Beach bliss at the Yemaya Island Hideaway & Spa on Little Corn Island.
Coconuts perfectly adorned island’s entire north coast.
Afternoon in the palms.
This tropical pathway connected the resort to the island’s only town.
Swinging in paradise, wheeee!
Funky vibes on the island’s main drag.
What’s for lunch Yemaya? Fish tacos, plantain chips, pico de gallo, fresh passion fruit juice & coconut water.
The resort’s picturesque beach was lined with gorgeous colorful hammocks, my perfect island retreat.
Waiting for a taxi on Big Corn Island.
Crazy for coconuts.
Postcard.
The resort’s gardens supplied fresh ingredients for the Yemaya menu daily – fruits, herbs, spices and vegetables.
I’ve traveled to a lot of islands, but Little Corn wins. It couldn’t have been more perfect.
Not a bad place to work.
Turquoise blues.
Fresh coconut bread from Island Bakery & Sweets on Big Corn Island.
Loved waking up to this view every morning.
Yemaya memories.
Little Corn Island felt untouched – no tourists, no crowds and no hagglers. It was home to the most serene beaches.
Resort vibes.
Life is rough.
Picking out treats at Island Bakery & Sweets.
It was an hour flight from Managua to Big Corn Island, and then another hour in the Panga over to Little Corn Island.
Cocal Beach.
Too sweet.
Escaping the heat at the Yemaya’s beach bar.
What color hammock to claim? Decisions, decisions.
Sweeping views just below the Yemaya restaurant.
Tropical oasis wearing my Albion Fit Waikiki Swimsuit.
Touring the Yemaya’s sprawling gardens.
I found my favorite palm tree.
It was a 25 minute walk through the jungle to reach the island’s little town.
Hello, friend.
The resort’s Ocean Suites sat just beyond the palms, so it was never more than a 30 second walk to reach the beach.
Paradise views.
Toasty temps – I left the island with a sun burn.
Massive plantain trees on the property.
Sunbathing in my Albion Fit Waikiki Swimsuit.
Private tour of the Yemaya’s greenhouse, an adorable home to a variety of fresh herbs.
Paradise.
Afternoons on the Yemaya Beach.
Tropics.
Paddle boarding at the shoreline, I spotted a nurse shark swimming below me in these crystal clear waters.
My perfect morning.
LOVED Cocal Beach.
My favorite island scenes.
Four-legged friend.
The prettiest swing on the prettiest island.
Sandy legs.
The water was so clear.
What’s for dinner?
A little afternoon sunbathing.
Perfect spot for sunbathing.
The view from the resort’s Ocean Suites.
I ordered so much passion fruit juice, I thought I might use up their entire supply.
Adios Yemaya, thank you for the most amazing stay!
Ah, Little Corn. I’ve traveled the world in search of my perfect island escape, and finally found it 70 km off the coast of Nicaragua. The remote little gem was a tropical oasis – swirls of sparkling turquoise, soft white sand, perfectly placed palms and bright swaying hammocks. I’d been stalking Little Corn for months on Instagram, and the island was even more dreamy than I’d imagined. My next few days as a beach bum were going to be amazing, soaking in the Caribbean blues with Kindle and coconut in hand.
I’d spent the last couple of months counting down to my stay at the Yemaya Island Hideaway & Spa. I wanted to pinch myself when I finally arrived! It was the island’s only luxury retreat, occupying the prettiest stretch of beach along the calm north coast of Little Corn. From the village port, it was a quick 10-minute ride by private boat up to the resort’s secluded beach, where we disembarked in the warmest turquoise shallows. After a full day of travel by land, air and sea, it felt so good to kick off my sandals and feel the sand and water beneath my feet.
The gracious resort staff quickly checked us into a spacious ocean view suite that opened right up to views of the water. It was a 30-second stroll to the beach, and 45-seconds to the nearest hammock. Island bliss! We were finally settled in by early evening when we headed to the Yemaya’s open air restaurant that sat just over the water. The menu changed daily featuring a variety of fresh catches with herbs, veggies and fruit sourced right from the resort gardens. My favorites were the fish tacos, pico de gallo, banana bread and fresh passion fruit juice.
One of the loveliest spots on Little Corn was a palm tree swing facing sweeping views of the Caribbean. Easily reachable from the Yemaya, it was a 10-minute stroll up the coast to another stretch of beach. When we arrived at the swaying piece of driftwood, I started to geek out. It was the prettiest swing I’d ever seen! And anywhere else in the world, there would have been a line of tourists waiting to take selfies. But on remote Little Corn, we had it to ourselves.
Days were spent at the Yemaya tanning, swimming, drinking, snorkeling, hammocking and soaking in the hippie island vibes. I’m not one to repeat travel, but as I packed my things for the boat ride back to Big Corn, I told myself this was definitely a place I’d return to. Very soon, I hope … ♡
Photos by myself and Anh-Thi Nguyen (@leftietraveler on Instagram)
Lots of love to Yemaya Island Hideaway & Spa for hosting my amazing stay and for sponsoring this post. xx
Making friends on the colorful streets of Granada, in Nicaragua.
The hustle and bustle of the main drag.
Loved the bright colors of all the little storefronts.
Feeling tiny with the Iglesia de la Merced towering over me.
All smiles surrounded by chicken buses.
Our cute little stay at Hotel Plaza Colon.
Cobbled cuteness in Granada.
Outdoor market stalls.
Granada was our first stop in Nicaragua, an easy one hour drive from the airport by private transport from 
Morning wanders through the quiet streets.
Shopping the market stalls for tourist trinkets.
Vibes.
Bananas.
Too many choices.
Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral.
The streets were buzzing with people on this Saturday afternoon.
Quiet mornings in Granada – the perfect time to explore!
Loved this cathedral facade.
Dreamy shades of blue.
Searching for my favorite pupusa stand in the Parque Central.
Happiness.
Chicken bus.
Last morning in the colorful city.
Soaking in the infectious energy of the city streets.
My favorite doorway in Granada.
Waterfall haven on Ometepe Island, in Nicaragua.
Beach bum.
Diggin’ island life on Lake Nicaragua.
Watching monkeys in the treetops at Ojo de Aqua, a natural jungle pool fed by crystal clear water from the Maderas Volcano.
The start of an epic hike up into the jungle to reach San Ramon Falls.
Where you’ll find me …
Cars moved very slowly on Ometepe because animals were always in the “road” – cows, chickens, pigs, dogs and goats.
Sandy beaches on Lake Nicaragua.
It was a two hour uphill hike in grueling heat to reach the waterfall, and of course the moment we arrived it started to rain!
Quick stop at a roadside fruit stand.
All good vibes at Ojo de Agua.
Loved the mellow energy of Ometepe.
Monkeys scampered through the treetops while we sunbathed at Ojo de Agua.
Plantain trees lined the dirt paths of Ometepe.
The first of many, many coconuts in Nicaragua.
The volcanic waters were so clear, I could see little fish swimming around me.
Just a taste of our path to reach San Ramon Falls.
Soaking in the cool mist.
Hello, friend.
Enjoying fresh coconut water wearing my 
Roadside stop for a fresh passion fruit smoothie (my favorite!).
It felt like I’d found Jurassic Park.
Ometepe scenes.
We spent a couple of afternoons at Ojo de Agua.
Plantains.
Ferngully in Nicaragua.
So many adorable cows!
Stopped our bicycles to pick out fresh fruit enroute to Ojo de Agua.