We are considering visiting Little Corn Island with our kids 6 and 8 this summer. They spent 7 months traveling with us in Central and South America last year. I would love to hear from others with young kids who have visited the island recently. We are reasonably seasoned travelers- I have two concerns I would love input about. 1) What do people think of the panga ride for kids? Especially during the rainy season. Does it seem safe/ advisable? 2) What do people think of visiting during July or August (rainy season)? We can deal with inclement weather but don't need a week of pouring rain or to experience a hurricane first hand. Any recommendation on Casa Iguana or Derek's? Thanks, Colorado Family Travelers
2
thenicaraguablog
You'll need to contact Casa Iguana and tell them you have young kids, they're not keen on young kids as guests as they're worried the kids will get bored and 'disrupt the calm' for other guests!
you don't have to take the 'rollercoaster' panga you can pay more and get the 'slow boat' much calmer!
You'll almost certainly get rain that time of year but not all day, though of course the weather these days is unpredictable.
3
casamb
Hello fellow Coloradans!
I was on LC last May...incredible!
The boat ride is the only way for locals as well as tourists to get to the island from Big Corn..I saw several small and older children on the panga - your's will be fine. Sitting in the back of course is less bouncy. Nicas love children and will help you and them in and out of the boat.
I stayed at Elsa's but did visit Casa Iguana's and bumped in to a young woman working there from my little town in CO!!! What a flip out! It was a lovely place and the food was excellent. You definately need ressies for this place. The beach isn't the best in front but does have the closest to shore snorkeling. The water was calm and swimming easy. (I believe their generator runs 24 hrs whereas the other places on the East side shut theirs off at 10:00PM - thank goodness!)
I also snorkeled off the North End near Derek's & heard good feed back from other travelers. If there is no on site restaurant, you'll be hoofing it 30 minutes into town to eat. I spoke with a couple I saw on LC that I had met at Laguana de Apoyo - they stayed at Ensueno's and loved it.
The west side of the island was much hotter than the East & North - East being the breeziest...no biting bugs. There are quite a lot of stray cats...with fleas!...but sweet tempered.
I'm not sure how long you plan to stay on the island...there isn't a whole lot to do other than relax, swim, snorkel & dive...sounds like heaven to me but may not to others. If you fly to the islands, leave your return date open...go to Delfines and have them call to reserve your outgoing seats on the plane a day or two before your departure. I planned on staying 5-7 days and stayed 12!
Have great trip!
4
goredsox
yes,sit in the back of the boat but it's safe,they make everyone wear a life jacket.
you want to stay at either derick's,ensuenos,or farm peace and love trust me. everyone who doesn't stay over there wishes they did and walks from the otherside to enjoy the best beaches on the island.
we stayed at farm peace and love and had a great time. the owner paola is quite a traveller herself and is great to talk with. enjoy.
5
goredsox
i almost forgot, try the cheese pico in town.and the coconut bread is nothing to sneeze at either.
6
wyomingblueskies
We are considering traveling with our kids in April to LCI. Has anyone travelled in April, the weather looks dry, correct? Also, Derek's has great reviews, has anyone stayed there? Our kids are 9 and 6, or will be then. We'd like to dive but need to figure out how to dive separately since we will have the kiddos with us. Thanks, Wyoming Family
7
dollyd
Derek's is OK but further from town. Go to the Corn Island web site and check out all of the hotels and restaurants. There's a beach and Bungalow place now that looks good and has several good reviews. I've always stayed at Iguana, but thats person preference and I like that it's a short walk to town. The last time I was there, it was windy and almost too choppy for snorkeling. It all depends on the weather. You should be fine in April as far as sun goes, the wind can happen just about anytime. I know I will be attacked for this, but the beaches and the surf are much better on Big Corn Island. I really prefer it.
8
wyomingblueskies
We just got back from LCI with our kids (9 and 6). We stayed for 10 days and about half that time had calm seas, but no matter because you can find more sheltered bays within a pretty short walk or go to the west side of the island. We loved Carlito's - he is super nice. We had a miscommunication with the date of our arrival and ended up with a very small casita as far from the beach as you can get. But he made some arrangements and moved us within a few hours to a brand new casita right on the beach with two bedrooms and a kitchenette. It worked out great with kids. He has great food and a wonderful atmosphere. When you want a beer you just get it out of the fridge and he opens it for you and runs a tab. We also stayed at Derek's at the Beach House, which was more expensive but completely worth it. I think it's absolutely the best place to stay on the island, very peaceful. It was heavenly. We used the kitchen in our casita and made coconut bread toast and eggs for breakfast and splurged on a few lunches and dinners at Derek's and they also have good food. We only had two mishaps - the fish we ate one night made my daughter and I very sick (at a place we ate near the wharf). And my husband got bit by a dog at Farm Peace Love. But other than that it was fabulous, great snorkeling and diving, too.
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