Romantic Beach House Near Rural Fishing Village and Great Surf

We enjoyed three nights here. Frankly, the caretaker, was very helpful. Loved the beach. Walked both ways. Make sure that you take the food that you will need.

My husband, 7 year old daughter, 3 year old son and I rented the Portugal's place for almost one month. We had already been in Nicaragua for a month prior and we're ready for a beach front property. This place met our expectations! It was gorgeous, the pictures don't do justice. Upon our (early) arrival the caretakers along with Bodi (owner's son) and his wife were there to greet us. Bodi had us set up with surfboards in a flash and we were able to surf that day. He included a boogy (body) board for the kids which they had a blast on. The beach is amazing, so clean compared to other beaches that we had been prior. There was a rocky area to the right of the house that the kids enjoyed exploring the tide pools and collecting beautiful shells and rocks. It is the one of the best surf spots in Jiquilillo from begginner to advanced waves. Bodi a former surf instructor even gave me some very helpful surf tips when while in the water one day... Thank-you! The house was a great size for the four of us. We cooked our own meals and the kitchen was fully equipped with everything we needed. We barely used the living room as the outside seating was deluxe with an amazing ocean view and beautiful sunsets every night. There were hammocks for lounging too! We had people comming up to us asking us about our rental quite often. Just down the street we were able to buy the basics along with coconut bread and pizza for a treat. There were people selling donuts, corn tortillas, and ice cream. Occasionally a fruit and veggie truck would come by and we would stock up. The caretakers were amazing in helping us find what we needed and were very friendly. The kids enjoyed playing with their children as well as the local kids. We would definitely rent this place again if we travel to Nicaragua again, it's a long way from Canada but such a wonderful experience. Thank-you Sue, Franklin, Bodi.

The beach in front of the house is the only thing that kept us at this house. We arrived at sunset and if it had been daylight we would not have stayed that first night. The house was filthy. All the windows would not open, there was a layer of grit on every surface and the bathroom looked like it belonged in a gas station. Until I spent several hours the next morning cleaning the bathroom I would not sit on the toilet: there was a dirty drinking glass at the sink, old soap and scum on the soap holders and everything else in the bathroom was disgustingly filthy. The beautiful tile sink was covered with layers of dirt and scum.

The kitchen wasn’t much better. The refrigerator was unplugged so it was unusable for our groceries that needed to be cold. We had to soak the cutting board in bleach before we used it. The oven door heat shield glass fell away from the door when we opened it and the condition of the stove was so bad that the top was covered with foil. The blender had bits of food left around the rim of the cover.

At least the sheets seemed to be clean.

We stayed after that first night because husband loved the beach and helped me clean the filth and the dishes before using them.

After arriving home and preparing to do laundry I found 4 pairs of shorts and a dress that had rust spots on the seats from the metal chairs that are at the dining table. The spots are permanent and the garments are unwearable. We were given a very small refund for our inconvenience.

The beach is great with lots of shells. If this place had been clean and with a decent stove I might have recommended it. But our experience prohibits me from doing so. We would never stay here again. BEWARE.........

If you are looking for a comfortable place to stay while in the very small fishing village of Jiquillio then Casa De Portugales is the place! We loved it here and wished we would have stayed longer. It was great to rent the surfboards for the week so we could just use them when we wanted. The kitchen has everything you will need, its clean, and well appointed. The owners arranged a ride from the airport which also took us to a large grocery store in a nearby town so we could get provisions for the week. I suggest planning your meals ahead of time and make a shopping list. Fresh fruits and vegetables could be purchased off trucks that roll through town every other day or so. Some small things like sweet drinks and junk food can be purchased at nearby stores run out of family homes. We started in the 2 bedroom house (we have 2 teenagers) but switched to the one bedroom. The one bedroom has a great vibe: color scheme, floor to ceiling windows, privacy, a patio with seating....it was really great. The kids slept in the bedroom and my husband and I had the double bed in the living room which was fine. The beds were pretty comfortable. Jiquillio is very small with no public services (trash, water) so be prepared for that! Water is delivered by truck and the caretaker who is always on site takes care of everything and is happy to help. The property is clean but the area itself has a LOT of trash everywhere. There is good food at Rancho Esperanza and descent food at Cafe Pacifico. We arranged a beach horse riding trip and a fishing trip through Bodhi which was really great. The surf was good for beginners with a nice sandy bottom. Spend a day observing the tides to see whats up. My daughter and I had boogie boards which was perfect. Its extremely hot in Jiquillio so plan to have siesta time every afternoon to get through it. Hammocks on the property are lovely and the fans in the house are an absolute necessity. I cant say enough about the beach! We had it practically to ourselves and of course the Pacific sunsets are amazing. To the north is the town and the fishing boats which are very interesting to watch being launched. To the south it is completely undeveloped and goes on for miles. This area of the beach is surprisingly clean! And to the north beyond the town is also quite deserted and clean as well. This house and Jiquillio is definitely a place we would love to go back!

We spent a week at Casa Portugal and really enjoyed our time there. Arriving in Managua we took a taxi to the Leon micro bus terminal and spent a couple of nights in Leon before taking a micro bus to Chinandega. We arranged for a taxi (with the owners son) to meet us and after stopping at the grocery store we drove to the beach house. Very comfortable with a well supplied kitchen. Love the huge, high windows and doors and comfortable couch. Very open/airy which was fantastic. The caretakers are great and announced when the tortilla sellers were outside and even supplied a chair to wait for the bus! Besides fresh tortillas we bought coconut bread (which makes great french toast) and fish in town. The hammocks are great for relaxing and very private.

Besides being a fabulous house, the location is the best, as it sits right at the beginning of town. Looking towards the ocean, going left is a long expanse of mostly uninhabited beach. To the right is the fishing village of Jiquilillo. I enjoyed watching the fishing boats leave in the afternoon and return in the morning. One of my favorite activities is walking beaches and looking for sea shells. I was not disappointed. The beach goes forever and is flat and easy for walking. The surf was small when we were there, but good for swimming right out front.

We took the bus one day to the community of Padre Ramos and on the way back stopped at Monty's for the wifi. It is easy to get around without a car. Nice community and Casa Portugal is the place to stay!