan Concepcion.

4. You will experience good vibes. The people. The culture. That Nica lifestyle. All full of good vibes. Nicaraguans are some of the most relaxed and happy people I’ve ever met. If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably start to wonder why you live the way you do, especially if you’re in a stereotypical corporate job, commute during rush hour, and spend $200 on jeans (ah hem.) I actually started to develop a list of reasons why I should stay in Nicaragua while I was there. It’s that good. (I decided not to stay so I can continue to support my traveling habit with my corporate job and see other countries before I settle down somewhere. It’s too hard to pick just one place!)

Yoga and meditation at Yemaya on Little Corn Island

Omega hanging on our porch at Xalli hotel (Ometepe)

5. You can get caught up in nature. Nicaragua is quite picturesque. Las Isletas in Granada. The volcanoes and hiking on Ometepe. The beaches, surfing, and neighboring beach towns of San Juan del Sur. The white sand and blue Caribbean sea at Little Corn Island. The cool air and coffee plantations in the north. The views of Costa Rica to the south. All of it BEAUTIFUL. Oh, and if you like monkeys, you will see a lot of those too!

San Ramon waterfall on Ometepe

Peering over the rim of an active volcano is indescribable.

6. You’ll never run out of things to do. I did A LOT while also leaving ample time for relaxation. Some things worth looking into: climbing volcanoes with varying degrees of difficulty, hiking to waterfalls and natural springs, coffee plantations with petroglyphs, horseback riding (check out Rancho Chilamate!), surfing, hammock snoozing, sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, yoga, meditation, dancing, listening to live music at bars & cafes, eating local dishes & drinking coffee, watching sunrises and sunsets…or whatever your heart desires. The chances are, Nicaragua has what you are looking for in a vacation, particularly if you have a sense of wanderlust and adventure.

Ojo de Agua is a natural spring in Ometepe

Mombacho volcano just outside Granada

7. You’ll learn the meaning of “diakachimba.” This one is hard to explain, but it’s kind of like the Nicaraguans’ equivalent of “pura vida” in Costa Rica – only this one is way more slang & something you would never say to your parents (or so I’ve been told.) I bought a tank top from a local surf shop with the saying on it as a reminder to live in the moment. It basically means “f* yeah!” and both the locals and tourists embody this lively spirit.

Surfing at Playa Hermosa in San Juan del Sur

Welcome to the jungle

8. It’s safe. I traveled with 2 of my girlfriends and it was a breeze. We felt very comfortable walking alone and got around from city to city by hiring drivers through the hotel. Transportation costs can get high this way at around $50-$100 for a 1-3 hour trip, but you can also take public transportation (ex. 20 cents for the chicken bus) if you aren’t in a hurry or going too far. The only caveat is Managua because it’s like any big city with bad areas. It’s the only place we didn’t walk around on our own since it doesn’t have conventional street signs (image taking a right at the cafe, crossing a bridge, and then hanging a left at the yellow sign, etc.) and we only stayed there overnight in between flights. Everywhere else was very female traveler friendly and easy to navigate!

My travel buddies! That’s Ometepe Island behind us.

Granada

9. You will sample delicious local cuisine. I ate plantains every single day in one form or another and tostones were my favorite dish. Picture fried plantains topped with fried cheese! What’s not to like? The national dish is gallo pinto (a mixture of rice & beans) so I had a lot of that as well, usually for breakfast or dinner. It was pretty easy to eat vegetarian, and there was no shortage of fresh, juicy fruit and coconut drinks.

YUM

Yemaya’s juice & smoothie menu. This upscale resort also hosts yoga retreats.

10. You will make incredible memories. You will undoubtedly encounter new people and experiences that will leave a lasting impression. I was so grateful for each day spent in Nicaragua & I would go back in a heartbeat. It’s impossible to describe the feeling, but definitely worth experiencing for yourself. I promise you won’t regret it.

Have you been to Nicaragua? Is it on your list?