I recently made a trip to the Corn Islands off the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua.  The experience was extraordinary.  I had often heard talk about these islands with their crystal clear waters and sugar white sand beaches.  I also heard some negative things, like that they were dangerous and lawless places.  From my experience, the islands were indeed paradise found.

Getting There

My adventure started out in San Jose, Costa Rica.  We drove northward towards the border of Costa Rica and Nicaragua.  We crossed at the main crossing point at Peñas Blancas.  It is never a lot of fun entering a Central American country via a land-border crossing.  It is confusing, hot and you need a double dose of patience.  There are any number of young Nicaraguans who will help you for a small fee (about $2-3 U.S. dollars).  For those of you who would be flying from the U.S. you would avoid all this by flying to Managua, Nicaragua and then taking a puddle jumper from there to Big Corn Island.  After the crossing we drove to Managua and spent the night there.  The next morning we flew in a very small plane for about 1 hour 20 minutes directly Eastward to the island of Big Corn. The service is provided by the airline La Costeña.  I must say that the service of the airline was less than satisfactory.  Nevertheless they did get us to the island safely (and back).  The cost of a round-trip ticket is about $170.

One thing I immediately noticed on the island was the abundance of taxis.  There are about 8,000 folks residing on Big Corn and almost every single car on the island offers a taxi service. You can circumnavigate the entire island for less than $5 and most cab fares will run you about $1 to almost any island location. We stayed at a place called Arenas Beach, which was within walking distance of the only island town of Brig Bay.  The entire island takes less then 30 minutes to circumnavigate via car and you can also rent a bike and do it (or just walk it).  The Arenas Beach Hotel was very nice.  They had a great beach out front and the service and food was excellent.  There are some other nice places on the island as well.  One that we visited was called Casa Canada. 

Things to Do

There are many activities on the island.  One of the best is snorkeling. There are many great locations where you can just walk right out into the ocean with your gear.  I had a great time snorkeling at Anastasio’s.   This is a hotel-restaurant-bar located at the beach called Sally Peaches.  They rent the equipment there and just off the dock there is an abundant coral reef with lots of marine life.  At night Anastasio’s turns into a disco with great reggae music.  Another thing that is interesting is that U.S. style Country and Western music is very popular on the island.  You can also hike around the island.  One of the best spots is the island’s highest point known as Mount Pleasant.  There is a look-out tower where you can get a 365 degree view of the entire island.  Of course scuba diving is great too.  A trip to Little Corn Island is also a great idea.  You can take a water taxi and it is only about a 20 minute trip to the island (cost around $7).  There you will find more of the same, crystal clear waters and white-sand beaches. However, Little Corn is less inhabited and more natural.  You can stay overnight at one of the resorts on Little Corn, but just be informed that Little Corn does not have power round the clock as does Big Corn. 

Staying Connected

I have to admit I had some problems in this area.  Although this was in large part due to the fact that our trip coincided with a holiday on the island, which runs the 26th and 27th of August each year (when the island inhabitants celebrate liberation from slavery). There is one internet cafe on the island.  The cafe was closed due to the holiday for most of the stay, but when it finally opened I found the connection speed quite good.  The hotel Arenas did not have adequate internet, but was in the process of having the service installed.  They were kind enough to let me use the phone to call the office in Costa Rica.  There is one cash machine (ATM) on the island.  The nicer hotels and most restaurants accept credit cards.

The People

The people of the island were quite warm and friendly. A number of languages were spoken, including English, Spanish and Miskito.  However, most residents of the island speak adequate English.  As for safety, we did not feel endangered at any time, but some island residents told us to be careful walking in dark areas at night. 

Now that I have made the trip myself I feel more confident in recommending the island.  If you are interested in learning more, or setting up a trip, please contact me at Package Costa Rica.

Link to Corn Island Photo Slideshow