The Corn Islands are Nicaragua's Caribbean secret — two small islands off the east coast that offer world-class diving, beautiful beaches and a completely authentic Caribbean atmosphere at prices that make comparable destinations seem extravagant. Big Corn Island and Little Corn Island have different personalities but share the same extraordinary water clarity, healthy reef and the laid-back Creole English culture of the Caribbean coast.
Little Corn Island is one of the most genuinely remote and beautiful islands in Central America — no cars, no ATMs, electricity only part of the day and beaches of extraordinary natural beauty. Getting there requires a ferry from Big Corn that can be rough, but the reward is an island that exists at a pace and in a state of nature that larger, more developed Caribbean islands have lost forever.
Big Corn has more infrastructure — hotels, restaurants, ATMs and a small airport — but maintains a Caribbean authenticity that feels genuinely untouched. The reef around both islands is healthy and accessible, and the Nicaraguan Caribbean Creole culture — distinct from both mainland Nicaragua and other Caribbean nations — adds a fascinating cultural dimension to the natural beauty.