South of both Puerto Sandino and Miramar is tiny El Velero and, a kilometer beyond the town, you’ll find another stretch of lovely beach.
El Centro Turistico El Velero (505-2-311-1191, open 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.) used to charge visitors a fee at the gate. You can now get in for free, but it’s not because the social security administration that runs the place suddenly felt more altruistic.
In May 2008, Hurricane Alma swept through and decimated this stretch of beach. Some of the neighboring vacation homes are being rebuilt, but the center is still in limbo. The former rental cabins and seaside restaurant are decaying wrecks. You can’t stay at the center any longer, but you can enjoy the gorgeous view.
As long as there is a low tide, you might consider walking back to Miramar along the beach (about 30 minutes to an hour). The shoreline stroll will save you a considerable amount of backtracking to El Velero and you won’t have to worry about catching one of the private trucks that shuttle residents between the two towns.
Buses depart from Miramar to León roughly every two hours between 5 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The last bus of the day also stops in El Velero before making the trip back to León.