pasta — Travel writing — Vanessa the Nomad

It will likely take you the whole day to get to Little Corn Island, a small speck of lush jungle meets hidden beaches, with just footpaths and boats to get around. The island is reachable only by boat from nearby Big Corn Island, itself accessible by ferry or flight from the mainland. Often the more difficult to reach places on this increasingly crowded planet are among the more alluring, and this is no exception.

Arriving to Little Corn Island, Nicaragua — Arriving to Little Corn Island

After 3 flights, a short group taxi, and a bumpy 45 minute boat ride run by some of the friendliest people around, all our weariness dissipated as we disembarked on Little Corn and walked a hundred metres or so to our lodging. Dropping off our bags, we ran out to the nearby beach to take a dip in the sea alongside the setting sun. Afterwards, we feasted on local seafood and pasta at the Italian-run Cafe Desideri, located among the cluster of eateries and sundry shops in town. By 10pm, every spot had closed, and most of the island was asleep amidst a calmness that is increasingly hard to find these days. No cars or motorbikes zoomed past in the night. Even a bicycle was a rare occurrence on an island on which everyone walks. And electricity on the island runs only at night.

Ferry to Little Corn Island, Nicaragua — Ferry arriving to Little Corn Island

We woke up early and excited for one of the purposes of our trip: scuba diving! Little Corn is surrounded by a shallow reef that is home to an abundance of sea creatures: octopus, turtles, lobster, crabs, shrimp, rays, nurse sharks, and more. We dove with Las Palmeras Dive Center, which is conveniently located and well-run. They typically offer two dives in the morning and a night dive departing just before sunset. The night dives were some of the best I’d experienced anywhere. We were treated to octopus sightings and flashes of bioluminescence when the moonlight disappeared behind some clouds in the sky above us, leaving us in darkness and better able to see the flashes of light all around.

Beach, Little Corn Island, Nicaragua — Beach cove along the northern coast of Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Dirt trails run across the island through tropical forest filled with mango and other seasonal fruit, leading to small beach coves framed by palm trees. Worth a visit are the northern beaches (reachable via a 20 minute walk from town past the local stadium, or via a short boat ride), featuring gentle waves great for swimming, a fish shack, and an upscale restaurant called Erizo (part of the Yemaya Reefs resort, the only one on the island). We savored the rondon, a traditional island seafood stew with root vegetables simmered in a coconut milk broth; a cucumber and kiwi salad with calala dressing; palm hearts and fruit ceviche.

Walking path, Little Corn Island, Nicaragua — Walking path on Little Corn Island

Yemaya Reef, Little Corn Island, Nicaragua — Yemaya Reef, Little Corn

A few coves to the east is Derek’s Place, another lodging option with hammocks and a laid back vibe. Tracking back inland to then join a path leading to the windward side of the island, you’ll reach Little Corn Beach and Bungalow and its restaurant, the Turned Turtle, where you can eat delicious local specialties with your feet in the sand while watching the waves roll in (note: open for breakfast and lunch only). On our last evening on the island, we had dinner by the southern edge of town at the casual, family-run Melissa’s, serving perhaps the tastiest food around. Named after their young daughter, Melissa’s features fresh, locally caught fish and lobster as well as chicken, served as a stew with vegetables and rice.

We met a number of foreigners who had come to visit Little Corn, only to find themselves still there years later. The appeal of living on what can perhaps best be described as the edge of civilisation is strong, and it was with some regret that we took the boat back to Big Corn Island to continue our trip. We spent just one night on Big Corn, which was decidedly less charming. It did, however, feature one of the highlights of our trip: Bit Coin Island Bar. It’s a floating wooden bar located off of Arenas Beach (not to be confused with the impostor bar floating nearby, created to piggyback off the success of the original), and you reach it by standing on the beach and waving your arms until they see you and send a speedboat. We didn’t wait for more than a couple of minutes before being whisked away, and in no time at all we found ourselves in the care of Ana, the wonderful bartender who insisted on sharing playlists and dancing with us as the sun dipped below the horizon.

