Nestled in the waters off Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast, Little Corn Island is a hidden gem that calls for unspoiled charm and tranquil ambiance. This secluded paradise, located 43 miles off the eastern coast of Nicaragua, is a sanctuary for those looking for an off the grid island life experience. With no cars, a close knit local community, and pristine beaches lapped by turquoise waves, Little Corn Island invites travelers to unwind in a pristine tropical haven where time seems to slow down. But how do you even get to this remote far away island? Well that depends on your budget and the type of adventure you are looking for. I’ll cover the details below!
Table of Contents
- Is Little Corn Island worth it?
- How long to spend on Corn Islands?
- How to go to Little Corn Island?
- Where to stay on Little Corn island
- Things to do on Little Corn Island
- FAQ’s about Little Corn Island
- Final Thoughts
Is Little Corn Island worth it?
YES! The Corn Islands are certainly worth it. The Corn Islands are truly island paradise. The laidback way of life brings happiness with simplicity. The islands offer plenty of nature to explore on the land and the surrounding waters. If you’re a scuba diver, this place is for you! There’s a number of fantastic dive spots around both islands where spotting sharks, rays, and sea turtles is only the norm. Little Corn is particularly special for the smallness of the island and it’s ability to trek around the island entirely on foot. The beaches around the island offer fantastic snorkeling right off the beach. And with a very close knit community, the nightlife is just fantastic.
How long to spend on Corn Islands?
In general, I would recommend atleast 4 days on the Corn Islands. But depending on your mode of transportation, you may need to adjust as the frequency of buses is very low. There is plenty to do on the islands. Plus, when you are there and experiencing the ladback island lifestyle, you won’t have any urge to leave. So be sure to give yourself ample time on the corn islands.
How to go to Little Corn Island?
Getting to Little Corn Island can be very easy by plane or time consuming but cheap by bus and boat. But first you will have to make your way to Big Corn Island. Below I will present both options.
Flying to Big Corn Island
Taking a flight to Big Corn Island is by far the easiest way to get to the Corn Islands. The airline that flies to Big Corn Island is called La Costena. The flights leave from Managua and arrive on Big Corn Island. This flight is roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes. The flights are about $100 USD each way, however, you may find a cheaper deal if you call or email them. When I asked for a roundtrip ticket via email they quoted me $170 USD. I’ve heard some people getting roundtrip flights for as low as $130 USD. I’m sure it helps to speak in Spanish if calling, although they do speak English.
Getting to Big Corn Island by bus and boat
The cheaper but time consuming option is taking a 7 hour bus from Managua to Bluefields and then a 6 hour ferry from Bluefields to Big Corn Island. The buses and boats are only available at certain times. The boat from Bluefields to Big Corn Island only leaves on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9:00am and the boat from Big Corn Island to Bluefields leaves on Thursdays and Sundays at 9:00am. There a daily buses from Managua to Bluefields at various times throughout the day. You will have to buy the bus ticket beforehand.
Bus from Managua to Bluefields
I can’t express how important it is to buy a bus ticket beforehand. You may need to get to the bus station a day early to buy a bus ticket for the next day just to make sure you have a seat on the bus. Otherwise, you may have to stand on the last bus of the day like me and my friends did. Watch our struggle adventure getting to Little Corn on Tiktok.—>
The bus station in Managua is the Terminal Costa Atlantica. Here, there is one ticket booth that sells all the tickets. Be sure to get here atleast a day in advance to buy the bus ticket. It cost me 320 Cordoba which is roughly $8.75 USD. The ride is about 7 hours and you’ll reach the isolated Bluefields bus station.
Ferry to Big Corn Island
From the Bluefields bus station, take a taxi (25 Cordoba or 70 cents USD) or walk 45 minutes to the ferry port to catch the ferry to Big Corn Island. The ferry leaves at 9am so be sure to get there atleast an hour early to secure seats on the ferry.
The ferry ride cost 255 Cordoba or $7 USD. There was a nice air conditioned section on the second level of the ferry which is where I found seats. The ferry ride wasn’t too bad. I along with most of the passengers didn’t feel any seasickness. They played movies on the TV for the entire 6 hours of the ride. There are snacks and drinks for purchase on the boat.
