The Corn Islands: Caribbean Nicaragua

Today you explore graceful Granada and cruise the islets of Lake Nicaragua. In the morning you walk the handsome central plaza, dominated by the ochre-yellow cathedral, climb the bell tower of La Merced church for a sweeping rooftop panorama of red-tiled roofs, lake and the Mombacho volcano, and wander the lively Calle La Calzada lined with cafes. In the afternoon you board a boat to glide among Las Isletas, a beautiful archipelago of 365 tiny tropical islands scattered off the city, drifting past lush green islets fringed with palms, spotting herons, cormorants and playful monkeys, with the great volcano rising behind. The colour of the city and the serenity of the lake are captivating, and a lovely freshwater counterpoint to the Caribbean to come. As the day ends, you return to Granada. This evening, savour its relaxed atmosphere. Rest well.

Today you swap the colonial Pacific for the tropical Caribbean. You transfer to Managua for a scenic domestic flight out over jungle and lagoons to the Corn Islands, tiny palm-fringed specks in the warm Caribbean Sea. Landing on Big Corn Island, you take a short, exhilarating panga boat ride across turquoise water to car-free Little Corn Island, a speck of jungle, beach and reef with no roads and no cars. You settle into your beachside lodge amid coconut palms, kick off your shoes, and feel the slow, easygoing rhythm of island life take hold. In the afternoon you swim in bathwater-warm turquoise shallows and laze on the powder-white sand. As the day ends, you watch the light soften over the sea. This evening, feast on fresh lobster beneath the stars. Rest well in Caribbean paradise.

Today you explore the vivid underwater world of the Corn Islands. You slip into warm, gin-clear turquoise water to snorkel or dive the vibrant coral reefs that ring the island, drifting over gardens of coral alive with parrotfish, angelfish and shoals of silver, spotting green turtles grazing, spotted eagle rays gliding gracefully, and docile nurse sharks resting under ledges. Beginners can snorkel straight off the beach or take a first try-dive in calm, clear water with an instructor, while certified divers explore walls and reefs teeming with life. Between the water, you laze on the sand and refuel on coconut rice and fresh fish. The colour and abundance of the reef are exhilarating. As the day ends, you rinse off the salt and settle in. This evening, savour island seafood beneath the palms. Rest well.

Today you drift deeper into the gentle rhythm of Little Corn Island. With no cars and no roads, you explore on foot, following sandy paths between palm groves and tiny guesthouses to deserted coves on the wild windward side, swimming off empty white-sand beaches and lazing beneath the palms. You might take another snorkel or dive, join a fishing trip with a local boatman, practise yoga on the beach, or simply unplug entirely, reading in a hammock to a soundtrack of lapping waves and distant reggae. You chat with warm, easygoing islanders, feast on lobster, coconut bread and rundown stew, and let island time work its magic. The peace and unspoiled beauty are blissful. As the day ends, you watch the stars emerge over the sea. This evening, savour the island's laid-back warmth. Rest well.

Today you enjoy a final, flexible day in Caribbean paradise. You might take one last snorkel or dive on the reef, kayak or paddleboard the turquoise shallows, walk the whole tiny island in a morning, or simply surrender to the hammock, swimming, reading and dozing beneath the palms as the warm days drift by. You might climb to the island's little lighthouse viewpoint for a sweeping panorama of reef, jungle and sea, browse for a shell necklace or a piece of local art, and share a last long lunch of fresh lobster by the water. This flexible day lets you savour the island and reflect on your journey. As the day ends, you watch a final Caribbean sunset over the palms. This evening, savour a farewell seafood feast. Rest well ahead of your journey home tomorrow.

After a final barefoot morning on Little Corn Island, perhaps a last swim in the turquoise shallows or a coffee overlooking the reef, you take the panga boat back to Big Corn and the scenic domestic flight to Managua, connecting to your onward international departure. You leave having experienced the Caribbean soul of Nicaragua, the turquoise water and coral reefs of the Corn Islands, the deserted white-sand beaches, the laid-back Creole warmth of car-free Little Corn, and the colonial beauty of Granada with its lakeside islets. The images stay vivid long after you land, the gin-clear turquoise shallows, the coral reefs alive with turtles and rays, the leaning coconut palms over empty sand, and the lantern-lit paths of Little Corn. Nicaragua offers unspoiled tropical islands, superb diving and genuine warmth in abundance, still far from the crowds, and you depart already dreaming of a return to these beautiful islands.