Beach on Big Corn Island, Nicaragua — Big Corn Island

Sunset at Arenas Beach, Big Corn Island, Nicaragua — Sunset, Arenas beach, Big Corn Island

The following day, we made our way to Granada, located on the shores of Lake Cocibolca, one of many towns known for its colourful architecture, checkered history, and vibrant community in which Nicaraguans and foreigners mingle. Nicaragua’s colonial past is predictably on display, and it’s easy to visit the main sights in a day or two. We stayed at the central and charmingly designed Casa del Consulado, featuring a refreshing pool in one of the courtyards. A block away is the central square, where you’ll find street vendors and the main cathedral. The nearby Garden Cafe is a great option for lunch and has delicious fruit juices and cocktails. For dinner, the more upscale NM Culinary features an inventive take on local specialties, or try one of the many options along the pedestrian-only Calle La Calzada. We enjoyed the old world charm of Hotel Dario, with an open air restaurant and cafe overlooking a lush central courtyard.

Central square in Granada, Nicaragua — Granada’s vibrant central square

Horse carriage, Granada, Nicaragua — Horses ready for a ride, Granada

Calle la calzada, Granada, Nicaragua — Calle La Calzada, Granada

Worth visiting are the Church of the Mercy and the Iglesia Xalteva, each featuring a small belltower from which you can see the expanse of the town leading to the surrounding Mombacho and Masaya volcanos. We also enjoyed a cool stroll around Casa Tres Mundos, one of the oldest buildings in Granada, which today hosts contemporary art exhibits. Afterwards, treat yourself to a cold chocolate from the nearby Bate Bate Chocolate cafe, or even a chocolate massage at the Mansion de Chocolate. Nicaragua is a significant producer of cocoa, and it’s a great gift for those back home. It was time for us, too, to head back home, but the country has so much more to offer. I like to leave something for next time in places I’ve enjoyed visiting, and that is certainly the case with Nicaragua.

Church in Granada, Nicaragua — The past meets the present, Granada

Where to eat and drink

Cafe Desideri, Little Corn Island

Tranquilo Cafe, Little Corn Island

Melissa’s, Little Corn Island

Turned Turtle (part of the Little Corn Beach and Bungalow), Little Corn Island

Erizo (part of Yemaya Reefs - upscale), Little Corn Island

Bit Coin Bar, Big Corn Island

The Garden Cafe, Granada

Bate Bate Chocolate, Granada

NM Culinary, Granada

Hotel Dario, Granada

Where to stay

Sunshine Hotel, Little Corn Island

Little Corn Beach and Bungalow, Little Corn Island

Derek’s Place, Little Corn Island

Yemaya Reefs, Little Corn Island

Hotel Casa del Consulado, Granada

Sardinia is a fantastically beautiful island with some of the friendliest people I have ever met. It’s got a rich history - Phoenicians, Punics, Romans, Spanish, and French all ruled here at various points, and this Mediterranean mixture is evident in its food and language. To boot, the food is amazing and the driving is curvy and fun. It is larger than it looks, and in a one-week and relatively fast-paced trip, we managed to cover some of the highlights of the top half of the island. You can view our rough itinerary in Google maps here.

We flew into Alghero, a beautiful seaside town in the northwest of Sardinia serviced by a number of low-cost European airlines, including Wizzair, in early September, hitting the tail end of the busy tourist season. We rented a car from Sicily By Car at the airport (reserving ahead of time), which provided the best rates at the time. We stopped off at La Boqueria fish market in Alghero (be sure to check the hours before you go, and be aware that there’s often a wait) and took a stroll along the boardwalk lined with restaurants along the seaside. From there, we continued north to Stintino, checking in at the small and pretty basic B&B Sa Serra. Once settled, we walked to La Pelosa beach - easily one of the most crowded beaches I have ever been to. We took a brief walk and dipped in the water, which was marvelous, but I would recommend going in the off season. Do, however, take a stroll through the town of Stintino. Numerous shops sell local products (a few personal favourites include bottarga, or cured and dried mullet roe, local cheeses, and peperoncino piccante, or dried spicy pepper).

The next day, we headed to meet Claudio and Sara of Futurismo Asinara for a catamaran tour of the Asinara National Park - by far one of the highlights of our trip. Claudio and Sara were incredibly kind and welcoming, and we truly felt at home aboard the catamaran. We did the ½ day trip starting in the morning, visiting the south and eastern parts of the park and marine protected area. The snorkeling was fantastic, the water colours unbelievable, and Claudio’s knowledge of the flora and fauna encyclopedic. Afterwards, we drove on to the stunning seaside town of Castelsardo, where we visited the castle (recommended, especially for the views) and feasted on a late lunch of local oysters and paccheri pasta with squid, zucchini and mullet roe at Il Cormorano, one of the best meals of the trip.

