Approximately 50 miles from the coast of Nicaragua, a blip in the Caribbean Sea, Little Corn Island is easy to overlook. It seems to be out of everyone’s way but maybe that is exactly the reason to go there. In a world where Hard Rock Cafes and Starbucks have spawned and sprawled to most corners of the globe, there is something to be said about a place that is hard enough to get to that McDonald’s hasn’t set up shop there…yet.
When we were planning our trip to Nicaragua, Little Corn Island was more of an afterthought than the star of the show in the beginning. But the more we read about it and the more pictures we saw, the more we realized it was exactly the kind of place we wanted to spend getting a few days of R&R in. We decided to spend 3 nights there and then head back to the mainland to do some volcano trekking. The minute we stepped onto Little Corn Island (LCI) and saw the colorful signs dotting the town center pointing to ends of the island that all ended up by idyllic beaches, we were sold. We canceled the rest of our plans and decided to extend our time at LCI. Why would you spend your entire vacation on LCI?
Here are 3 good reasons.
1. It is good for the body: walk everywhere, eat great food, get massages and try out diving
Only 2 miles long and 1 mile long, one end of the island is just a hop, skip and jump away from the other. No motorized vehicles mean you can either use golf carts to get around or do what I did which is just walk everywhere. I got quite a bit of mileage in on my legs over the few days I stayed there.
You can get lovely massages on-site as Little Corn Beach & Bungalow or at the Yemaya Resort (or both which is what I did :D). The food on the island is fresh and lovely.
Now, I am not a great swimmer at all but I decided to give scuba diving a shot when I was there! I got my beginner PADI certification with Dolphin Dive, a great locally owned dive shop with friendly instructors. The dive itself was stunning; the world under the ocean surface is a spectacle to behold and I highly suggest it if you have never done it before.
2. It is good for the mind: stay present and mindful
What do you think about when you don’t have something to occupy every minute of your day? What would you do if you had all the time in the world to do the things you keep saying you don’t have time to do? Like, read that book that’s been sitting on your bedside table forever or maybe think through that great idea you had a year ago that you buried and forgot about. How would you spend your days when you have nowhere to be and nothing to see?
Fortunately, there are things to do in LCI but none of them require you to run a million miles a minute; well you are on a Caribbean Island for crying out loud! Use this opportunity to do some mindful traveling. Read, write, meditate, unwind, let go. Get some technology detox in; journal; watch the colors of the sky unfold as the sun sets and rises.
When I went to LCI, I was on the brink of the collapse of a relationship that meant a lot to me. Being on the island with the room to breathe and think, I came to realize I was holding onto something that was long gone. Sometimes, you need to create time and space in your life to remind yourself to live it instead of letting it pass you by.
3. It is good for the soul: detox, unwind, rejuvenate
Little Corn Island is a feast for the senses. Breathe in the fresh, pollution free air. Watch the waves caress the shore as you lie on colorful hammocks letting the hours slip by. It’s reminiscent of a simpler time when life wasn’t all about Ubers, Snapchats, and Facebook posts. Enjoy it; your soul needs the refresher.
Now if I have convinced you to go to Little Corn Island, here are some planning tips.
Little Corn Island how to get there
From Managua International Airport, you hop over to a small shack of a terminal to take a rickety (likely delayed) plane to Big Corn Island. From there, you take a boat over to Little Corn Island. More details including timing can be found here.
Little Corn Island where to stay
We stayed part of our time at Little Corn Beach and Bungalow and loved it! They have unique rustic-chic cabin style accommodations right on the beach outfitted with mosquito nets and other necessities. The Turned Turtle restaurant onsite serves up great food and a mean pina colada. the Firefly studio offers daily yoga classes and massages to amp up the wellness aspect of your trip.
Even though I didn’t stay there, I did end up going to Yemaya Resort quite a bit to enjoy drinks with the views of the ocean and get relaxing massages in their rustic-chic spa.
Little Corn Island where to eat
OK, I know this is going to sound crazy but go with me here. Don’t plan this in advance. Remember when I said this island is just 2 miles long and 1 mile wide. How many restaurant options do you think there will be? Forget FOMO, there is nothing to miss out on. All your options are right in from of you and you can just walk around until something strikes your fancy. Keep it simple; that’s the fun of it!
Little Corn Island things to do
Again, you are on a Carribean Island so don’t overthink it in terms of finding lots of things to do. Try scuba diving and maybe even get your certification at Dolphin Dive. Sundays you can take a baseball game at the baseball field located in the heart of the island. Get lots of massages, try snorkeling, take yoga classes, maybe even given standup paddleboard yoga a whirl, relax and rejuvenate.
While I didn’t stay in one myself, I always love staying in Airbnbs when I travel. Check out this one and this one. You can sign up here to get $40 off your 1st stay!
Some general things to know about Little Corn Island:
- No motorized vehicles on the island; golf carts and your feet will take you everywhere!
- American dollars are accepted everywhere on the island
- Bring cash with you as there is no ATM and credit cards are not accepted everywhere
- Power is only available from 5pm to 2am but a lot of places have a backup generator to get through the rest of the time there. That being said, it wouldn’t be unexpected to have some power outages during your time there.
- Low season is between May and August when it is more likely to rain. I’ve heard September is a great time to go because it’s less likely to rain and you won’t find high season prices.
- The plug point is the same as in the United States.
- Make sure your phone has a flashlight or you carry one with you because if you are walking at night, you might have to do so with absolutely no lighting on the path.
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