After one forgettable night in Managua I headed to the airport for some Caribbean adventures. While preparing my Nicaragua trip I read many blog posts about the country and 90% of them showed perfect photos of Little Corn Island, in the Caribbean Sea. That’s how I decided to include this tiny lost island on my Nicaragua “to do” list.
The journey to Corn Island is an adventure by itself. From Managua I took a little plane to Big Corn Island, which crosses the Nicaraguan jungle. We were flying so low that from my window seat I could have a glimpse of their daily life.
After landing to Big Corn Island it was time to sail to Little Corn Island, my final destination. This was done by speed boat. I had been warned about this boat journey: too much movement on the front seats, more water on the back. In the end, the weather was so windy that I had both. Actually I got the same experience than with the Shotover Jet in Queenstown but for one third of the price, lol. I arrived to Little Corn Island at dusk, completely wet and not in the mood to explore the island for a nice accommodation in that condition. I just picked a room for that night in a hostel close to the pier.
The following day, after a good breakfast and without the big backpack on my back, I could explore Little Corn Island easier and get a better picture of what the island had to offer. In the end I set my base camp in Cool Spot. Cool Spot is an ensemble of colorful bungalows with shared kitchen and a bar-restaurant by the sea, on the wild side of the island.
LIFE IN CORN ISLAND
I am not used to this kind of quiet life so it took me a couple of days to slow down and really enjoy it. I woke up with the sun and after a good breakfast prepared in the shared kitchen I just sat in the terrace to enjoy the sea breeze and my book. After lunch it was time for a bath followed by some minutes of sunbath. In the afternoon there was always something missing for the coming meals. This was my perfect excuse to walk to downtown and see a little bit of local life. I always liked to split my shopping into different shops (pulperias), like this I could talk to different people and see different places.
The Island main activities are diving, snorkeling and fishing. I did a snorkeling tour where I could spot Sergeant Major, Foureye butterflyfish, Spotin butterflyfish, Bluet ang, Yellowtail snapper, Bar jack and even a nurse shark! It was a great afternoon.
Dinner was always out, it was the time to enjoy the island’s specialties: lobster and kingfisher in different sauces. I preferred the second.
The latest days in the island were too windy and speed boat services were replaced by a single boat service departing . . when it was possible to sail! This stressed me a lot, I did not want to miss my flight back to Managua! For this reason I decided to leave Little Corn one day earlier. I spent the last day exploring Big Corn Island and its local life. End of my Caribbean trip.
MY TIPS :
- Best period to go: from February to April (dry season). However I went in December and the weather was OK. During the day but there was always a shower in the afternoon;
- Pack light: you will fly on a tiny aircraft and the luggage’s weight is strictly controlled;
- Food in Corn Islands is more expensive, with less variety than mainland. If you are traveling on a budget, look for a hostel /bungalows with shared kitchen and consider bringing a couple of packages of pasta and tuna cans in your backpack.
