You Can Surf Down the Side of an Active Volcano at This Central American Destination

Travel + Leisure

6 days ago

With chill coastal communities like San Juan del Sur buzzing with surf-minded visitors, the stellar swells crashing along the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua are no longer the best-kept secret in Central America. But in-the-know thrill seekers are heading into the country's interior for another kind of surfing experience: "volcano boarding" down the sandy black cone of Cerro Negro volcano.
"Volcano boarding is a really unique and memorable experience to try when visiting Nicaragua," says Javier Silva, a long-time Nicaragua expat and executive director of the non-profit Lacrosse the Nations. The adventure is just as other-worldly as you'd imagine, starting with facing down the slopes of a still-active volcano and culminating with a dusty, high-speed descent that feels somewhere between sledding and go-kart racing. To protect against the ashy, sandy spray that coats the sides of Cerro Negro, boarders don bright orange jumpsuits and ski goggles, only adding to the next-level thrill of the experience. Tourists prepare to leave after sandboarding down the Cerro Negro volcano.
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"Keep in mind that you probably won't be able to stand up on the board; you'll definitely want to sit on it," says Silva. "The descent is so steep that you get going very fast, and it's pretty challenging to control the board. Hold on, and simply lean into the ride."
Just how fast is fast? Wait until you reach the bottom of the cone to find out. Most volcano boarding excursions will have someone standing at the bottom of the volcano with a radar gun to clock your speed, which can reach up to 40 miles per hour. "If you're traveling with friends and are at all competitive, seeing who can reach the highest speed will be a riot," says Silva.
Named by Travel + Leisure editors as one of the best places to visit in 2025, Nicaragua wows with everything from white-sand Caribbean islands and centuries-old churches to immense biodiversity in its untouched rainforests. But for a destination that still draws many intrepid travelers, volcano boarding is easily one of the country's most popular experiences. "It's one of the most highly-requested tours from visitors and guests," says Howard Coulson, general manager at Jicaro Island Lodge, a sustainability-focused luxury lodge on a private island in Lake Nicaragua. Tourists climb the Cerro Negro volcano to enjoy sandboarding.
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Most volcano boarders embark early in the morning from the charming city of León, located just 45 minutes from Cerro Negro. However, volcano boarding's growing popularity means that tour operators now offer the excursion, with transportation included, from other destinations across the country. Many hotels and resorts, including Jicaro Island Lodge, curate their own private or small-group excursions for guests, but Coulson also recommends Vapues Travel for their certified guides with years of experience.
León's proximity to Cerro Negro allows volcano boarders to get an early start on the expedition, beating the crowds and avoiding the midday sun, which can make the experience more challenging. "It's important that travelers know that the experience can be demanding," cautions Coulson, citing the high temperatures on the sunbaked surface of the volcano. Though the descent down the slopes is invigorating and lasts less than a minute, it's the hour-long ascent up the volcano's cone carrying your board that makes it unexpectedly challenging. The sandy, unstable terrain and steady incline don't make it easier.
Boarders should come well-prepared for the experience by wearing sneakers or hiking boots and carrying plenty of water, sunscreen, and sun protection gear like UPF-rated clothing and a sunhat with a chinstrap. Tour operators will provide orange jumpsuits for the descent, but you'll want to be comfortable when ascending the volcano.
There's one unexpected highlight of the experience that most visitors forget until they arrive: taking in the view from the top of the towering crater. "Walking to the top of an active volcano, where you can contemplate all of the volcano's beauty and the beauty of its surroundings, is something truly special," says Coulson.
Vistas stretch on for miles in every direction, but peeking into Cerro Negro itself, less than 200 years old and still belching streams of gas and smoke, is arguably just as enchanting. "That's definitely one of the highlights of the experience," says Silva, "but the thrill ride back down the volcano again doesn't hurt, either."