The Corn Islands, situated 70 kilometers off the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, encompass Big Corn Island and Little Corn Island. These islands offer lovely opportunities to admire the Caribbean aspect of Nicaragua, with beautiful blue waters, white sandy beaches, captivating coral reefs, and marine life surrounding them.
While the tourism enterprise in the Corn Islands is tiny, it continues to grow progressively. The facilities here are backward compared to those in more developed areas, but they are still extraordinary.
Big Corn Island:
The more developed of the two islands is Big Corn Island, masking 10 square kilometers and boasting marvelous beaches for swimming. Nearby coral reefs provide fantastic diving and snorkeling possibilities, with impressive coral systems and dive operators on the island. During your stay, you could additionally take boat tours or go fishing. Other sports on Big Corn Island encompass horseback use, walking, or biking to discover the island. It has roads and a 12-kilometer toll road circling the entire island, making it a unique manner to tour the island.
Little Corn Island:
Just 15 miles from Big Corn Island is Little Corn Island. This small island spans approximately three square kilometers and does not use roads or automobiles—it's, in reality, a tropical paradise. There are numerous accommodations and restaurants on Little Corn Island. The white sandy beaches and turquoise waters create a serene atmosphere. Little Corn Island provides tremendous opportunities for swimming and diving. Like Big Corn Island, there are a couple of dive operators on Little Corn Island, permitting you to revel in the stunning Caribbean Sea.
Corn Islands Map
| Name | Corn Islands |
| Country | Nicaragua |
| Autonomous Regions | South Caribbean Coast |
| Coordinates | 12°10′N 83°02′W |
| Area | 5.0 sq mi (12.9 km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 |
| Population | 7,747 |
| Airport | Corn Island Airport (MNCI) |
History of Corn Islands
Pirates and slaves. During the colonial period, the territory of the Corn Islands turned into a critical passage contested by English, Dutch, and French pirates who were looking to manipulate Spanish royal authority. English pirates allied with the dominant Miskito humans along the Caribbean coast and enslaved the indigenous Kukra Indians and Africans brought from Africa to the islands. They were applied for domestic, agricultural, and cargo labor without any repayment.
On August 27, 1841, Colonel Alexander MacDonald, the Governor of Honduras, declared freedom for the 98 slaves then present on the island. As a remnant of British rule, the name Corn Islands or Corn Island was retained. Tales and legends of hidden treasures evoke recollections of the pirate experiences.
Dispute. In 1900, Colombia claimed the Corn Islands as part of its territory, leading to protests from Nicaragua. In 1928, amid North American intervention in Nicaraguan territory, the two international locations signed a treaty acknowledging Nicaragua's sovereignty over the Corn Islands. In change, America ceded the islands of San Andrés and Providencia to Colombia.
In 1914, Nicaragua leased these islands to the US for 99 years. The United States retained software rights over Corn Island till April 25, 1971, while the agreement became officially terminated with the Chamorro-Bryan Treaty's abolition.
Devil's Island. For a time, Corn Island became referred to as "Devil's Island," with few traffic inclined to discover it. Due to its faraway and remoted vicinity, the Corn Islands were amongst Anastasio Somoza García's favorite locations to ship political prisoners for "holidays."
In July 1944, the Somoza regime despatched 22 political prisoners to Big Corn Island as they demanded his resignation through an indication. It becomes a historical exile, lasting simply over a month. Three exiles were lucky to locate shelter with associates, while the opposite 19 were stacked in a warehouse without a pillow, sheets, or beds, plagued by flies, mosquitoes, and midges. They ate what they may locate inside the mountains or the sea and drank rainwater amassed in barrels or drawn from puddles. They went back to Managua sunburnt, emaciated, and suffering from diarrhea.
Tourism. In May 2013, Little Corn Island became ranked 53rd most of the CNN Travel Channel's worldwide pinnacle 100 beaches. Today, it usually serves as a vacation destination for those searching for a few days of rural freedom.
Tragedy. On Saturday, January 23, 2016, a shipwreck claimed the lives of 13 Costa Rican tourists traveling the Corn Islands. They had been heading to return from Little Corn Island, about 15 kilometers from Big Corn Island when the coincidence happened. Within minutes of placing sail, the ocean have become rough, and at 1:30 p.m., violent waves capsized the Caribbean Queen, inflicting 33 passengers to fall into the water.
