There and Back Again- To Little Corn We Go!

Mission Name: There and Back Again
Objective: Travel from Managua, Nicaragua to Little Corn Island, Nicaragua and back in 5.5 days with at least 50 hours of beach time in between
Distance: 355 km (about 220 miles)
Budget: $170/person
The Plan:

Bus/Boat Route-
Managua to El Rama 6hrs C160 (cordobas)
El Rama to Bluefields 2hrs C250
Bluefields to Big Corn 5hrs C250
Big Corn to Little Corn 1hr C205

=$36 x2=$72

GETTING THERE:

Tuesday Leave Managua: 9pm
Wednesday Leave Ramas: 5:30am
                   Leave Bluefields: 9am
                   Leave Big Corn: 5pm
                   Arrive Little Corn: 6pm
=21hrs

RETURN:
Saturday Leave Little Corn: 5pm
Sunday Leave Big Corn: Midnight 12am
            Leave Bluefields: 3pm
            Leave El Rama: 7pm
Monday Arrive Managua: 2am
=28hrs

 So Happy and Naive... 

Our First View of the Water

The Reality:

Bus/Panga/Boat...Wait No Boat/Taxi/Walking/Taxi/PlaneRoute-
Managua to El Rama 6hrs C160 (cordobas)
El Rama to Bluefields 2hrs C250

This is where our happy little adventure took a detour... After planning, penny pinching and a very long overnight bus ride, we discovered upon arrival in Bluefields that 2 of our 3 boat options were out of service and although it was only 8AM, the one remaining cargo barge was sold out, overloaded and surround by angry locals and travelers all trying to fight for their place on the boat. In most situations, the four of us ladies were more than happy to sit back and wait for the next boat/taxi/bus if the first seemed to crowded our expensive. However, the next boat was not scheduled to leave until Friday morning, leaving us stuck in Bluefields, Nicaragua for two days and eating up precious vacation time since school started at 7:30AM on Monday morning. 

A Dim and Lifeless Airport...

After two hours of waiting, talking to port authorities, wandering through the crowds of people, children, and food, and calling our advisers for suggestions and alternative routes, our weary group decided that getting on that boat was a hopeless cause. Our best bet was to fork over the cash for a flight to the Island (which would keep us right on schedule) and enjoy the time we had left. So we rushed back to the airport in hopes that the 2PM flight had enough extra seats for all of us to fit. So we waited... and waited... and waited... for 4 hours. At 12:30, we found out there would only be three extra seats and so decided to stay the night in Bluefields and get on the 7AM flight Thursday. It was at this point that we decided it would be best to buy round trip tickets ($174) since we would be "losing" a full day of vacation and flying home would save us the 28-hour trek home by land on Saturday. Yet as we begin the process of booking flights, three epiphanies added one more unexpected bump to our "plan." 

1. Since we had not been planning to fly and were not leaving any country borders, 3 out of 4 of us had failed to bring along our actual passports, assuming that copies would be good enough for anything we needed.

2. This in fact, was not the case and we would need to visit the immigration office in order to receive temporary visas to get on a flight. 

3. The immigration office would not open until 8AM the next morning as it was a 'holiday,' which left us unable to catch the 7AM Thursday morning flight and assuming that all went well at immigration, we would have to settle for the 2PM flight on Thursday.

So we did what we had to do. At 4PM, We booked and paid for the flights, not knowing if we'd actually be able to get on them. We left the airport in search of a cheap hostel in the town we'd been told was the "Armpit of Nicaragua." And from there, the adventure we thought was a disaster, began to surprise us with it unexpected blessings and beauty. 

Bluefields to Big Corn to Managua 2hrs $173
Big Corn to Little Corn 1hr C205

=$26 +$173= $199

GETTING THERE:

Tuesday Leave Managua: 9pm
Wednesday Leave Ramas: 5:30am
Thursday  Leave Bluefields: 2pm
                 Leave Big Corn: 4pm
                 Arrive Little Corn: 5pm

=44hrs

RETURN:
Sunday Leave Big Corn: 8:30am

             Arrive Managua: 9:30am
=1hr

Blessings in Bluefields-
  As we walked away from the airport very defeated and very tired, a taxi pulled up and the familiar face of the man who had driven us TO the airport 6 hours earlier waved us over and offered to take us to a cheap and safe hotel as well as agreeing to meet us early in the morning so that we could make it to the Immigration Office as early as possible. We check into the hotel (only $5/person) and after short naps decided we actually needed food more than sleep. We found a restaurant with a view and cheap enough beer to make us happy. 

However, the real surprise came as we walked down the stairs to leave and happened upon a beautiful display of cakes. Feeling a bit entitled, we picked one to share and carried it down the street back to our hotel, proudly displaying our trophy. On the way back, we were greeted by a parade of sorts with a traditional Caribbean flair and beautiful women in bright clothing. We originally chose to head to "La Costa Atlantica" in May because of the ethnic festivals that take place throughout the month, ending with the infamous Maypole celebrations. Since we'd arrived at the beginning of the month, we were delighted to still catch a glimpse of the festivities. 
The next morning, things went surprisingly smoothly at Immigration and after an hour of making sure we'd entered the country legally and nothing more than a harsh warning, we left the office with a few hours to spare. From here, we wandered through Bluefields which surprised us with its culture, eccentric beauty and defiance of its role as a less than necessary stop for travelers. 

One of my favorite stops was the old Moravian church which contrasted greatly to the many cathedrals we'd wandered through in the last few months. It was simple and elegant and as it was a Thursday morning, we simple asked the kind old man in the office to let us in and we were free to sit in peace for as long as we liked. 

Other great things about Bluefields included the murals painted all over the park in Spanish, English and Miskito, the best breakfast I ever had and an awesome seaside bar that was almost worth the whole trip.

At 2PM, we finally headed to our "destination" although we were all beginning to realize just how wonderful the journey can be. 


Our time on Little Corn Island was incredible. It was the perfect Caribbean isle with fresh fruits and seafood, pristine aquamarine water, scuba diving, snorkeling, sunbathing, and even a birthday celebration. Here's a video of the place we stayed which should give just a glimpse of how beautiful everything is there; from the people, to the landscapes, to the simplicity of life. 

(P.S. It's obvious 5 seconds in but it's NOT my video.)

  

 I'm so incredibly thankful to my faithful companions who pushed me along through the hot, sweaty, frustrating steps to make it to such a relaxing, unforgettable place. It would never have been the same without them and I'm sure we all have more stories about this trip than any of our others. If you're itching to hear more, just ask!