Headland in front of Hotel Morgan Big Corn Island

Hotel Morgan: Big Corn Island Getaway

In Nicaragua by Erik @ DIY Travel HQ12 Comments

Hotel Morgan is a great base to explore Big Corn Island in Nicaragua. Experience the Corn Islands’ best beach, walk-in snorkeling, & turquoise Caribbean water at your doorstep. Find out everything inside!

Contents

Hotel Morgan Location

Hotel Morgan is located on remote Big Corn Island, but is within easy striking distance with a flight from Managua.

As foreigners like us here at DIY Travel HQ quickly spread the word about the Corn Islands, more flights have been added making it even more convenient for your next visit.

Big Corn Island Flights

You can ‘catch’ a flight even if you aren’t flying to Big Corn Island.

It is possible to walk around the entire Big Corn Island in 3 hours, but most of the attractions are located on the north end where Hotel Morgan is located.

From the comfort of a hammock you can feel the cooling breeze & watch the gentle waves lap against the shore.

Big Corn Island North End Beach & Protected Ocean

Enjoy the turquoise Caribbean water surrounding the Corn Islands.

Hotel Morgan Rooms

Hotel Morgan has three room options that cater to different budgets & group sizes.

All come equipped with a TV that has a wider range of English channels than the rest of Nicaragua.

With the exception of the two budget rooms, all other rooms come with air conditioning & a private bath.

Hotel Morgan Rooms Building

The rooms behind the restaurant don’t have a fridge, but are great value!

The cabins are by far the largest & most spacious.

Try to get a second level if possible for ocean views. You also have your own stocked fridge for convenience, but other rooms can just head to the restaurant/bar.

Hotel Morgan Cabins

Our pick among the cabins for obvious reasons is the top front for excellent views & steady breeze.

The other rooms are located behind the restaurant in a separate building.

There are two rooms that share a bathroom, and a few more with private bathrooms.

These are great for travelers on a budget, or if you are staying just one night before catching a connecting flight or ferry to the mainland.

We recommend the cabins if you have more time to spend & enjoy Big Corn.

Hotel Morgan Big Corn Island Budget Room

The individual rooms are great for guests on a budget or one night, but the cabins are better for longer stays!

There are different room configurations, but the prices are as follows based on double occupancy:

  • Room with Shared Bathroom: $15
  • Room with Private Bathroom & AC: $25
  • Cabin with Private Bathroom, AC, & Stocked Fridge: $40
  • Additional Guests per Room: $5 each
Hotel Morgan Cabins & Common Areas

You are sure to enjoy your stay at Hotel Morgan!

Hotel Morgan Bathrooms

The bathrooms at Hotel Morgan had everything you would expect, but rarely find all together in Central America.

All the fixtures worked without tampering, there was a place to hang a towel & clothes, & the shower water pressure was strong & didn’t shoot in multiple directions.

These are things that you take for granted back home, but are a rarity while traveling long term.

Hotel Morgan Shared Bathroom

It’s funny how you can sometimes overlook things that work as they should even when they typically don’t.

It is Important to note that the water on Big Corn Island is naturally fresh, or very close to it.

The water during the rainy season creates swamps on the island, & filters it before entering an aquifer beneath Big Corn.

This is also another rarity if you have been to several remote islands around the world before.

Little Corn Island Swamp

Both Big & Little Corn Islands owe their survival to swamps that collect & filter rain water.

Hotel Morgan Common Areas & Amenities

Hotel Morgan, despite being located across the road from the beach, somehow manages to grow nice grass on their property.

This was a pleasant change compared to New Jersey beach towns that just have rocks for yards.

The grass makes walking to the hammock in the center of Hotel Morgan very enjoyable, where you can catch up on some reading or with friends online using the free Wi-Fi.

If you are staying in the rooms behind the restaurant, then there is a porch with seating to enjoy as well.

Hotel Morgan Common Area Lounge Seating

Enjoy the grass, hammock, and lawn chairs at Hotel Morgan.

For those that want to soak up the sun, there is a great patch of grass right on the ocean in front of Hotel Morgan that you can spread a towel out & prove that you were on holidays by returning with a tan.

Two beaches line both sides of the small headland that are best at low tide, but great for swimming at any time.

The beautiful turquoise water is typically calm & shallow with a sandy bottom making it perfect for families.

