Shorvin let us know to use the bathroom here if we needed to, as we wouldnt have many opportunities to do so on the journey ahead. To give you a sense of the distances: The domestic terminal at Managua Airport is to the side of the international terminal. The curated dinner experience carries on into the meals themselves. When youre facing the terminal from outside, its on the right. There are two bars on the island: the pool bar on the northern side, and the main bar on the southern side. The resort asked when we were arriving, because when we landed in Managua the night before, Nestor met us upon arrival. The toilet is housed in a separate chamber. 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. One of the crew had to jump out and sort of guide the boat. But the staff also went above and beyond in so many ways, from organizing the unique activities every night, to leaving little gifts of cigars and chocolates in our villa, to the little things, like taking note of our love for the yellow chilli sauce and serving it with every meal. I just went to Elephanta Island 3 weeks ago via the normal tourist boat, and never saw any offers of a speedboat. Welcome to Calala Island, a luxury, private Island resort nestled in an undiscovered part of the Caribbean, just off the coast of Nicaragua. There are no freebie luxury resorts worth that kind of transfer imo. at an additional cost, helicopter transfers direct to the Island The Calala Foundation. 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. I hope your backs were okay. Lucky, I've done two hours up the Sepik River in pouring rain, just me and the small boat operator (smaller them your boat) and hours long trips down the rivers of Borneo, both similar to the mangrove part of your trip. On the ATR42 you board through the rear, since the cargo hold is in the front of the plane, behind the cockpit. 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. @ Tom -- It's my understanding that Nicaragua has a very limited number of helicopters, so not only is it outrageously expensive, but often it's not even available, since they're often used by the government. Two of the Junior Suites are made available for World of Hyatt members to book on points on any given night. The waters of the ocean can get fairly unpredictable around here, so much of the island is surrounded by a rocky seawall, with small stretches of beach that lead into calmer, shallower waters. Instead, the net serves to protect you from any bits and pieces from the thatched roof that might fall down from time to time. The bar has enough seating for 10 guests, allowing Claudia and Leon who typically keep to themselves during the day to mingle and get to know the maximum of eight guests over evening drinks. I used 120,000 Hyatt points to book my three-night stay at Calala Island about one and a half months prior to the stay. Calala Island was turned into a luxury resort with just four rooms, with nightly rates of $2,800 per room. He let us know to reconvene at the domestic terminal at 5:30am in the morning, and escorted us across the street to the Best Western. Calala Islands spa is perched on its northeastern corner, accessible via paths and boardwalks from either the northern or southern coasts. Moreover, I had mentioned to the staff that Jessy prefers surf much more than turf, and so they also cooked up a bowl of king crabs cooked in an Asian-inspired black bean sauce, just for us! 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. Youve really got to earnthe wonderful private island experience that lies ahead! Anyway, given our early-morning departure from Managua, I planned our inbound flight from San Salvador to arrive at 10:30pm. I figured a 2,400 word intro post about how to get somewhere was sufficient, so I didn't want to make it any longer. La Costeas domestic operations in Nicaragua are a little moreflexiblethan what youd typically expect from an airline. 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. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 6:30AM, and at 6:25AM boarding was called. For example, the island for the deserted island picnic was no longer deserted for the time being, as the Pearl Lagoon community had sent caretakers to each of their islands to keep watch and protect against piracy during these economically challenging times. 7 nights of accommodation in 4 beachfront suites for eight . The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered. Calala is one of the Pearl Cays, a string of pocket-sized islands off Nicaragua's Caribbean coast. On the first night, we indulged in a round of rum tasting, trying out several of Nicaraguas renowned Flor de Caa rums. Perpignan Railway Station. The paid nightly rate starts at US$2,350 per night in the low season and reaches as high as US$3,650 per night in the high season. However, Calala Island is also member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, which has a marketing partnership in place with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. To get to Calala, you can either choose to leave at at 5:45 a.m. or 1 p.m. at Managua Airport. Calala Island, Calala Island: 50 Hotel Reviews, 253 traveller photos, and great deals for Calala Island, ranked #1 of 1 hotel in Calala Island and rated 5 of 5 at Tripadvisor. Value. . Lastly, the managers command centre and the staffs quarters are found in the middle of the island, maintaining a low-key presence as they work to put on an amazing experience for the guests. We went for a few quick dips, but soon decided that wed rather hang out by the more serene beaches on the southern side. 