How To Get To Corn Island Nicaragua [2024]: Full Guide!

You’re in the right spot if you’re looking for ways to get to Corn Island from Managua. But before I explain everything, let me give you a little spoiler. You found the true paradise for your vacation. The Corn Islands are amazing, and I’m sure they’ll leave you speechless, as they did with me. However, before, you’ll have to get there, and it’s slightly more challenging (if you don’t fly). But hey, nothing good comes easy.

I made this journey on my own, so in this article, I’ll give you all the details on how to get to Corn Island in Nicaragua.

How To Get To Corn Island From Managua (Nicaragua)

There are two ways to get to Corn Island from Managua.

The first option is to fly with an airline called La Costeña from Managua to the Big Corn Island.

The second option is to take a bus from Managua to Bluefields (a town on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua), then take a ferry from Bluefields to Big Corn Island. Finally, you’ll have to take a ‘panga’ boat to visit Little Corn Island. The panga boat leaves from Big Corn to Little Corn Island twice daily.

During bad weather, the schedules change, or the ferry and pangas are suspended completely. So be flexible and plan your trip accordingly.

Now that you know how to get to Corn Island from Managua, let me give you a detailed explanation.

NOTE: There are two Corn Islands, the Big Corn Island, and the Little Corn Island. So I’ll refer to them this way in this article.

1. Option: How To Get To Corn Island From Managua By Plane

If you decide to fly from Managua to the Big Corn Island, it’ll be the easier option but also a more expensive one.

The only airline that operates this route is called La Costeña. It has daily flights, twice a day, at 7:00 am and 2:00 pm. The airfare costs more than $130 one way per person. Check the La Costeña website for the exact price, as they might change over time.

The flight from Managua to the Big Corn Island takes 1 hour and 35 minutes.

PRO TIP: If you buy your flight ticket more than a month before departure, it’ll be slightly cheaper.

Only Big Corn Island has an airport. Little Corn Island doesn’t have one, and neither has cars. It’s a car-free island, only for passengers. And the only way to get there is with the local ‘panga’ boat.

You’ll have to take the panga boat from Big Corn to Little Corn Island. It leaves twice a day and costs $10 per person (one way). It’ll take between 20 and 30 minutes to get there.

2. Option: How To Get To Corn Island From Managua By Bus

While flying to Big Corn Island is a matter of one day, getting to the Corn Island by bus and ferry takes 2 full days. Yet it’s way cheaper than flying. So for all budget travelers, I have detailed information on how to get to the Corn Islands paradise.

Here is a quick overview of the cheaper way of getting to Corn Island from Managua:

1. Take a bus from Managua to Bluefields (departs several times per day)
2. Take a ferry from Bluefields to the Big Corn Island (departs only Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9:00 am, if the weather is bad, there is no departure until it gets better)
3. Take a ‘panga’ boat from the Big Corn to the Little Corn Island (departs twice a day)

 

So now that you have the outline of the cheaper journey to Corn Island open Google Maps and visualize it. Let me give you more details for each step.

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1. Take A Bus From Managua To Bluefields

First, you’ll have to take a bus from Managua to Bluefields.

The bus departs from the Mayoreo Bus Station in Managua. It takes between 7 and 8 hours to get to Bluefields. There are several buses throughout the day, with the earliest one departing at 6:00 am, to the latest one at 11:00 pm (as of February 2023).

If you take the bus during the day, you’ll have to stay overnight in Bluefields.

Taking the overnight bus from Managua to Bluefields will save you even more time and money since you won’t have to stay an extra night in Bluefields. However, I wouldn’t recommend taking the overnight bus. Everyone says it’s unsafe to travel or walk at night in Nicaragua. So rather be cautious and travel during the day.

NOTE: Many people told me that the bus from Managua to Bluefields was pretty dangerous (a hotel receptionist and another Nicaraguan woman specifically). They said people tend to rob you and you should be very careful. My personal opinion? The bus journey was pretty comfortable. Nobody tried to rob me. It might happen, but I felt safe traveling on that bus.

So don’t always believe what people say.

👉 READ ALSO: How To Get From Managua To Bluefields – details about the bus journey

2. Ferry To Corn Island Nicaragua (From Bluefields)

Once you’re in Bluefields, another adventurous journey is ahead: the ferry from Bluefields to the Big Corn Island.

The ferry from Bluefields to the Big Corn Island only leaves twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9:00 am.