Best Activities and Hotels on Corn Islands
Big Corn Island
Big Corn Island offers convenient transportation—spend 20 cordobas to take a shared taxi to most parts of the island. With around 5,000 residents, Big Corn Island provides 24-hour electricity, cars, taxis (for just $2 to reach anywhere on the island), a harbor with boats over 70 feet long, an airport, baseball and basketball courts, and numerous beaches and hotels.
There's a variety of activities to choose from, including jet skiing, hiking, or scuba diving. Along the winding paths of Rundown and Toña, the beautiful colors resemble a Caribbean seascape, stretching charmingly to the horizon.
The sand at Picnic Beach is soft, and the water is perfect for swimming. We stayed at a hotel near the harbor, which cost us around $15.
You can spend a whole day snorkeling among the rocks near the shore on the beautiful blue and white sandy beaches or engage in both shallow and deep diving activities. However, it's recommended to dive at Little Corn Island, as the coral reefs there are the most stunning.
The Corn Islands' fishing industry mainly exports lobster and shrimp, which means there's no shortage of them. You can't miss the delicious fresh seafood and drinks at The Buccaneer and Sea Side Grill.
Accommodations on Big Corn Island range from less costly and first-class guesthouses to well-prepared lodges and hotels.
Hospedaje Rosa Del Mar is simply steps far from Long Bay Beach. There's a small convenience shop around the corner promoting water, milk, and bread. The owner could be amiable, supplying airport pickup and arranging a taxi to the harbor.
Ocean View offers garden perspectives with the Caribbean Sea simply across the road! It's a quick walk to Sally Peachy Beach, wherein you can snorkel right across from the hotel.
Paraiso Beach Hotel is also near lovely beaches, presenting affordable prices and precise services.
Little Corn Island
When you arrive at Little Corn Island, you may not be able to locate any taxis. There are not any cars on Little Corn Island in any respect—the most effective manner to get around is strolling or by means of bicycle, which is sufficient on an island that is only 2.9 rectangular kilometers in size.
Little Corn Island is the greater comfortable and backpacker-pleasant of the two islands. Most budget-conscious tourists spend the bulk of their time there. You can stroll anywhere, from the breezy beaches on the north and west to the laid-again town where most stores and eating places are located. Accommodations are scattered between the seashores, the city, and the connecting roads. The water at Otto Beach may be very blue and beautiful but can be pretty rough in some instances.
The town seashores are lovely but have a whole lot of rocks inside the water. Snorkeling and diving are popular on Little Corn Island, which shouldn't be an issue if you avoid the rainy season.
You can discover lodges in the town, from very fundamental and cheap (around $15/night) to slightly extra upscale (around $100/night). There's the most straightforward "luxury" hotel at the northern tip of the island supplying standalone cabins for around $2,000/week.
Sunrise Paradise/Carlito´s Place is one of the many small hotels located on the eastern seashore of the island. They offer very basic, colorful seaside cabins with a bed, a fundamental toilet, a mosquito net, and perspectives of the Caribbean Sea.
How to Get to Corn Islands
To attain the Corn Islands, your first target is to arrive at the biggest one: Big Corn Island. Like all islands, you have two alternatives to get there—by plane or by boat. The first is faster but more steeply priced, while the second one is less expensive but a lot slower. If your journey timetable permits, the first-class preference is to take a flight with La Costeña, which gives several flights every day from Managua, for which the price (round trip) is $189 to $200. Still, there are many tour operators and hotel alliances that offer vacation packages for $230 to $350 (depending on the situation).
If you're seeking to save on transportation charges, you may continually choose a boat experience from Bluefields, which takes about six hours and costs about $12 one way. However, be prepared with motion illness remedy for the almost day-long adventure.
Once you arrive at Big Corn Island, you may take a ship to Little Corn Island. Typically, two boats depart daily, and the journey lasts 30 to 40 minutes (It costs about $7 to go one way). Schedules and the wide variety of trips may additionally vary, as journeys may be canceled if there aren't enough passengers. If you're touring towards the wind on this launch, be prepared to get wet from head to toe.
Tips for Corn Islands
- Nicaragua, including the Corn Islands, uses the same widespread plug kind as the United States.
- Big Corn has a more extensive market-fashion shop. If you intend to prepare dinner on Little Corn, it is great to stock up on necessities at the supermarket earlier than arriving.
- There are ATMs on Big Corn. However, cash often runs out. Many shops and eating places do not receive playing cards. There are not any ATMs on Little Corn, so make sure you've got sufficient cash available.
- While the Nicaraguan Córdoba is the number one currency used at the Corn Islands, US greenbacks are extensively regular as well.
