Back from Corn Islands
Kamilla and I just returned from five wonderful days in the Corn Islands, Nicaragua´s Carribean possessions. It was the best time.
So what I want to say to you is this: Don´t go to the Corn Islands! At least not more than two at a time.
The place is so peaceful, so untouched, that it would be a shame if a large-scale tourist industry (e.g. resorts, a service economy, etc.) spoiled the land and the culture of the local people.
We spent our entire time at Derek´s Place on Little Corn. The place was so secluded, tranquil, and beautiful that we did not want to move. The property sits on a grassy point with dozens of coconut palms. Our private cabana was made of wood and palm fronds. It sat just meters from the beach: a narrow white sand striped, lined with palms, curved around a sparkling blue ocean. To get to Derek´s Place one must walk for 20 minutes on a jungle path to the remote northwestern corner of the island. All the energy there is solar or wind, and Derek built all the structures there himself. The double room cost us $25 per night. More than any other place I´ve been, I highly recommend this.
It is the most hidden little spot one can find. I thought this would be just another beach vacation, but it was something of a completely different quality; it was as close to paradise as I´ve ever been.
So we spent our days lying on the beach reading, lying in hammocks reading, swimming in the ocean, walking around barefoot, roaming along the isolated jungle paths, making sandwiches for breakfast and lunch, eating seafood for dinner, looking up at a sky of crystal stars. More relaxing, swimming, and fun: You get the idea.
The local inhabitants are different from the majority of Nicaraguan population. They are African by descent, and speak a Carribean-accented English. They are primarily fisherfolk, and they live the way they have for centuries. Only recently has tourism become a more prominent industry. There are few connections with the mainland, and they do not naturally identify with Nicaraguan culture.
Getting there was worth the effort: A twin-propeller plane flight across Nicaragua, then a 30 minute boat ride from more developed Big Corn to Little Corn. We wandered into the little village on the island just once a day for dinner (when we weren´t dining with Derek and his delightful family.) There weren´t many provisions available (or cheap) in Little Corn so if you go I recommend you come prepared.
Sometimes in life you do something and you don´t really realize how amazing it was until the time has passed. That wasn´t the case here. In this situation we realized acutely in every moment just how special this experience was.
So what I want to say to you is this: Don´t go to the Corn Islands! At least not more than two at a time.
The place is so peaceful, so untouched, that it would be a shame if a large-scale tourist industry (e.g. resorts, a service economy, etc.) spoiled the land and the culture of the local people.
We spent our entire time at Derek´s Place on Little Corn. The place was so secluded, tranquil, and beautiful that we did not want to move. The property sits on a grassy point with dozens of coconut palms. Our private cabana was made of wood and palm fronds. It sat just meters from the beach: a narrow white sand striped, lined with palms, curved around a sparkling blue ocean. To get to Derek´s Place one must walk for 20 minutes on a jungle path to the remote northwestern corner of the island. All the energy there is solar or wind, and Derek built all the structures there himself. The double room cost us $25 per night. More than any other place I´ve been, I highly recommend this.
It is the most hidden little spot one can find. I thought this would be just another beach vacation, but it was something of a completely different quality; it was as close to paradise as I´ve ever been.
So we spent our days lying on the beach reading, lying in hammocks reading, swimming in the ocean, walking around barefoot, roaming along the isolated jungle paths, making sandwiches for breakfast and lunch, eating seafood for dinner, looking up at a sky of crystal stars. More relaxing, swimming, and fun: You get the idea.
The local inhabitants are different from the majority of Nicaraguan population. They are African by descent, and speak a Carribean-accented English. They are primarily fisherfolk, and they live the way they have for centuries. Only recently has tourism become a more prominent industry. There are few connections with the mainland, and they do not naturally identify with Nicaraguan culture.
Getting there was worth the effort: A twin-propeller plane flight across Nicaragua, then a 30 minute boat ride from more developed Big Corn to Little Corn. We wandered into the little village on the island just once a day for dinner (when we weren´t dining with Derek and his delightful family.) There weren´t many provisions available (or cheap) in Little Corn so if you go I recommend you come prepared.
Sometimes in life you do something and you don´t really realize how amazing it was until the time has passed. That wasn´t the case here. In this situation we realized acutely in every moment just how special this experience was.
posted by Hayden @ 1:00 PM
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