Big Corn Island to Little Corn Island Boat
Now that you are finally in Big Corn Island, you are almost there to Little Corn Island. Home stretch!
If you are arriving to Big Corn Island from the airport, take a taxi to the ferry port. If you are arriving by the boat, walk down the pier outside the big gate.
On the side, there is a blue building that sells the Panga tickets for Little Corn. Be sure to grab tickets as soon as you get there because they do sell out very quickly. There is also only one public boat per day that goes between the two islands. From Big Corn to Little Corn, it leaves at 4:30pm. From Little Corn to Big Corn it leaves at 6:30am. It costs $10 USD per person for the ride.
The panga ride is about 45 minutes and a bit bumpy. No one on my boat felt seasickness. It was actually a very fun ride. Once you arrive on Little Corn Island, you will be greeted by someone from your hotel holding a sign to guide you to the hotel.
Where to stay on Little Corn island
For such a small island, there are quite a few places to stay throughout Little Corn Island. You’ll find luxury accomodations as well as a budget backpacker hostel.
Luxury Hotels on Little Corn Island
To live up the island paradise, consider staying at Yemaya Reefs. This luxury hotel is located on its on secluded beach in the north side of Little Corn Island. Yemaya Reefs can be accessed by boat, which can be booked in advance from the ferry port on Big Corn or from the ferry port on Little Corn.
The hotel has 3 different types of rooms ranging from different prices. All 3 are very well kept and comfortable. There is also a restaurant on site offering dishes using ingredients from their local garden. And finally, the hotel can arrange a number of activities from snorkeling to a relaxing spa treatment.
Budget and Mid Range Hotels on Little Corn Island
There is only one hostel on Little Corn Island called Three Brothers that goes for $10 a night for a bed in a dorm. The hostel is equipped with a kitchen and laundry. You are also able to book snorkeling excursions through the hostel.
I stayed at Grace’s Place – the Cool Spot, which is a fantastic family run business. I also paid $10 a night but got a nice room all for myself. Bathrooms were shared. The hotel is right on the beach and also has a restaurant on the property. Wifi was ok here, as it is everywhere on the island. And filtered water is included in the room price.
Grace’s Place is located on the East side of the island and requires a 15 minute walk from the ferry port and the restaurants on the West side of the island. Regardless, I would highly recommend staying here for some peace and quiet. There are several other hotels right next to Grace’s Place, many only able to be booked by phone or in person.
Things to do on Little Corn Island
Being a small island in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, most activities around Little Corn Island will involve the water.
Go on a fishing trip
If there is one thing you need to do on Little Corn, it’s go on a fishing trip. There’s nothing more like island life than catching your own fresh fish or fresh seafood to turn into your next meal. Right off the beach there is a vast array of sea life which makes it a perfect spot for fishing.
Ask your hotel or make friends with a local to take you out for a day of fishing. My friends and I met a local fisherman a night out who offered to take the whole group fishing the next day for $20 USD per person. We tried to catch fishing using simple fishing rope and a hook and it was much more difficult than I thought! Somehow I managed to catch 4 fish which we ended up cooking and eating later in the day. Along with the fish we also got to eat breadfruit (which I’m not a big fan of) and other vegetables with fresh coconut water.
Other than fishing, the ride made a wonderful boat trip where we also got to see around the island. We saw some unspoiled beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters, some of the best in all of Central America.
Scuba Diving on Little Corn Island
Scuba diving on Little Corn Island is another must do activity. The visibility is fantastic as is the sea life. Here is another recap video of diving on Little Corn. –>
I booked 3 dives with Dolphin Dive Little Corn and had the best experience ever. For 3 dives it cost $110 USD with all the rental equipment included. The crystal clear waters made diving especially unique making it easy to spot sealife. It only took 10-15 minutes to get to the dive spots and it didn’t take long to spot a ray or shark.
Snorkel around Little Corn Island
The Corn Islands consist of fantastic snorkeling right off its beautiful beach. On Little Corn Island, I highly recommend visiting Fowl House Beach and walking over to K’s cove. The sealife in this area is magnificent and it’s right off Little Corn beach. From Fowl House Beach, there is a rocky area to the left that leads to K’s cove. If you swim around that bend you’re sure to see a wide variety of fish, coral, and maybe even a shark!