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. Can't wait to read the review of the property! We sat in row seven, behind the wing on the left side. No doubt about it our crab won the race at a canter and bestowed upon Jessy a complimentary spa treatment the following day. As you can imagine, a stay at Calala Island doesnt come cheap. redeem 40,000 World of Hyatt points per night for a stay here, We flew to Managua Airport the evening before. (Note that theres no coffee or tea setup in the villa itself, as the resort prefers to operate with a central kitchen for all things food and drink. Such is the sheer exclusivity of an island with only four villas that youll hardly notice the other guests throughout the day, unless its time to gather for meals or drinks. We take care of all transfers from the airport to and from Calala Island. The lead officer spoke to Shorvin for a bit, glanced at the passengers, and waved us through into Nicaraguas territorial waters without detecting anything suspicious. (If we had booked a hotel in the city of Managua, Nestor would arrange a licensed taxi to bring us to the hotel. Please let us know if you are interested in this service and we will gladly arrange. With only 4 luxury beachfront suites, exclusivity comes as standard; and with a team of 25 staff for a . From there, it was time for the real adventure: the last 4 km stretch of open ocean to reach Calala Island. The infinity pool at Calala Island ordinarily makes for a picturesque place to hang out, especially as it never really gets busy and youre quite likely to have the whole place to yourself. The suite consists of a bedroom and a bathroom, connected to each other in an open-air style. First up, the boat makes its way through the surrounding lagoon. The 90-minute speedboat journey from Bluefields is very much unlike anything else youll encounter in other parts of the world. And I think our ride to the island was rougher. Indeed, youll likely find larger, fancier villas with more spruced-up interiors at other resorts around the world. Included in our rates, we arrange a short internal flight to Bluefields (50 minutes) followed by a scenic boat ride (90 minutes . For now, though, we were headed to the countrys less-travelled Caribbean coast. Instead, theyre fairly rocky and laden with sea life, reflecting the raw ocean that engulfs the island all around. Enduring this is the cost of admission to Calala Island, I guess. Top 10 most exclusive private island resorts in the world BusinessPlatinum Card from AmericanExpress. We flew to Managua Airport the evening before on American from Miami, and we spent the night at the Hyatt Place Managua. 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. Calala Island is the exclusive private island hideaway in the undiscovered Caribbean of Nicaragua. The plane has bench seats, rather than Individual ones. I enjoyed the gallo pinto traditional Nicaraguan rice and beans, with eggs and cheese on the side and the Eggs Benedict over the course of our two breakfast sittings (as wed be leaving at the early hour of 5:15am on the third day). That took about 15 minutes. Jessy and I snacked on an express breakfast that the Best Western had prepared for us, running on very little sleep but fuelled by the excitement of the journey ahead. Calala Island - Boat transfer via Nicaraguan Navy checkpoint. For all that transit, you didn''t seem to get much of a sense of the realities of the area (which is unique and fascinating and scary in all sorts of ways.) While everyone rushed up to the gate, I was pleasantly surprised that the gate agent came and got us first. Breezy rooms are accented by white drapery and shell accessories that . Sounds a little disrespectful. Calala Island, Nicaragua - Caribbean Exclusive Private Island Calala Island is a private island with just four rooms, and is very expensive when paying cash. Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. If you ever want to use your Bonvoy points for North Island, you will need to take a helicopter. With ample space for up to ten discerning guests, the island is the perfect hideaway for all adventurers who like to travel off the beaten track. Chase Bonvoy Boundless Visa: Five Free Nights Worth 250,000 Points! With open ocean views in front and palm forest behind, each one is completely private. The few people I had heard from who had been to Calala Island all mentioned that the boat ride was quite something, and Im not sure that does justice to the experience. Your stay will also include complimentary breakfast, use of an . I am sure you have been to Maldives and you know they have seaplanes there which are fantastic . How to book a suite at the all-inclusive Calala Island in Nicaragua Location. The second nights tasting menu read as follows: The highlight for me was the pork ribs with yuca, which were decadently marinated and presented in an ornate elevated dish. Its just as lonely a place as it is mysterious. When you think of your transfer to a $2,800 per night resort that includes going out into the open ocean, the below boat is probably not what youre expecting but thats exactly what you get. Its quite surreal to see the handful of resort buildings sitting in a state of disrepair. The check-in agent was friendly, and handed us a laminated boarding pass with a number, as well as a bottle of water with a baggage tag on it. I actually bit my tongue for most of the ride because I figured Id I didnt then the hard crashes on the waves might make my teeth crack as they slammed together. The domestic airline, La Costea, only sells same-day tickets to walk up passengers. 32.08 Km. Oh my gosh, getting to the port was a sensory overload, with the number of people, and how loud it was. The following activities are included: Private jet flights and helicopter transfers to the Island. Depart Tenerife by helicopter transfer to El Hierro. The six of us on the island ourselves and two other couples gathered at the show kitchen and chatted over drinks before eventually digging into a few delicious helpings of jerk chicken (and any other lunch items we wanted to order). Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners. Can't help you with the bad back other than suggesting you do your stretching exercises daily. Indeed, I had initially booked for November 69, but Mandy was able to change our dates to November 710 independently, given that the resort did indeed have World of Hyatt points availability on the night of the 9th. Quite an adventure, and we got totally drenched during the hour long ride to the island. Below youll find a map of the resort: As you can see, the southwestern corner plays host to the four guest villas. The Calala Island team is 25+ strong, consisting of general managers Claudia and Leon, front-of-house hosts Shorvin, Ruben, and Mick, and a full squad of chefs, housekeeping staff, groundsmen, songsters, and behind-the-scenes staff members. Spend your days lazing in the hammock or taking hand-in-hand strolls on the beach - after your morning mimosas, naturally. How To Get To Calala Island (Brace Yourself) - One Mile at a Time Id also note that the timing of our visit in early November was less than ideal: March tends to be the best month to catch both the sunniest days and the hatching of the hawksbill turtles. 335. The king-sized bed is covered with a net, although its not to keep mosquitoes out. The coconut-flavoured Ultra Coco was certainly a crowd-pleaser with its smoothness, though I eventually took a liking to the seven-year and 12-year aged varieties. Around the back of the king bed, youll find some storage cabinets to keep your belongings. Nicaraguans in general are the nicest people I've ever met. 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. Redeem Hyatt Points At $2,350/Night Private Island - One Mile at a Time Lets talk about those food and beverage offerings, all of which are complimentary in your ultra-all-inclusive Calala Island stay. How To Get To Calala Island (Brace Yourself), Review: American Airlines Main Cabin Extra 737, Flying With La Costea Airlines To Bluefields. Im fairly certain I had gotten lucky and stumbled into a three-night pocket of availability after someone else had cancelled. Meanwhile, Jessy kept to smaller portions of muesli and fruit, as she was still feeling full from dinner on the previous nights. Your friendly Calala-lalas (also known as staff in the rest of the world) will organize for you to board a 50-minute domestic flight from Nicaragua's main airport in Managua to Bluefields, from where it's a 90-minute scenic boat ride through lagoons and mangroves, out to sea and Calala Island. I actually dont disagree with Ford, at least as far as hotel transfers go. Our representatives will accompany you throughout the journey. Royal Platinum members get access to exclusive benefits, opportunities, and events, along with a personal touch from our founder. After waiting for about an hour, the airport staff indicated that the plane was ready for boarding. Rickys love for travelling and learning more about the world is unbounded. The reason this suddenly became relevant in our world was because Calala Island belongs to Small Luxury Hotels of the World, and they have a partnership with Hyatt. The island is paradise for nature and wildlife lovers; sea turtles, dolphins, manatees, otters, rays, and lobsters all call the surrounding waters home, whilst birdlife on the island is abundant and diverse.