The crowd was a combination of Nicaraguans and American backpackers of all kinds. Whether it was curling up with a good book, watching the sunset, or simply sneaking in afternoon nap, our hammock was our happy place. Included in our rates, we arrange a short internal flight to Bluefields (50 minutes) followed by a scenic boat ride (90 minutes . Overall, I found the booking and pre-arrival experience to be seamless, if a little shrouded in mystery. This small island is known as the most romantic . Consequently, the outbound and return journeys to Calala Island are also only offered once per day in our case, leaving Managua at 5:30am and arriving at Calala at around 9:30am on the day of departure, with the return journey following a similar schedule. . While the surf and turf was the indisputable highlight, all three meals were of an incredible fine-dining quality, on par with most high-end restaurants that youd find on land. Military Customs checkpoint on the mangrove ocean part felt like a straight-up bribe to me. Learn More. Guests step directly onto the powder-soft sand from their private decks to enjoy spectacular panoramic Indian Ocean sunsets extending to the far contours of mainland Madagascar. My friends who have been there all described getting there by boat from Bluefields with about the same experience. The four villas are spaced out evenly along the southwestern corner of the island. Cant wait for the review of the island. As you can imagine, World of Hyatt award availability is hotly contested at this property, and its very much recommended to book well in advance. There was another abandoned resort on nearby Pink Pearl Island which is somehow still open to VRBO bookings to this day! Safe online bookings without fees Excellent reputation Value for money Door-to-door service Heres the thing a rough boat ride is kind of fun for like five minutes, or maybe ten minutes tops. This reminded me of the boat ride from Gateway of India to Elephanta Island on a speed boat. The curated dinner experience carries on into the meals themselves. We pushed back at 6:30AM, and were airborne five minutes later interestingly there was no safety demo. The Calala-bound passengers (ourselves and another couple from the US) were given priority to walk across the tarmac and board the plane. After quite a long journey, beautiful Calala Island was finally in sight. This is also where youll find the complimentary bug spray and anti-itching creams, in case the no-see-ums take a particular liking to you (as they did with me). That took about 15 minutes. I was also quite surprised that the island had an onsite pizza oven, which the staff used to prepare made-to-order pizzas, among other fire-roasted items! Said content and opinions are not provided by any third party mentioned on this site and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any such third parties. And it was worth it because that island is soooo spectacular when you get there. After dozing off for the second half of the one-hour flight, I watched with avid interest as our pilots made a smooth landing at Bluefields Airport. Calala Island team member, Shorvin, greeted us at Bluefields Airport, his shirt soaking wet from the boat ride that brought him over here a harbinger of things to come. Note that theres an additional list of premium spirits that you can opt to pay for, although we were totally happy with ordering from the regular drinks menu to our hearts content. The suite consists of a bedroom and a bathroom, connected to each other in an open-air style. @ Kirk -- To be clear, I mention I felt "safe" for two reasons. @Ben , Also, 7am is the earliest that your coffee or tea can be delivered, since thats when the staff get to work in the mornings, which we found a bit inconvenient when we wanted to wake up at 5:30am to catch the sunrise.). If they are charging $2800 per night to stay at a tiny remote island (which is basically extortion for a country as undeveloped as Nicaragua), they should include a helicopter transfer with a stay of at least 3 nights. On the second day, we even got things started early with espresso martinis right after breakfast! It turned out to be one of the most special travel experiences Ive ever had. We parked on the apron, and about two thirds of passengers got off. Indeed, youll likely find larger, fancier villas with more spruced-up interiors at other resorts around the world. One of my complaints about the room was that the toilet didnt flush very well. Not to be a douche herebut as someone who has traveled the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, what really surprised me in this article was how little sense you actually get of the place. On the ATR42 you board through the rear, since the cargo hold is in the front of the plane, behind the cockpit. Military checkpoint enroute to Calala Island. Lunch is generally served between 12pm and 3pm, though again, you can really take it whenever youd like. A luxury, ultra all-inclusive, private Island resort hidden in the undiscovered part of the Caribbean. The resort asked when we were arriving, because when we landed in Managua the night before, Nestor met us upon arrival. Boat and helicopter transfers are provided to the mainland, where the resort's guides can lead you to a world of lemurs and chameleons, and a mosaic of unexplored coves. LOL. Indeed, it would often take two or three tries to properly flush the toilet especially after some of the gargantuan meals that they feed you here at Calala Island. The seating arrangements for all meals on Calala Island are also switched up every day, depending on the number of guests on the island and the weather that day. To go from the island of Calala to Managua airport, we may be back at the airport at 9:45 am or 5:15 pm. However, I would gladly do them over again than take your open water journey that had me bracing with every bump at the seat of my computer. Helicopter from Managua international airport direct to Calala Island. @ Franklin -- I'll share more on my take on that in the upcoming installment, since virtually everyone working at the resort is from nearby villages. It was awesome to be able to frolic in the ocean merely steps away from our front porch, before retreating to the hammock with a drink in hand. Normally, the staff likes to serve lunch near the infinity pool on the northern side of the island, either underneath a little surf