Trip Prep

Planning for your trip: ChicaBrava Survival Guide

Expect the unexpected! Just kidding; below you will find a packing list and a list of helpful hints to consider while packing and planning for your Central-American excursion.

Packing List

1. Bathing suits
2. Rash guard
3. Board shorts
4. Beach towel
5. Sunscreen
6. Bug spray
7. Sundresses
8. Shorts/tank tops
9. Tennis shoes for hiking
10. Jeans for horseback riding
11. Jacket and pants for cooler weather
12. Wet-dry bag for the boat
13. Wetsuit top or Spring suit (Nov – March)
14. Small First-Aid kit/supplies

Helpful Hints

1. Flights and Airfare: The airport code is MGA for Managua’s International Airport. Direct flights are offered from various cities. We provide transportation to and from the airport during daylight hours. San Juan del Sur is 2.5 hours from MGA. The roads are poorly lit and bordered by farms on both sides, making for frequent animal crossings and thus hazardous conditions for nighttime travel. If you are only able to find flights arriving MGA at night, then we recommend coming in a day early and staying overnight in Managua for travel to the camp the next morning. If you are only able to find flights departing MGA early in the morning, we can provide transportation for you, but this means waking up early and leaving the camp at least 3.5 hours before your flight time. Many of our guests do this. Some choose to stay in Managua Saturday night instead and fly out early the next day. We can make hotel recommendations and help with reservations for you if you choose to come in a day early or eave a day late. Average cost for a double room at the hotel in front of the airport is $75+tax.
2. Rash-guards and board shorts are always good to have handy. Try to bring swimsuits that are tighter fitting and not loose. This is because stronger waves have a tendency to tear off loose tops and bottoms. Rash-guards and board shorts can help with this and also help protect skin against sunburn and rashes from the wax on your board. Sometimes it is even helpful to buy swimsuits in a size too small so that the waves cannot easily undress you. You don’t want to have to worry about losing your swimsuit on a wave or while you are trying to paddle out!
3. Wetsuit tops and/or spring suits are worth packing if you are attending the camp anytime from November to April. Sometimes the water is cold and the winds can be strong in these months, and it’s always best to be prepared. The summer months in Nicaragua are hot so chances are you’ll not need them at all in the summer season.
4. Sweatshirts and pants are smart to pack as well. The camp is located near the top of a mountain and though the climate is generally tropical and hot in Nicaragua, it can get drafty up on the mountain. In the evening the drafts can make it a little chilly, so with a sweatshirt and light pants you will be cozy and comfortable. Jeans are good to bring if you plan to ride horses on our farm while here.
5. Beach towels are also good to bring. Bath towels are provided at the camp, but they are only intended to be used in camp. Please bring at least one if you would like to bring a towel to the beach or on the boat.
6. Extra money is another essential. It’s best to bring smaller bills such as $1’s, $5’s, and $10’s. You should expect to pay a $5 entrance fee at immigration when you enter Nicaragua, before you go to the baggage claim. There is also a $30 exit fee, but most airlines include this in their ticket price. If it is not included you will pay it when you check in at the airport on the day you leave. There is plenty of shopping to be done in San Juan del Sur. ChicaBrava even has its own clothing designer who creates beautiful sundresses and relaxed beachwear for $15 a piece. The zip-lining canopy tour is another fun activity in San Juan that costs $30 a person. Touring the farm on horseback is also amazing and costs $20 a person for the farm hands. It is also good to bring enough money to be able to go out at night as alcohol is not included in trip package. Costs for transportation, meals, lodging, instruction, surfboards, boat trips, yoga, and massages are all included in price.
7. Tipping is another thing you will also need to plan on bringing a little extra money for. Please keep in mind that it is optional but customary to tip surf instructors and the cooking and cleaning staff at the end of the week. Just to give you an idea of how much to tip, $20 for the week is typical for the service staff at the house. They provide all of our meals, cook, clean, and do our laundry for us. Your tip will be combined with the tips from all of the other girls. Of course if you feel that their service was exceptional you can tip more; if you feel that it wasn’t that great than you can tip less or not at all. Tipping is always up to you. If you do the math, than you will figure that this is $3 a day, which doesn’t seem like much, but is greatly appreciated. $20 per instructor from each guest is also the average tip for your surf instructors. There will be two instructors assisting you each day in the water and everywhere in between. Again, some people will tip more and some people will tip less.
8. Study a little Spanish: It is smart to learn some phrases so that you can ease your way into the culture. It is respectful to try to speak a country’s native language. Not to mention an enlightening experience to be able to communicate in another language even if you can only say a few broken words.
9. Surfboards and other equipment that do not belong to you are provided for your use. We expect that you treat these items with care as if they were your own. If you damage something please understand that you will be held responsible for their repair and or replacement.
10. Safety in and out of the water is our number one priority. When you come to the camp we will have an ocean safety and board safety lesson to protect all of our chicas before we enter the sea. To keep you safe out of the water, we implement the buddy system. Some of our chicas will want to go out and experience the lively night-life in San Juan. We encourage this as it is also our goal you have fun, but it is important to not stray from the group. Always make sure the instructors are aware of your whereabouts. On the nights we hit up the town there will usually be an option to go home early or stay out later. For safety, security, and privacy at the camp, we do not allow chicas to return to the camp on their own. Everyone must return to the camp with either the early or the late group. Always keep track of your buddy, the instructors, and be sure to stay with the group!
11. Challenge is the word that best defines learning how to surf. It is one of the hardest sports to learn, but also one of the most rewarding. It is important to keep in mind that with this sport what you put in is what you get out. Only time in the water will bring results. Please be prepared to surf the majority of each day as our goal and main focus is to have fun and progress your surfing at whatever level you are on. If you are determined to get the most out of your week at ChicaBrava surf camp there are some ways that you can get yourself ready for surfing action. Once you’re signed up, we’ll send you our conditioning and pop-ups guide so you can start doing your homework!

And ask yourself… are you Chicabrava?