Today I’m going to be sharing some information on how to get to Corn Island a little gem in the Caribbean off the coast of Nicaragua.
Big and Little Corn island are part of Nicaragua, and are off the Caribbean coast of the mainland. Being in the Caribbean part of the country makes for a very different experience. The culture here is distinct from the rest of the country, and also brings a perfect opportunity to eat Caribbean lobster and other delicious seafood!
Both islands are incredibly small. Big Corn island, in reality is hardly ‘Big’ as it is only about 10 square kilometres. Little Corn, obviously smaller, is only about 3 square kilometres. As you can imagine, that leaves little room for traffic, and lots of room for chilling and relaxing.
Corn Island is a great spot for an isolated beach vacation, and a great spot for divers. Here’s another great island destination that I’d suggest visiting! If you prefer to watch, you can check out this video instead.
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Getting to Big Corn Island
The fastest way to get to the Corn Islands is to take a plane. The only airline that goes to Big Corn is La Costeña. You can get a return flight from Managua to Corn island for about 160USD. You could also take a flight from Bluefields to Big Corn island as well if you took a bus there (more about this below)
Supposedly, it is better to call to book the flights (apparently it is cheaper that way), although I had trouble getting through and booked my flight online. If you are short on time, I would suggest taking the flight directly to Corn island, as the flight takes only about an hour. This is a bit of a steep price for the average backpacker, but there is a cheaper way to get there.
For those on a budget, the cheapest way to get to Big Corn Island is to take a bus to Bluefields.
Now there is a better highway connecting Bluefields and Managua (yay!). From Managua, the bus ride takes about 8.5 hours and costs 280 Córdoba (about 8 USD). You can view some of the bus times here.
Once you are in Bluefields, the cheapest way to get to the island is by ferry. The ferry ride from Bluefields takes about 6 hours, and cost only 12 USD. So taking the long way there and back compared to the plan would only cost you 40 USD. It could also be a good opportunity to check out the mainland Caribbean side of the country.
I’ve only listed the cheapest and fastest ways to get there, but you could also mix and match some components of each way to make it work for you.
For example, if a long ferry ride isn’t your thing but you don’t mind the 8.5 hour bus, then you can still take a plane from Bluefields to Big Corn. This would cost you a bit less than the full plane ride, and cut down a bit of time.
Getting Around
Once you’re on Big Corn Island, there are a few different ways to get around. Since the island is small, taxi rides are pretty short, and thus pretty affordable. Usually taxi drivers will pick up other people along the way as well (they might squeeze in more people than there are seats).
If you don’t want other people in your taxi, just make sure to ask them. To get to any spot on the island should only cost you about a dollar per person. Though they do raise the price at night time.
You could also opt to rent a bicycle, motorbike or a golf cart. This would give you some extra flexibility.
The cheapest way to get around would be by public bus. The bus ride around the island cost only 10 Córdoba. There is only one main road going around the perimeter of the island, and thus you can take the bus in only two directions. The bus runs about every 30 minutes, but stops at about 7pm.
For a tiny island in the middle of nowhere, I think every 30 minutes is a pretty sweet schedule. If I had been traveling on Corn Island on my own (I had convinced my mom and step dad to visit me in Nicaragua at that point) I would have taken the bus all the time. But luckily I convinced them to do it once just for fun (my mom and I on the bus in the photo below).
Getting to Little Corn Island
The only way to get to Little Corn Island is to first get to Big Corn Island and then take a boat. There are no planes that go to Little Corn Island because as you can imagine, 3 square kilometres does not leave a lot of room for an airport.
Generally you would take the panga (in the photo above) which fits about 5 people in each row. The panga goes to and from Little Corn Island only twice a day. You can read through the available times here.
The boat ride there can be a little stressful if the water is on the choppier side. About five minutes into our boat ride, we were getting pounded by the waves, and had to pull over this massive black tarp over ourselves from one side of the boat to the other.
If you’re on the side, know that you better have a strong grip to hang on to the tarp. On the way back we were going with the waves and so it was a lot more chill of a ride, and no scary black tarp required. It as a great ride until the little girl in front of me puked all over my legs…Though that’s not really relevant to this blog, feel free to ask me about this funny story.
Getting Around
There are no motor vehicles on Little Corn island. The only way to get around is to either walk or go by bicycle. As you can see the main ‘road’ on the island is much like the average neighbourhood sidewalk.
If you are looking to really get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, Little Corn Island is the best place to be.
Where to Stay and Where to Eat?
Though the islands are tiny, there are still various options for those on different budgets. If you have more money to spend, staying in a hotel or resort will be able to get you access to private beaches which obviously has it’s benefits. Comfortable rooms with AC, and free access to beautiful beaches.
But for my friends on a budget (which is generally how I travel unless I’m with my parents), there are a few guesthouses and hostels to choose from which would cost you less than twenty dollars a night! If you then want to access any of the private beaches where hotels or resorts are, generally you can pay (or eat or drink there) to get access.
As far as food goes, there are also a different options. We ate at some of the most fancy restaurants available, and also some of the little local food huts. What I can tell you from that experience, is that a lot of the smaller and cheaper local food huts had food that was just as tasty.
For awesome Rundown (a coconut curry stew/soup made with lobster, conch, fish and various potatoes) go to Linette’s kitchen. This sweet local lady has converted her home into a small restaurant which is famous on Big Corn.
I hope that you found this info helpful in planning your trip to this beautiful gem in Nicaragua! Though the Corn Islands are very much out of the way from all the other tourists spot in the country, I would definitely suggest making your way there if you can! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
If you have any questions about getting to either island, or anything else, leave me a comment!
For some other useful posts for trip planning, check out this one about what to pack for long term travel, or this one about the most important things to research before traveling.
