Camping in the Pearl Cays on the Carribean Coast of Nicaragua

Pearl Cays, Nicaragua

Home to soaring palms, white sand beaches and bathtub like water the Pearl Cays was a spectacular place for a first time camping experience in Nicaragua.

With a cooler full of beer and our small overnight pack in tow Gordon and I hopped on the bright green panga from the dock of Queen Lobster Bungalows & Hotel.

Traveling with us were our Miniature Schnauzer Maggie and our good friends Pam and Jeff.

Our hosts Pedro and Hilton had the boat loaded up with everything we would need for our overnight camping excursion in the Pearl Cays.

Just as we were ready to take off we spotted some local fisherman nearby. Pedro waved them over and to our good fortune we scored some freshly caught crab and extra shrimp.

Five kilometers out of the lagoon we made a quick stop at a military check point. While Pedro gave the officer our names and passport numbers Hilton gave us a brief history lesson on the cays.

A BIT ABOUT THE PEARL CAYS

The Pearl Cays (pronounced keys) are located on the Carribean coast of Nicaragua approximately 35 kilometers from the town of Pearl Lagoon. The cays are made up 18 islands. Sadly – due to erosion – the islands are becoming smaller and smaller; a couple have actually completely disappeared.

The Pearl Cays are an important nesting site for sea turtles, including the endangered Hawksbill turtle. The Wildlife Conservation Society works with local fisherman to raise awareness and educate them on the importance of sea turtle protection, as well as conservation of their habitat and the ecosystem.

The further out of the lagoon we traveled the bluer the water got. The boat ride was smoother than I expected. In fact, I probably could have done without the Gravol I took 30 minutes before we took off.

We reached our final destination – Crawl Cay – in just under an hour.

CAMPING ON CRAWL CAY

Hilton cut the engine and we glided smoothly towards the shore.

Large palms swayed in the breeze. Waves lapped gently on the sands. The scene before us was one of complete tranquility. I couldn’t wait to jump into the clear calm turquoise water.

The six of us shared the task of unloading the boat. And 10 minutes after we had arrived on the island Gordon, Pam, Jeff and I were kicking back with Toñas in hand.

Thanks to the efforts of our most excellent hosts our camp was assembled before we had even finished our first cerveza.

A plastic table and chairs – complete with tablecloth, a jug of purified water and 4 cups were set up for us. We had kayaks to the left and camp chairs to the right. Four inviting hammocks – one for each of us – hung in the trees.

We were set!

Well, all except for tents. Those would go up a bit later once we decided where we wanted to put them.

As we morphed into relaxation mode Pedro and Hilton set out to the task of preparing lunch.

“OH RONDÓN HOW I LOVED THEE!”

We knew one of our meals on the island would be a traditional seafood soup known as “rondón”.  What we didn’t know was how incredibly tasty it would be.

“Oh wow!” I exclaimed as took a sip of broth.

My taste buds were awakened by the flavours.

Onions, garlic, fresh basil and oregano with red snapper, shrimp, crab and yucca – stewed together in fresh made coconut milk – made for a delicious combo.

Forty five minutes after I had my first taste of this heavenly rondón I finally had to surrender. I couldn’t eat another bite. It was time to hit the hammock and sleep off my food coma.

THE BAÑO

Very soon after arriving on the island — as we did some initial exploration — we happened upon the baño.

On the opposite side of the island from where our camp there sat a dilapidated outhouse.  This weathered shack was quite the contrast to our tropical picturesque surroundings.

Oddly enough the baño became quite a topic of conversation among us.

I was surprised that there actually was a toilet on the island. I figured going number two would involve digging a hole and squatting. Jeff decided he was just going to “hold it” for the next two days.

Despite the great view from our bare-bones bathroom there was hesitation on everyone’s part about using it. But with Gordon as our sacrificial lamb – in the end – we all experienced the “loo with a view” on Crawl Cay Island.  

NO SHIRT, NO SHOES, NO SLEEP. NO PROBLEM!

No matter where I travel or stay I never sleep well the first night. My night on Crawl Cay was no exception.

Our three-man tent was plenty roomy enough for Gordon, Maggie and I. But it was May, the hottest time of the year in Nicaragua. Sleeping inside the tent with the door zipped shut proved to be a bit warm. And I really could have used a pillow.

Consequently I gave up on the notion of more sleep and crawled out of our tent shortly after 6 am. As I waded into the refreshing waters of the Caribbean sea my restless night’s sleep was long forgotten.

There are so many things I loved about camping in the Pearl Cays.

I loved that we didn’t have to do any meal planning, grocery shopping, cooking or clean up. We didn’t even have to set up our tents or make our beds.

Pedro and Hilton took care of everything.

With no cell signal on the island we were forced to unplug. I loved not having the distraction of my phone. Without it I could be present in my company and beautiful surroundings. 

I loved that we were able to snorkel within 30 meters of our campsite. We spotted giant orange starfish and loads of other colorful fish. We saw a ton of interesting coral. At one point we had a 3-foot long barracuda swimming in front of us. 

We spent hours floating in the sea, Maggie included. I loved feeling weightless in the warm salty water.

Spending two full days on a nearly deserted island with nothing to worry about – except for who was going to walk to the cooler to get the next round of cold Toñas – was pretty damn awesome!

GETTING THERE

To get to the Pearl Cays you must go by private boat, either via the town of Pearl Lagoon or Little Corn Island. From Pearl Lagoon the trip takes approximately 1 hour. From Little Corn Island the trip takes about 2 hours.

We traveled by car from San Juan del Sur to Pearl Lagoon. Total travel time was approximately 11 hours. If you’re driving from Managua the trip takes approximately 8 hours.

Local buses leave from Managua every Friday at 4:30 pm with arrival in Pearl Lagoon at 4 am. Buses leave Pearl Lagoon on Wednesdays at 6 am and arrive in Managua at approximately 3:30 pm. Tickets are C$380.

For faster travel from Managua La Costeña offers flights to Bluefields. From Bluefields you can travel 1 hour by boat to Pearl Lagoon. Boats leave Bluefields at 9 am, 11 am, 2 pm and 4 pm (if the passenger list is full). For the return trip service is better organized. Boats leave at the lagoon at 6:30 am, 7 am and 1 pm. Tickets are C$170.

* Although this information was accurate at the time of publishing we recommend you confirm schedule times when planning your trip.

MORE INFORMATION

Our 2 day, 1 night Pearl Cay camping excursion included the following:

• Boat ride to & from the island
• Meals (1 breakfast, 2 lunches and 1 dinner)
• Purified drinking water
• Tents, mattresses & sheets
• Hammocks
• Kayaks
• Snorkeling equipment
• Fishing & exploration of other nearby islands

Location: Clark Cay, Pearl Cays, Nicaragua
Company: Queen Lobster Tours 
Address: 200 meters North of the Municipal Pier
Cost: $90 USD per person (group of 4)
Notes:  Beverages and snacks are not included. A travel pillow would also be a nice item to pack.

In addition to camping tours Queen Lobster offers day trips to the Cays, community tours, fishing trips and boat transport to Little Corn Island. They also offer cooking classes.

We spent a total of 3 nights in Pearl Lagoon. Queen Lobster was our choice for accommodations. They have bungalows over the water, as well as air conditioned rooms available. Reservations can be made through Airbnb.

* If you’re not already a member of Airbnb you can use this coupon to receive $25 USD credit towards your first reservation of $75 USD or more.

Have questions about traveling to the Pearl Cays? Leave us a comment below.