Things to Do in Nicaragua in September
September weather, activities, events & insider tips
September Weather in Nicaragua
Is September Right for You?
Advantages
- Green season pricing means you'll save 30-40% on accommodations compared to December-April, with beachfront hotels in San Juan del Sur dropping from $150 to $80-90 per night and Granada colonials offering rooms at $45-60 instead of $85-100
- The Pacific coast surf is actually firing in September - offshore winds are consistent and swells from southern hemisphere storms create clean 4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m) waves at spots like Playa Maderas and Popoyo without the December-March crowds fighting for every set
- The countryside is genuinely stunning right now - coffee plants on the northern highlands are lush and green, waterfalls like Salto de Estanzuela are running at full volume, and the volcanic crater lakes around Granada are surrounded by vibrant vegetation instead of the brown dry-season landscape
- Crowd levels are wonderfully low - you'll have Ometepe's hiking trails largely to yourself, can walk into restaurants in Leon without reservations, and actually experience local life since Nicaraguans outnumber tourists at markets and festivals by a significant margin
Considerations
- Rain is a daily reality you need to plan around - afternoon downpours typically hit between 2-5pm and last 45-90 minutes, which means you'll need to schedule beach time and outdoor activities for mornings and be flexible when storms linger longer than expected
- Some remote areas become legitimately difficult to access - unpaved roads to places like Rio San Juan and parts of the Caribbean coast can turn muddy and require 4WD, and boat schedules to the Corn Islands occasionally get delayed or cancelled when seas get rough
- The Caribbean side (Corn Islands, Bluefields) is entering hurricane season vulnerability - while direct hits are relatively rare, September sits in the Atlantic hurricane window and you'll want travel insurance that covers weather disruptions if you're heading east
Best Activities in September
Pacific Coast Surf Sessions
September brings some of the year's most consistent surf conditions to Nicaragua's Pacific beaches. You're getting clean offshore winds in the mornings, swells running 4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m) from southern hemisphere storms, and water temps around 27°C (81°F) that let you surf in boardshorts all day. The key advantage right now is the lack of crowds - spots that are packed shoulder-to-shoulder in high season have maybe 10-15 people in the water. Morning sessions from 6-10am offer the glassiest conditions before afternoon winds pick up, and you'll typically surf before any rain hits. Beginners should focus on beach breaks at Playa Maderas or Playa Remanso, while experienced surfers can handle the reef breaks at Popoyo or Colorado.
Volcano Hiking and Boarding
The volcanic landscapes around Leon and Granada are spectacular in September's green season. Cerro Negro volcano offers the famous volcano boarding experience - sliding down black sand slopes at 50-80 km/h (30-50 mph) - and September's slightly damp sand actually provides better control than bone-dry high season conditions. Masaya Volcano's active lava lake is visible most evenings, and the cooler September temperatures make the rim hike more comfortable than blazing March afternoons. Morning hikes starting at 6-7am let you summit before clouds roll in and before the 2pm rain window. The vegetation around Mombacho and Maderas volcanoes on Ometepe is lush and green right now, with cloud forest trails offering excellent bird watching.
Colonial City Walking and Architecture Tours
Granada and Leon are actually more pleasant to explore in September than during the scorching dry season. Morning temperatures of 23-25°C (73-77°F) make walking the colonial streets comfortable, and the afternoon rain pattern means you can plan museum visits, cathedral tours, and lunch at covered courtyards for the 2-5pm window. Granada's Calle La Calzada comes alive in early evenings after rain clears, with locals filling the street cafes and plazas. The churches and museums are less crowded now, so you can actually spend time examining the colonial art and architecture without tour groups pushing through. Leon's revolutionary murals and street art look more vibrant after rain washes away dust.
Ometepe Island Exploration
Ometepe's twin volcanic islands in Lake Nicaragua are at their most dramatic in September. The ferry ride from San Jorge takes 60-90 minutes across choppy lake waters that feel more like ocean crossing, and the volcanoes are wrapped in clouds that create moody, atmospheric landscapes. Hiking trails to waterfalls like Salto de San Ramon are muddy but the falls are thundering at full volume with 20 m (65 ft) drops surrounded by lush vegetation. The archaeological petroglyphs at Finca Magdalena and Charco Verde are less crowded, and you can rent motorcycles or bicycles to circle the island on mostly-paved roads. September rains mean the island's coffee farms and plantations are green and productive.
Coffee Farm Tours and Tastings
September sits right in the middle of Nicaragua's coffee growing season, when plants are flowering and green cherries are developing on the branches. The northern highlands around Matagalpa, Jinotega, and Estelí offer farm tours where you can walk through wet, misty plantations and learn about shade-grown coffee production. The cooler mountain temperatures - around 18-22°C (64-72°F) at elevation - make September ideal for hiking through coffee farms without the lowland heat. Many fincas offer overnight stays in rustic accommodations where you'll wake to mountain views and fresh-roasted coffee. The green season landscape here is spectacular, with rolling hills covered in coffee plants interspersed with banana trees and forest patches.
Kayaking and Boat Tours through Wetlands
September's rains fill Nicaragua's waterways and wetland systems, making kayaking and boat tours particularly rewarding. The Isletas de Granada - a 365-island archipelago in Lake Nicaragua - are excellent for kayaking among small islands topped with vacation homes and tropical vegetation. Wildlife is active in September, with howler monkeys calling from trees, caimans sunning on banks, and water birds fishing in shallow channels. Las Peñitas mangrove estuary near Leon offers sunset boat tours where you can spot crocodiles, herons, and occasionally sea turtles. The Río San Juan in the southeast provides multi-day boat journeys through rainforest to El Castillo fortress, though this requires more planning and flexibility with September weather.
September Events & Festivals
Independence Day Celebrations
September 15th marks Central American Independence Day, and Nicaragua celebrates with parades, music, and street parties in every town. Granada and Leon host the largest parades with marching bands, traditional dancers in colorful costumes, and students carrying torches in evening processions. The atmosphere is genuinely festive with families lining streets, food vendors selling traditional dishes like vigorón and nacatamales, and fireworks lighting up the night. This is one of the best times to experience Nicaraguan culture and national pride. Expect banks and government offices to close, but restaurants and tourist services remain open.
San Jerónimo Festival in Masaya
The city of Masaya hosts its patron saint festival honoring San Jerónimo during the last week of September, featuring religious processions, traditional music, and the famous Torovenado - a person dressed in a bull costume with fireworks attached, running through crowds in a controlled chaos that's equal parts thrilling and terrifying. The festival includes handicraft markets selling Masaya's renowned hammocks, pottery, and woven goods. Street food stalls offer local specialties, and marimba bands play traditional music in the central plaza. This festival draws mostly Nicaraguan families rather than tourists, offering an authentic cultural experience.