Corn Islands
Two coral islands in the Caribbean Sea off Nicaragua, one big and one small, with white-sand beaches, reef snorkelling and Creole seafood. The small island has no cars and is the most peaceful.
The Corn Islands lie about 70 km east of Nicaragua's Caribbean coast. They consist of Big Corn Island and Little Corn Island, and belong to the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region. Most residents are Afro-Caribbean people who speak Creole English, and their culture is very different from that of the Spanish-speaking, indigenous parts of Nicaragua. Big Corn Island covers about 10 square km, with a ring road, an airport and the main town of Brig Bay. Its main swimming spots are Picnic Center beach on the southwest bay, Long Bay on the south shore and Sally Peachie on the northeast. Little Corn Island has no cars, only jungle trails. Otto Beach, Goat Beach and the quiet, unspoiled Cocal Beach on the east coast are its highlights. The surrounding coral reefs and Blowing Rock, south of the big island, are the highlights for diving and snorkelling.
February to May is the dry season, with the best sea conditions. June to December is the rainy season, and October and November can be affected by tropical storms.
Getting there: Managua has daily flights to Big Corn Island (about 1.5 hours), and you can also take a boat from Bluefields. There are about two fast-boat trips a day between the two islands (30 to 40 minutes). The ride can be bumpy in rough seas, so bring waterproof bags. Cash is the norm on the islands, and ATMs on Little Corn often run out, so bring córdobas or US dollars from Managua. A stay of 4 to 6 days is recommended: 1 to 2 days on Big Corn and 3 to 4 days on Little Corn.
Top sights
- Little Corn Island – A small coral island with no cars. Jungle paths connect white-sand beaches, and it is the heart of diving, snorkeling and slow living in th…
- Picnic Center Beach – A long white-sand beach on the southwest bay of Big Corn Island. The water is shallow and calm, and beach bars serve lobster and coconut dr…
- Otto Beach – A white-sand beach at the northern tip of Little Corn Island, with clear shallow water and coconut palms, good for snorkelling and sunsets.
- Goat Beach – A secluded beach at the northwest corner of Little Corn Island, with few visitors, clear water and a jungle path behind it.
- Cocal Beach – A long palm-fringed beach on the east coast of Little Corn Island, lined with beachfront cabins and bars and cooled by the trade winds.
- Little Corn Island Lighthouse – A steel-lattice lighthouse on the central highlands of Little Corn Island, where the climb to the top offers views over the island's jungle…
- Long Bay – A long, curved beach on the south shore of Big Corn Island, open and uncrowded, with fishermen's boats and seaside restaurants along the sh…
- Sally Peachie – A rocky little bay on the northeast coast of Big Corn Island, where snorkelers can see coral and tropical fish close to shore, surrounded b…
- Blowing Rock – The archipelago's most famous dive site, where a volcanic rock pillar rises above the sea and fish, nurse sharks and rays gather along the…
- Quinn Hill Viewpoint – A small hill lookout in the southwest of Big Corn Island, overlooking Southwest Bay beach and Caribbean sunsets.
- Brig Bay & Emancipation Monument – The main town and port of Big Corn Island, with an Emancipation Monument commemorating the 1841 abolition of slavery and a fishing harbor m…
Where to eat
- Turned Turtle – The top-ranked beach bar on Little Corn Island on TripAdvisor, famous for its lobster dishes and the island's best repu…
- Comedor Maris – A family-run eatery at the northern end of Great Corn Island, known for rondon, a coconut-milk seafood stew that must b…
- Tranquilo Café – A long-standing seaside café in Pelican Bay on Little Corn Island, famous for its coconut bread breakfast sandwich and…