Enjoying the sea in Asinara National Park

From there, we drove on to Burgos, a charming mountaintop town with stunning views and no tourists, and to Nuoro, a larger, more vibrant city, where we stumbled upon a local festival featuring a typical dish of local snails in tomato sauce. For dinner, we had reserved at Ristorante Ciusa, asking the chef, Franco Fenu, to prepare us a special meal of the soon-to-be-extinct su filindeu pasta. We got two versions: the classic and one made with squid ink and seafood. Both were fantastic. We then set off for a drive to Cala Gonone along some very windy and narrow mountain roads—Sardinia is truly a stunning and unexpected place.

The following morning, we walked down to the port in Cala Gonone to meet our gommone, or inflatable boat, for a tour of several coves and beaches: Cala Luna, Cala Mariolu, and Cala Goloritze, among others. Although crowded, the colours here are unparalleled - the white rocks turning the water into various shades of aquamarine and turquoise. This was probably our favourite day, alongside the previous one in Asinara. I also managed to get a couple of dives in with Argonauta.it —they were kind and easy to dive with. We visited a wreck as well as some of the fantastic nearby cavern formations—Cala Gonone is certainly a cave diver’s paradise.

The following day, we made our way up some windy mountain roads to the colourful and rustic Su Gologone for lunch. Due to a road closure, we ended up taking a rather adventurous route over narrow stone bridges and through small agricultural plots - one of many stunning moments on the road in Sardinia. Su Gologone was well worth the detour - it’s worth spending some time exploring the property (or even staying the night!), and lunch was very tasty local fare. En route to Agriturismo Testone, we also stopped by Cantina Sociale Dorgali for some wine tasting. They feature some tasty wines, none above 10 euro a bottle, and the staff were incredibly friendly. And no visit to Sardinia is complete without viewing some nuraghe, megaliths erected during the Nuragic age between 1900 and 700 BC whose use is not fully understood. You will see these throughout the island. We enjoyed stopping to see the ones at the Parco Archeologico Capichera near Arzachena.

Su Gologone, above. Below, a sampling of Sardinia's gastronomic delights - culurgiones, su filindeu pasta, fregola sarda and many affordable, often not available for export wines.

At the agriturismo (a recommended experience if you’re travelling through Sardinia, as it gives you a glimpse into the more local, inland life), we were served a large family-style meal with other travellers staying there. The food was delicious and plentiful, and there was wine and a variety of local cheese and charcuterie to try. The resident dogs made us immediately feel at home, and it was a contrast to the modern touches and shiny vistas at Hotel Petra Bianca in Cala di Volpe. The hotel and surrounding vistas are beautiful, if a bit soulless. In the surrounding beaches and in the rich centre of Porto Cervo, expensive handbags and megayachts conveyed a very different feel, and we were happy to go back to simpler pleasures once on Isola della Maddalena, to which we took a car ferry. We especially enjoyed the rich forest greens of neighbouring Caprera island. As always, the beaches were crowded, but it was easy enough to find some tranquility inland. We also did a day trip to see the famous pink beach, Spiaggia Budelli (inaccessible to tourists due to sand erosion, but you can view it from afar or from the water).

En route back to Alghero, we had a fantastic lunch at La Gritta in Palau. The sea views are beautiful, and the seafood is such that lingering and ordering more is a clear choice. From Palau, the road winds inland and much of the traffic and crowds disappear until you reach the vicinity of Alghero. At Poderi Parpinello winery, Giuliana greeted us as we drove up. She was very responsive over email, and it was easy to arrange our visit. What we were not prepared for was how incredibly kind and welcoming she was: such people are truly rare. We had perhaps one of our nicest afternoons in Sardinia walking through the Parpinello vineyard, with Giuliana showing us cork trees and walking us through the wine-making process as we watched some of the early harvest getting crushed. She was so gracious that by the end of our tasting, we were trying to see if we could help distribute their wines in the U.S. Many Sardinian wines are not exported to the U.S., and the ones that are often receive a markup. One tip is to bring a bag you can check on the return trip to take some wines with you - well worth the effort. It’s yet another reason to return to this incredible island.