In addition, snorkel tours are offered widely throughout the island. Ask your hotel or walk along the main footpath on the West side of the island to find a tour guide to take you snorkeling. There is so much to see on the Corn Islands, on the land and in the water!
Watch the Sunset
There are incredibly beautiful sunsets around the entire island. All of the restaurants on the West side of the island offer beautiful views of the sunset. Tranquilo Cafe is a popular spot in Little Corn for sunsets.
If you are looking for a secluded spot, I recommend walking along the beach to the North side of the island or navigating through the maze of foot paths to the North side. To the East of Fry Fish bar and Yemaya Reefs, there is a nice beach where you can relax and enjoy sunset.
FAQ’s about Little Corn Island
Why are the Corn Islands called “Corn Islands”?
The origins of the name Corn Islands is a little blurry and under speculation. However, there are a few theories. Corn was known to be a staple crop in the area which may be why the British colonizers who came in the 18th century names the islands “Corn Islands”. Another theory is that ships and pirates would often stop at the islands to replenish their beef stock. Beef in Spanish is “carne” so when the British colonizers came, the name got altered to “corn”.
What language is spoken on the Corn Islands?
English is widely spoken on the Corn Islands so lucky for me, I had absolutely no trouble with the language. Although there is a heavy Caribbean accent. Creole and Spanish is also widely spoken.
Are there cars on Little Corn Island?
There are no cars on Little Corn Island. The island is very small so making your way around the island on foot or by bicycle is no issue. Boats are also used to get around the island and may be much faster than walking.
There are, however, cars on Big Corn Island. Either local cars or taxis. Rental cars are not available on the island.
Is there an ATM on Little Corn Island?
Little Corn Island has no ATMs and everything runs on cash. Big Corn Island does have a Banpro ATM. However, be sure to bring plenty of cash before coming to the Corn Islands.
Are there grocery stores on Little Corn Island?
There are no big, chain grocery stores on Little Corn. However, there are smaller stores and local homes with markets in front that sell vegetables and staples. The prices of groceries is much higher than you would find on mainland Nicaragua, for obvious reasons.
I brought a small bag with some fresh vegetables and fruits from Managua. Also bought a few more items in Big Corn island while waiting for the Little Corn panga. I highly recommend atleast buying some fruits and vegetables from Big Corn island if you aren’t able to get any from mainland Nicaragua.
How long does it take to walk around Little Corn Island?
Its small island is just 1.1 square miles and can easily be explored by walking or biking in an easy few hours. Walking the entire perimeter of the island may take about 5ish hours.
Final Thoughts
Little Corn Island is truly an island paradise. If you are on the fence about going to this little island, this is an article telling you, you MUST go! Living a different pace of life and leaving your worries behind makes Little Corn one of the most peaceful and serene destinations. It may be an escape, or it may be an adventure. Nonetheless, it is a great place for self reflection.
And for me, this was another one of those spots that got me thinking about what my priorities are in life. We spend so much time chasing our careers, trying to make more money, and climbing the corporate ladder, we sometimes forget to stop and smell the roses every once in a while. To me, Little Corn Island was a place where I recognized the smaller, simpler things in life and the joy these things brought me. Like seeing sunset and sunrise every day, eating coconut bread and fresh fish, picking mangos off the tree, and swimming in the ocean at any time of the day. These are things that I would often overlook in my day to day life but have learned to appreciate now. Little Corn Island was truly a special place for me.
So if you have the chance to visit Little Corn, you should do it. It’s a bit of a hassle to get to but it’s totally worth it. You are guaranteed to enjoy your time here.
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This place looks magical. It reminds me of a trip I made many years ago to a small island in Belize. The beach is the star of these little islands.
I am interested in snorkeling on Little Corn Island. I love that you highly recommend visiting Fowl House Beach and walking over to K’s cove. This is a perfect suggestion!
I absolutely loved this post! Little Corn really does seem like a great place to relax and disconnect from our day to day troubles.
This place is gorgeous! I love the videos you show on the sides. Thank you for all the details from how to get to the island to places to shop.
Prior to reading your blog post I haven’t heard about Blue Corn before. I’d love to go fishing or skydiving during a trip there. Great article!
Such a delightful off the beaten track location. No cars and boat transport to get around, my kinda place.