Hotel Morgan Headland

Take advantage of the grassy headland if you want to enjoy the sun, but avoid the sand.

Hotel Morgan Restaurant

You don’t have to go far for great eating when you have Bar & Restaurante Morgan on-site.

 

Most dishes range between C$220-300 ($8-10), with fresh seafood being the best value. We really enjoyed the wonderful butter & garlic lobster for C$285 ($9.50).

We were especially surprised to find out the owner, Kerry Morgan, was the chef & cooks most lunch & dinner dishes.

Bar & Restaurante Morgan

You don’t need to venture outside Hotel Morgan for delicious food!

Everything that we saw coming out of the kitchen looked delicious & had large portions.

You could also enjoy the local Nicaraguan beer Tona for C$30 ($1), which is the cheapest we saw on the Corn Islands.

If you need a pick-me-up, the tasty coffee is C$15 ($0.50).

Bar & Restaurante Morgan Tables

Grab a seat & enjoy a meal or drink at Bar & Restaurante Morgan.

Hotel Morgan Security

Big Corn isn’t known for being dangerous, but Hotel Morgan does a good job keeping opportunists away with a gated property that is locked at night with an on-site security guard.

Hotel Morgan Big Corn Island

You can relax & feel safe when staying at Hotel Morgan on Big Corn Island.

Big Corn Island Attractions

  • Diving Blowing Rock & other sites with Dos Tiburones Dive Shop
  • Walk-in Snorkeling around Dos Tiburones with resident Rays & other aquatic life
  • Watching the flights take-off/land right above your head
  • Enjoying southern Big Corn Island long & gentle beaches
Big Corn Island Southern Beach

The best beaches are on Big Corn!

Know Before You Go

Location: Big Corn Island north end

Prices: $15-40 for double occupancy, $5 per additional guest

Amenities: Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant & bar

Contact Information:

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Hotel Morgan is a great base to explore Big Corn Island in Nicaragua. Experience the Corn Islands’ best beach, walk-in snorkeling, & turquoise Caribbean water at your doorstep. Find out everything inside!

***The Final Word – Instead of staying in the cramped village of Big Corn, hop in a taxi C$20/person & stay at Hotel Morgan for a better experience.***

How much time do you have planned for Big Corn & Little Corn Islands?

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* We enjoyed a complimentary stay at Hotel Morgan; thank you to Kerry for hosting us!

Visited in January 2017

Comments

  1. Very informative post. I had actually never heard of Big Corn Island before, but after reading your post, it’s somewhere I’d absolutely consider travelling to. The snorkeling sounds great, the beaches look stunning and this hotel looks like a great option!

  2. I am hoping to explore Nicaragua this year only at one of those very plush all inclusive resorts. Thanks for sharing the country with me. I like what I see. Definitely a budget friendly way to see the island and it is lovely!!

    1. The only place we can think of on the Corn Islands is Yemaya, but it isn’t worth the price according to one of the chefs we ran into that happened to be staying at Hotel Morgan while we were there. Most options are budget to mid-range. Another option in Nicaragua might be San Juan del Sur, but we didn’t look into accommodation there much.

  3. The hotel sounds perfect for travelers on a budget but that want a bit more than a typical hostel. I love that it’s so close to the water and that it also has a great restaurant. I’m also glad you introduced me to this island, because before this post I’d never heard of it!

    1. I think the words Corn Islands would hit your ears at some point soon if it wasn’t for this article. Both islands are really starting to become part of the pancake trail despite being so remote since all the other attractions are on the west coast of Nicaragua. Hotel Morgan is a great place to stay on Big Corn along with Carlito’s Place on Little Corn.

  4. I’m going to Nicaragua soon! Should check out the island. Thanks for the post!

  5. $40/night, with AC and a toilet, is hard to beat! Makes me think I should head back to Central America much sooner than later. It’s so budget-friendly!

    1. Nicaragua is one of the cheapest countries we visited in Central America along with Guatemala. Both are great places to visit, but only Nicaragua has remote Caribbean islands!

  6. We had a great rondon soup here in 2014. Our Hotel was down the road a bit – The Beach View. We hope it is still standing, for it was a bit forlorn, but a great place. It even had it’s own stretch of beach!

    We spent 2 weeks on Big Corn and plan on spending just as long, or longer on our next visit.

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