shack or closer to the beach during sunny weather. If youre looking for a getaway with a unique mix of daring adventure, exquisite gastronomy, cultural exploration, and rustic island charm all at a spectacular value using World of Hyatt points then Calala Island is your dreamland. However, the reason I came to that conclusion is because I know they do this every single day, and I assume nothing usually happens, and not because I actually wasnt at least a little bit scared. Improve this listing Property amenities Obviously, this experience is catered to the 0.1 percent. In a review that Lucky link to earlier some of the comments mentioned that a lot of the guest were Brits that had won the stay or bought it trough charity actions. While I didn't get an exact quote, I was told it would be $10K+. While the boat ride from Bluefields was something that I personally relished as an adrenaline junkie, youll probably feel less enthusiastic about it if you prefer a more serene start to your island getaway. It takes approximately 3h 25m to get from Managua to Calala Island, including transfers. So my mention of safety was supposed to be positive, that I didn't experience any issues and felt comfortable. Typically, guests are invited to gather at the main bar anytime from 5:30pm onwards for a few rounds of drinks to start the night. You can leave the island at either 5:30 a.m. or noon, for an arrival into Managua Airport at 9:45 a.m. or 5:15 p.m. Check-in Have you ever been greeted by an entire island upon your arrival? When I mention Calala Island, Im guessing some regular readers will immediately know what Im talking about, while everyone else will be saying eh? Calala Island is a private island on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua (or the NiCaribbean, as the hotel calls it). This unspoiled paradise is home to only four private beach-side suites. There are no freebie luxury resorts worth that kind of transfer imo. Well, Im on a spiritual journey. Calala Island is a 9.5 acre private island located in the Pearl Cays, a region of the Caribbean Sea, just off the coast of Nicaragua. Calala Island is a private island with just four rooms, and is very expensive when paying cash. Locally, the region is known as the NiCaribbean. Instead, youll most likely be taking advantage of the resorts complimentary round-trip transfers, which includes a flight from Managua to the city of Bluefields, a taxi ride through Bluefields, and then a 90-minute boat ride to the island. Perpignan Railway Station. 7 nights of accommodation in 4 beachfront suites for eight . Gold members get exclusive content, ad-free browsing, and entry-level discounts and early access to events and products. Oh my. Jessy was over the moon as she fiddled her way through the crab legs, just as much as I took great pleasure in having an entire T-bone steak to dig into. If I had to compare this place against other favourite high-value luxury resorts, then what Calala Island lacks in the glamour factor and the ultra-luxurious living quarters compared to more popular destinations like Dubai or the Maldives, it fully makes up for with the unmatched exclusivity of only four villas and the unparalleled generosity of all your meals, drinks, activities, and round-trip transfers included in the ultra-all-inclusive rate. For now, though, we were headed to the countrys less-travelled Caribbean coast. We had planned a few days to explore Nicaragua after our Calala Island adventure, and I was already looking forward to that part of the trip. While Calala Island is small and intimate at only 11 acres in size, it fully maximizes its area for guests enjoyment. Points per night: . In hindsight, Im glad that Claudia gave Jessy a heads-up about what to expect, as I dont think Jessy wouldve been a very happy boat passenger otherwise. In addition to the weather playing a role, some of the other activities were also affected by the ongoing pandemic. El Hierro is a magical paradise in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Below you can see us leaving the coastline (right where Bluefields is) and crossing some of the Caribbean Sea to get to Corn Island. . Still, I was determined to go on at least one activity out on the water, so I asked the staff if we could at least go for a quick round of island-hopping on the third day, even though it was still exceptionally stormy. Mandy is also able to facilitate any date changes independently of your Hyatt reservation. Transfer to Calala Island As promised, Nestor met us at the domestic terminal exactly at 5:45 a.m. Stepping down onto the sand, theres two recliners for soaking in the sunshine, and then what we found to be the single-best place to relax on the property: acasita with a giant, sturdy hammock that can comfortably fit two. I ordered a pizza for one of our lunch sittings, more out of curiosity than anything, and it turned out pretty well. Calala Island (thankfully) doesnt have mosquitoes, although it does have sandflies or no-see-ums, which do bite, but are too small to be kept out by the net. But you spend the first 60 minutes of the ride with the boat constantly hitting the water every couple of seconds, and then the last 45 minutes or so is spent just rocking back and forth to the point that you wonder if youre going to make it. Next to me, Jessy had her hood over her head the whole time, her eyes slammed shut in fear. This is one of the best! Read more Suggest edits to improve what we show. Wed fly through the air, crash into the ocean with a loud bang, get splashed all over by the water, before doing it all again and again as we inched our way towards the promised land in the distance. Simply show up at the lunch spot and the staff will show you to a seat, hand you the menus, and offer you a drink. Time to get up and move about the house . To give you a sense of the distances: The domestic terminal at Managua Airport is to the side of the international terminal. Poor Ford. Your feedback is important in helping us keep our community safe. Omg! The breakfast experience begins with coffee or tea delivered to your villa in the morning, allowing you to enjoy those first morning sips with a magnificent ocean view before heading to breakfast. To be perfectly clear, I felt totally safe, and didnt feel like it was dangerous at all. Any information published by Cond Nast Traveler is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should .