Caribbean Hotels

For those of you searching for Nicaragua Caribbean hotels, When we say “Caribbean” in Nicaragua, we REALLY mean “Caribbean”! As in islands, that is. Nicaragua boasts a 532km (330 miles) Caribbean coastline, stretching from the Rio Coco in the north to the Rio San Juan in the south, but it’s the Corn Islands, two gems floating 70km (43 miles) off of the mainland, that really will catch your attention. The two Corn Islands, Big Corn and Little Corn are lush with exotic fruit trees, native palms and surrounded by pristine pink and white sand beaches. A hideaway for pirates and buccaneers in the 17th century, untold numbers of shipwrecks and treasures still lay scattered along the turquoise shores of The Corn Islands, creating a new haven for scuba divers and snorkeling aficionados.

The local Islanders, descendant from the original British settlers and freed slaves, make their living from harvesting lobster and fish from the prolific, offshore fishing banks. A word of advice here – The tourism and hospitality industry is still very much in its infancy, even MORE so than the rest of Nicaragua! The upside is that you can experience true Island Life like it used to be, and buy an excellent dinner from street vendors for $1.50. The local beer is always cold and you buy rum by the bottle at the restaurants. The downside is that service is NOT the name of the game here and things run very slow. Please take heed of this and remember that slowing down is all what it’s about here.

The Corn Islands represent the Caribbean of a bygone era, before the big cruise ships arrived and the mega resorts. Think of any traditional Caribbean island destination and then put that image back 50 years, and there you have the Corn Islands. Unspoilt. Pristine. The Corn Islands are surrounded by a turquoise sea, with white sand beaches and jungle-like interiors. Both are small – Big Corn can be driven around (golf carts are the order of the day here!) in under an hour, and Little Corn, where the biggest vehicles you’ll find are wheelbarrows, can be walked across in 15 minutes.

Aside from pure tranquility, what you will find here is some of the best diving in Central America (this is a great, inexpensive place to get your PADI certification), some fantastic fly fishing, great food and culture (try the rondon), and that pure feeling of satisfaction that comes from finding that perfect beach in the world where you know your friends haven’t visited yet!

You are off the beaten track here in the Corn Islands, and like most of the rest of Nicaragua, the hotels are tiny, boutique affairs owned by intrepid expats who have made the pilgrimage to thise remote island outposts. For example, just getting to Little Corn Beach and Bungalows requires some effort. A flight from Managua followed by a 30 minute panga crossing from Big Corn to Little Corn (you will get wet!) followed by a wheelbarrow trek through the jungle to the windward side and the best beach you’ll ever see.

That’s the Corn Islands for you, and we sincerely hope to see you out here very soon!