Accommodation on Little Corn is basic, but the view sure helps make up for it…

Thursday, Feb. 2, 2006
Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

As our small boat landed at Little Corn Island, the difference between it and its sister, Big Corn (see: 24 Hours on the Undiscovered Nicaraguan Caribbean Beachfront, below), is as striking as the contrast between these Caribbean outposts and mainland Nicaragua. Compared with the bigger island, Little Corn is quieter (its dog population hasn’t yet boomed), cleaner (the locals don’t dump their waste on the beach), and even more off-the-beaten-track.

While taxis are abundant on Big Corn–taxi driving, in fact, seems to be the top career choice among Big Corn natives–here on Little Corn, roads (as we know them) don’t exist. The "new road," which we took to get from the dock to our accommodation, was a dirt track through the jungle.

One thing the island shares with Big Corn is the pace of everyday life. Stop here for long enough and you can’t help but slow down. Waiting an hour for lunch to be served becomes the norm…but your patience is rewarded. The food here–particularly the seafood–is first class. Our best dining experience was lunch at the Cuban restaurant, Barra Intel Habana Libre, about a 10-minute walk from the landing dock on the west side of the island (past Hotel Los Delfines). My shrimp came with salad, fries, and traditional gallo pinto (a local rice and beans dish)–all decoratively laid out on a huge palm leaf. Lunch for two, including a huge fish and a couple of sodas, cost us $18.

Slow as they may be on land, islanders keep a different pace at sea. Speed is imperative; with the skipper that took us on our dive trip paying little attention to choppy waters. With one of the world’s largest barrier reefs, Little Corn is a diving paradise, and earlier fears of my first underwater experience were quickly replaced by a growing urge to plunge from the boat.

We didn’t rub fins with any dolphins this time (despite reports of dolphin sightings the previous day), but the manta rays and nurse sharks more than compensated. Zoe–my wonderful instructor with a death wish–liked to get as close as possible to the sharks, to drive them out of hiding for the "benefit" of the snorkelers above.

But, if diving or snorkeling aren’t your thing, you’ll find plenty to enjoy on Little Corn. You could spend a day walking the island, exploring all its white-sand beachfront…paddling in the crystal clear waters…before settling into your hammock for a well-earned siesta. To truly appreciate what Little Corn has to offer, I recommend staying at least two nights.

While island accommodation is basic–showers generally range from cold to ice cold–you’re paying for the unique experience. From the hammocks on the deck of our "Deluxe Casita" at Casa Iguana–a charming jungle lodge on the island’s east coast–we looked out over the turquoise waters of the Caribbean (see the photo above).

Dinner here, served every evening at 7 p.m., is communal. We shared our table with Japanese, American, and Italian guests, and swapped stories of our day’s activities and our itineraries through Nicaragua and Latin America. Portions are extremely generous and second helpings are encouraged. Breakfasts are equally hearty–to prepare yourself for a day of diving, try the American-style pancakes. (I challenge you to finish them!)

Rooms at Casa Iguana start from $25 per night; we paid $55 for the Deluxe Casita. For $80 a night, you can stay at one of the "Grand Casitas"–complete with hot water.

Lynn Chestnutt
For International Living

P.S. We enjoyed the island for its far-removed feel–its silence interrupted only by the gentle lapping of the waves. But, if you crave some noise, head for the island’s ear-splitting hot-spot: From Casa Iguana, walk 10 minutes along the beach (you’ll start to hear the beat five minutes before you reach the clearing). Then position yourself at a table between the two bars to hear the inescapable Bob Marley blasted in one ear–and some heart-tugging country classic in the other. To add to this surround sound experience, our visit coincided with the arrival of the first jet-ski. The local boys were having first go–and putting it through some serious stress tests.

P.P.S. My "Discover Scuba" dive package was booked with Dive Little Corn, the dive shop operated by the owners of Casa Iguana. For $65, it included full diving gear rental, an hour-long classroom session–including practice in shallow water–and an hour-long open water dive session. The fearless Zoe, Jake, and the rest of the team here are great fun–and put nervous first-timers (like me) at ease.