San Juan del Sur Emergency Numbers: Police, Ambulance (2026)

What should you know about healthcare and emergencies in San Juan del Sur?

Emergency number

911

Police: 118. Ambulance: 128.

Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: property-nicaragua.com, bestplacesintheworldtoretire.com

Good to know

Good to Know

Save 911 as your default — it works from cell phones for police, fire, and ambulance across Nicaragua, including San Juan del Sur.
Don't bother dialing 112 in Nicaragua — it's not a reliable emergency shortcut here like it is in Europe; use 911, 118, 115, or 128 instead.
Emergency call operators in San Juan del Sur are very likely to speak only Spanish — if you don't speak Spanish, having a local contact or your accommodation host call on your behalf can speed things up.
The Red Cross number 128 is the standard one to call for an ambulance/medical emergency nationwide, not a separate private hospital line.
San Juan del Sur does not have a hospital with genuine trauma-center-level capability — for anything beyond a basic injury or illness, plan on being transferred to Rivas (closer, more basic) or Managua (further, best-equipped).
Travel time from San Juan del Sur to Managua's major hospitals is commonly estimated at around 2–3 hours by road, so factor this into any emergency plan, especially if you have a pre-existing condition.
Comprehensive travel/medical insurance that covers medical evacuation is strongly advisable, since serious cases realistically mean a multi-hour transfer rather than a short ambulance ride.
English-speaking medical staff are limited in San Juan del Sur itself; having a Spanish-speaking contact or translator on hand can materially speed up care in an emergency.
Always confirm current hours and emergency capability directly with a facility or your accommodation host before relying on any single listing — services and staffing in this town can change.

Hospitals

Hospital Primario Gaspar García Laviana
Type
Public hospital (MINSA network)
Hours
Not officially published online; as the town's public referral hospital it is generally assumed to run a 24-hour emergency service, but this could not be confirmed from an official source and should be verified locally
Address
Located roughly one mile from the beach, next to the Santorini neighbourhood, San Juan del Sur, Rivas, Nicaragua (exact street address not published; MINSA facility listing recommends confirming current details directly)
Trauma Designation
No US-style 'Level I/II/III' trauma designation exists in Nicaragua. Within Nicaragua's MINSA hospital tiers, this facility is classified as a 'Hospital Primario' (primary-level hospital) — a step below departmental/regional referral hospitals and well below Managua's national referral hospitals. It is a comparatively new facility (opened at the end of March, cost around USD 5 million) with 45 beds and an operating room, but does not have the specialist trauma/surgical capacity of Managua's major hospitals.
Capabilities Note
Serves as the town's main hospital for the local population plus expats and tourists, and can perform some surgeries and deliveries, but is not equipped for major trauma, complex surgery, or advanced diagnostics — those cases are referred to Rivas or, preferably, Managua.
Centro De Salud San Juan Del Sur
Type
Public health center (not a full hospital)
Hours
Not confirmed; public health centers in Nicaragua typically run daytime hours with limited or no overnight emergency capacity
Address
San Juan del Sur town center, Rivas, Nicaragua (specific street address not published)
Trauma Designation
Not applicable — this is a basic health post, not a trauma-capable ER
Capabilities Note
Provides general consultations, vaccinations, and maternity services, and can stabilize a patient in an emergency, but serious cases are transferred elsewhere.
Centro Médico San Juan Del Sur (Centro Médico SJDS)
Phone
+505 8828 6035
Type
Private medical center / clinic
Hours
General consultations by clinic schedule; separately advertises a 24/7 emergency helpline
Address
Zona Central, Avenida El Albinal, Calle Frank Sirias, San Juan del Sur, Rivas, Nicaragua
Trauma Designation
Not applicable — this is a private outpatient medical center, not a trauma-capable hospital ER
Capabilities Note
Offers a 24/7 emergency helpline and can arrange home visits and initial emergency care, but is not equipped for trauma, surgery, or complex emergencies — those require transfer to Rivas or Managua.

Referral Hubs

Rivas
Facilities
Full-service public hospital
Distance From Sjds
20-25 minutes by car
Managua (Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas and Military Hospital)
Type
Advanced private and public hospitals
Characteristics
English-speaking staff, world-class equipment, specialized diagnostics and surgery
Distance From Sjds
Approximately 2-3 hours by car

Local Facilities

Hospital Primario Gaspar García Laviana
Type
Public Hospital
Services
Basic treatments, emergency care, limited equipment compared to larger cities
Language Note
Limited English-speaking staff; Spanish primary
Capacity Notes
45 beds, operating room, modern medical equipment for a smaller municipality
Centro Médico San Juan Del Sur
Type
Private Medical Center
Location
Central San Juan del Sur (Zona Central, Avenida El Albinal, Calle Frank Sirias)
Services
24/7 emergency helpline, home visits, specialized care (cardiology, cancer care), local emergency care

Emergency Numbers

Country: Nicaragua
EU 112 Note: 112 is not a reliable fallback in Nicaragua — use 911, 118, 115, or 128 instead.
City Specific Note: San Juan del Sur has no separate local emergency dispatch line — the national numbers below apply here as everywhere in Nicaragua. We could not confirm a dedicated San Juan del Sur police station direct line beyond the national police number; if needed on the ground, ask your accommodation host for the current direct line to the local Policía Nacional post.

Fire

Number: 115
Alt Number: 911
Description: Fire department: 115 from a fixed line, or 911 from a cell phone.

Police

Number: 118
Description: National police line (Spanish-language).

Ambulance

Number: 128
Description: Red Cross (Cruz Roja) ambulance line, the standard ambulance/medical emergency number nationwide.

Safety Apps

Official App Identified: No
Note: No official Nicaraguan government emergency/safety app was identified in research. Travelers commonly rely on saving the numbers above directly, plus standard tools like offline maps and their embassy's country-specific travel app (e.g. a home country's own travel-safety app) rather than a Nicaraguan government one.

Tourist Helpline

Number: 101
Description: 24-hour help line for tourists, available in English and Spanish.

Universal Number

Number: 911
Description: The main emergency number in Nicaragua is 911, reachable from cell phones for police, fire, and ambulance dispatch.

Key Limitation

Advanced diagnostics, major surgeries, and specialized care require referral to Rivas or Managua

Insurance Options

Availability: Private insurance available through Vivian Pellas (Club de la Salud) and Seguros America (Mi Salud brand)
Estimated Monthly Cost: NIO 1,095

Emergency Services

Red Cross (Cruz Roja) provides ambulance services and first aid

Physician Availability

Few English-speaking doctors in San Juan del Sur itself; most expats rely on private clinics or referral to Managua for serious conditions

Regional Referral Context

For any serious trauma, major surgery, or complex emergency, the practical standard of care in San Juan del Sur is to stabilize locally then transfer. The nearest larger public hospital is in Rivas, and the best-equipped hospitals in the country (including the private Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas and the Military Hospital) are in Managua.

Pharmacies

Limitations: Narcotics and specialty drugs may require trip to Managua or specialist referral
Availability: Multiple pharmacies in town with significant brand selection
Cost Advantage: Medications 80-90% less expensive than U.S. prices; most drugs sold per pill rather than full supply
Characteristics: Many pharmacies have doctor-on-site for quick consultations; most medications available over-the-counter
Common Medications: Antibiotics, blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetic medications filled easily without prescription
Sunday Access Note: Limited Sunday pharmacy access; plan ahead for weekend medication needs

Major Chains Present

FarmaValue
Farmacia Kielsa
MEDCO

AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026

Sources cited for this category

These are the sources cited in this emergencies research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.

More About San Juan del Sur

Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.