Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Don’t go to Little Corn.

Why you shouldn't go to Little Corn Island in Nicaragua.

Don’t go to Little Corn.
Because years ago the locals didn’t even need money. Because years ago the men catching lobsters would hand them off for free.
Don’t go to Little Corn.
Because it’s the kind of place where you need a flashlight to see your way back to your bungalow after 6pm.
Don’t go to Little Corn.
Because there are no streets, there are no cars, there are no motorcycles, there are no golf carts.
Don’t go to Little Corn.
Because there is only power for half of the day. Less when it storms.
Don’t go to Little Corn.
Because the bars there are almost entirely filled with locals.
Don’t go to Little Corn.
Because, maybe, a local rasta boy might repeatedly tell you that he could give you babies. And when you tell him you don’t want kids will tell you that you could use protection. And when you still tell him, “no,” he’ll still keep asking. And asking. And asking.
Don’t go to Little Corn.
Because everything you eat will be served with coconut bread. And that coconut bread will be way too delicious.
Don’t go to Little Corn.
Because it’s still beautiful.

Please, don’t go.

 

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Eating fresh fish on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Discarded Toña beer on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Bar at Grace’s Place on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Hammocks on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Getting hair wraps at Grace’s Place on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Getting hair wraps at Grace’s Place on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Getting hair wraps at Grace’s Place on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Getting hair wraps at Grace’s Place on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Getting hair wraps at Grace’s Place on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Getting hair wraps at Grace’s Place on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Me and the Parrot at Grace's Place on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Happy hour drinks at Tranquilo Cafe on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Happy hour drinks at Tranquilo Cafe on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Happy hour drinks at Tranquilo Cafe on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Happy hour drinks at Tranquilo Cafe on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Happy hour drinks at Tranquilo Cafe on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Happy hour drinks at Tranquilo Cafe on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

 

The Corn Islands are situated about 50 miles east of mainland Nicaragua. Little Corn, the smaller of the sister islands (the other, not surprisingly, called Big Corn), is a breathtaking, untouched, Caribbean island that spans only about one and a half square miles. You can get there (you know, if you really wanted to) via a twice-a-day flight from Managua followed by a short, but nauseatingly bumpy, panga ride.

And what can you do once you’re there? Relax, mostly. Relax. At least, that’s what I did. Take in some sun on a pristine white beach. Do some yoga in the sand. Spend a day lounging in a hammock. Unplug for a while.


The island only has power for half of the day, after all.

You can go diving (I said you, not I, we all know how I feel about diving) with one of the two dive outfits in town. You can go snorkeling. You can go swimming. You can go wading.

You can eat. You can eat all the fresh seafood you desire. All of it. You can eat coconut bread for every meal. And, really, you should eat coconut bread for every meal.

You can drink. You can drink happy hour specials at Tranquilo Cafe (and practice your non-existent Spanish while “borracho”). You can sip some Toñas with some new friends at your hostel bar. You can drink at the raggae bar, Happy Hut, while dancing all night and dodging the (non-threatening) advances of the local boys.

You can get your hair wrapped in multicolored strings by a new friend outside of your bungalow. You can watch the Chicago Blackhawks play in the Stanley Cup despite the Island only getting three television channels (because, luckily, a Canadian girl is deciding those channels). You can take long walks on the beach. You can take short walks on the beach. You can meet your next best friend. You can lose track of time. You can lose track of place. You can waste away the days or revel in the days.

If you do go to Little Corn, that is.

But you probably shouldn’t.

 

Hi, I'm Val. I spent most of my 20s in a standstill, unable to pick which path in life I wanted to take. I wanted the nomadic life of a traveler but also wanted the husband, the condo, and the kitten. Unable to decide which life I wanted more, I did nothing. When I turned 30 I’d had enough of putting my life on hold and decided to start “choosing my figs.” So, I quit my job, bought a one-way ticket to Europe, and traveled for three years. Now I'm back in Chicago, decorating my apartment in all the teal, petting my cats, and planning my next adventure.

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14 Comments
  • Jaime
    July 12, 2013at8:29 am

    This made me wanna go to Lil Corn right now.

    Love all the pics… as usual!

  • Tom @ Waegook Tom
    July 12, 2013at11:52 am

    Nicaragua was high on my wish-list already, and this post has made it move up even further! Little Corn sounds amazing. AND OHMYGOD THOSE GIANT DRINKS. I’ll send this post to a few Club 18-30 reps in the UK and see if we can get a couple of resorts built and start sending over my vomiting, promiscuous countrymen to liven it up 😉

  • theresa
    July 13, 2013at8:49 am

    hehehe the best days of my life here

  • Mark
    March 10, 2014at9:11 pm

    Glad to read/see you had a good time 🙂 I’ll be there next month and cannot wait!

  • Alex
    May 8, 2014at4:50 pm

    did you like how was the food?

  • Melody
    July 29, 2014at7:50 pm

    Where did you get the hair done?! I’m on little corn right now!

  • Novka
    December 25, 2014at5:05 pm

    Hi!
    What hotel did you stay at in Little Corn Island?
    Picking one right now…
    Thanks!
    Novka

  • Willy
    September 9, 2017at11:55 am

    Is it dangerous? how can i go? by Air from Managua?

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