Yet it’s not always so straightforward. In case of bad weather (strong wind and big waves in the sea), the ferry won’t depart. It doesn’t matter that the weather gets better the next day (Thursday or Sunday). The ferry doesn’t go.

Suppose it doesn’t depart according to its schedule (Wednesday or Saturday). In that case, you might get stuck in Bluefields for several days waiting for another ferry departure.

That’s what happened to us (with my boyfriend). We arrived in Bluefields on Tuesday evening and were excited to take the ferry on Wednesday morning. Then we came to queue for the tickets in the early morning only to find out (after an hour) that the ferry wouldn’t leave that day. Apparently, the waves were too big.

So we were waiting in Bluefields for three days until the following Saturday. Luckily, it then departed on Saturday. We went the port every morning to double-check whether the boat was leaving. You never know; the weather might change from one hour to another, and they decide to leave, leaving us behind. At least I made some local friends, lol.

So if that happens to you, go and ask locals at the port or the ticket office throughout the day whether the ferry might leave later or the next day.

How To Buy Tickets For The Ferry From Bluefields To The Big Corn Island

You’ll have to buy tickets for the ferry at the harbor in Bluefields. The office is inside the green door on your right-hand side when you enter the harbor. It opens on the day of departure (Wednesdays and Saturdays) at 6:30 am (sometimes later, around 7:00 am).

Be sure to arrive at the harbor between 5:45 am and 6:00 am, but no later. There will already be people queuing for the tickets. The spots are limited, and many people want to go to the island. The captain told me that the ferry has 255 places. But sometimes, people are left behind just because they can’t get tickets.

So go to the office early in the morning, and wait until it opens to buy the ticket.

The ferry ticket from Bluefields to the big Corn Island costs 260 cordobas per person (as of February 2023).

How Long Is The Ferry From Bluefields To The Big Corn Island

The ferry from Bluefields to the Big Corn Island takes between 6 to 7 hours. Here are some tips on how to prepare for it.

1. Wrap your backpack into the waterproof cover (if it has one)
2. Put all your valuables into a smaller bag that will always be with you
3. Buy a pill for seasickness (if you tend to get it)
4. Bring something to entertain yourself (I listened to an audiobook and spoke to other travelers)
5. Bring some snacks, food, and drink
6. Board the ferry at least 1 hour before departure and secure your seat on the upper floor

Tips For Ferry Ride From Bluefields To Big Corn Island

TIP 1. & 2: I recommend taking all your luggage with you and keeping it in your sight or close to you. If your backpack has a waterproof cover, use it. The ship is not the cleanest. You also never know if it might come into contact with water.

TIP 3: This ferry ride is hard even for those who never feel seasick. Believe me. Luckily, I barely get seasick. So even a brutal boat ride can be enjoyable to me. I didn’t feel seasick on this ferry either. But my stomach was slightly worse in the middle of the ride for like half an hour.

So if you easily get seasick, go to the pharmacy and buy a pill. You’ll be glad you did. The ferry is on the open sea for over 5 hours. The waves are quite big, and so it’s constantly shaking. It’s one of the more difficult ferry rides you’ll experience. Still, it’s a great adventure.

TIP 5: There is a shop/cafe on the ferry, so you can buy snacks, food, and drinks during the journey. But I recommend buying it before as it’s challenging to walk around the ferry. Also, it’s full of people (also sleeping on the floor), and it’s shaking.

TIP 6: The most important tip for you is to secure a seat/spot on the upper floor of the ferry. The best is to get in at least one hour before departure. Then, go immediately up and get a seat. Or, if you have a hammock, go outside on the upper floor and set it up there. The lower part of the ferry is super crowded, and there is no air or air conditioning.

3. How To Get To Little Corn Island

Last but not least, once you arrive in the Big Corn Island, you’ll still have to take a speed panga boat to the Little Corn Island (if that’s your destination). There is no ferry, you can only take a fisherman boat or a speed panga boat.

There are only 2 boats per day, at 10:00 am and at 4:30 pm. The panga boat is pretty small and probably can’t fit all the people coming from big ferry. So get off the ferry as quickly as possible and go fast to buy your ticket for the boat.

The panga boat ticket from Big Corn Island to Little Corn Island costs $10. The boat ride takes between 20 and 30 minutes.

You’ll see the panga boat from the ferry. The guy from the boat will point out where you can buy a ticket. So buy one and go back to the panga boat.

