Travel Guide Big Corn Island

The "Big Corn Island" lies off the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua. It's yet another world, a kind of Miskito-British insularity where the influence of Spanish is beginning to be felt.Described as a paradise by tourist brochures, Big Corn Island suffers from comparisons with Roatán in Honduras or Kuna Yala in Panama. The beaches are few and not always very clean, but the waters are turquoise and emerald. Picnic Center, towards the south-west, is the most suitable for swimming, with a few small sandbanks scattered here and there.Unfortunately, the proximity of San Andrés Island in Colombia has encouraged the emergence of drug trafficking, with the two Corn Islands serving as a hub for the North American market. Nicas from the mainland and indigenous Miskitos have recently arrived, changing the cultural landscape, and cohabitation with the local black population is not always the most cordial. In fact, you can't really sense the community's desire to develop tourism on the island. Faces are a little tense, and the welcome is often apathetic or indifferent. What's more, certain areas are now very dangerous to walk around: the whole southern cone of the island after Martha's Bed & Breakfast (machete attacks recorded, we assure you!), Quinn Hill and La Loma in particular. We do not recommend walking on the beach at night.You'll enjoy your stay - the island is beautiful enough to be enjoyed, but please be careful.