PRO TIP: For this ride, I highly recommend packing your backpack into the waterproof cover, and wrapping your valuables, especially electronics, into plastic bags so that everything stays dry. On top of that, wear a jacket and glasses. It’ll be a crazy ride.

PRO TIP: Sit at the front of the boat. It’ll be much bumpier, but you won’t get so wet. If you sit in the back side of the boat, you’ll come to Little Corn Island completely soaked.

P.S. I’m sorry the photo is blurry. It was difficult to take photos during that panga ride :D.

Congratulations! You made it to your final destination. You got to the true paradise on Earth. Stay as long as you can, because it might be difficult to leave. Enjoy and soak up the atmosphere as much as you can.

How To Get From Corn Islands To Nicaragua

You’ve made it to the Corn Islands, and that’s the most important thing. However, there is still the journey back to Nicaragua’s mainland. Many of you asked me these questions, so here you have the information about how to get back to Nicaragua.

How To Get From Little Corn Island To Big Corn Island

If you’re on the Little Corn Island, you must take the panga boat to the Big Corn Island first. There is a situation with the panga boats when locals simply decide not to operate them. It happened many times.

So if that’s the case, you’ll have to take a fisherman’s boat. It leaves on Sundays and Thursdays. But it changes all the time, depending on how locals feel. The best way is to check the situation regularly and ask your hotel/hostel. They’ll help you figure it out.

How To Get From Big Corn Island To Nicaragua Mainland

You can fly back to Managua with La Costena airline or take a ferry to Bluefields and the bus to Managua. You’d follow the same instructions as when getting to the Corn Islands.

However, it’s also tricky with the ferry back to Bluefields. It leaves from Big Corn to Bluefields on Thursdays and Sundays at 9 a.m. It also happens that the ferry doesn’t operate (for no reason) or because the weather conditions are bad.

So I recommend going to the Big Corn port daily to check whether the ferry departs and get all the information.

If the regular passenger ferry doesn’t operate, you can also take a fisherman’s boat. It’s a rough ride, and you’ll be sitting on the ground; the boat is shaking as you’re on the open ocean. But it’s manageable.

Practical Tips For Visiting Corn Islands

To help you prepare for your visit to the Corn Island in every single detail, I’ve got some further tips for you. Check them out below.

Are Corn Islands Worth Visiting?

Yes, the Corn Islands are 100% worth visiting. It’s a true paradise on Earth. If you can, make it to Little Corn Island, as I think it’s nicer to enjoy a true island paradise. If you want to enjoy pristine beaches and only relax, Big Corn Island has the best and cleanest beaches, so stay there.

How Long To Spend On Corn Islands?

I recommend spending a minimum of 7 days on the Corn Islands first because it’s either quite expensive or difficult to get there. Second, once you’re there, you’ll fall in love and won’t want to leave paradise.

Is Corn Island Safe?

Yes, the Corn Islands are safe. There is nothing to be afraid of. I felt safe at all times. Some travelers told me that they were robbed in their hotel rooms or on the beach. But that’s because they left their cash visible and didn’t hide it or leave their stuff unattended.

So hide your cash and keep your stuff in sight. Most importantly, use your common sense, and you’ll be fine.

👉 READ ALSO: Is Nicaragua Safe To Travel? Safety Tips For First-Timers

Where To Stay On Corn Islands? Corn Island Best Hotels

You can either stay on the Big Corn Island or the Little Corn Island. Big Corn Island has the best beach (Arenas Beach), so if your sole purpose is to relax on a pristine beach, book the hotel I recommend below.

Little Corn Island is more beautiful, and to experience the island life. So choose the island first, and then book one of the best hotels using the links below:

BEST HOTELS ON BIG CORN ISLAND:
➡ Arenas Beach Hotel
➡ Sunset Bay B&B
➡ La Princesa De La Isla

BEST HOTELS ON LITTLE CORN ISLAND:
➡ Yemaya Reefs
➡ Christina’s Guest House – you must at least come to see Christina, she is such an amazing human being 🥰
➡ Lighthouse Hotel & Spa

WRAP-UP: How To Get To Corn Island Nicaragua

These are the ways to get to the beautiful Corn Islands in Nicaragua. The journey is worth it if you don’t want to fly. It’s a big adventure, the locals are super friendly and interesting, and I’m sure you’ll have a great time. It’s like a different world over there.

If you have any questions or need a customized travel itinerary, contact me at info(at)voicesoftravel.com. I’ll gladly help you.

Happy Travels!