Reef
both
Level 5/10

Corn Islands

Big Corn Island, Nicaragua
🪸Sharp reef🦈Sharks🏝️Remote

The Corn Islands are Nicaragua's Caribbean surf outpost—remote islands off the Mosquito Coast with reef breaks that see few surfers. A flight from Managua opens up an entirely different Nicaragua surf experience.

Corn Islands surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast
Today19
10
Poor
0.8m@7s
16km/h
Sun20
27
Poor
0.7m@9s
12km/h
Mon21
23
Poor
0.5m@8s
9km/h
Tue22
14
Poor
0.4m@6s
8km/h
Wed23
15
Poor
0.3m@7s
10km/h
Thu24
19
Poor
0.4m@8s
12km/h
Fri25
20
Poor
0.5m@6s
9km/h
Sat26
30
Poor
0.5m@7s
5km/h
Sun27
15
Poor
0.3m@7s
10km/h
Mon28
15
Poor
0.3m@7s
13km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: AfternoonAM 19 km/h · PM 12 km/h · Tide at 5pm (0.4m)
Swell
0.8m
ENE(72°)
Score: 11/25
Period
7s
Short period / windswell
Score: 4/25
Wind
16km/h
NE(53°)
Score: 0/25
Weather
27°C
1.0mm92%
First light 4:51amSunrise 5:21amSunset 5:30pmLast light 6:00pm
Windswell0.2m@2sSecondary0.1mConfidence
100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
Showing forecast for today

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 4:51–7:33am · droppingStrike window: 12:13–2:14pm · risingIdeal tide: mid
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
°C
28°
27°
28°
27°
27°
26°
27°
28°
28°
28°
27°
27°
27°
27°
27°
28°
28°
28°
28°
28°
28°
28°
28°
28°
29°
27°
28°
27°
27°
28°
27°
27°
27°
28°
28°
28°
28°
27°
28°
29°
28°
28°
28°
28°
29°
27°
28°
28°
28°
28°
2m1.0
sec
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
6s
6s
6s
6s
6s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
6s
6s
6s
6s
6s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
swell
windkm/h
20g26
18g31
16g26
16g36
8g12
8g26
16g22
15g20
9g12
8g16
7g13
14g18
15g22
8g14
3g7
4g9
3g6
16g21
10g17
6g13
9g15
10g17
8g16
11g18
12g19
10g15
10g18
11g22
15g22
14g24
7g16
9g20
9g25
9g23
9g20
4g12
6g11
7g12
4g15
3g17
10g19
8g22
6g23
11g21
17g21
16g30
12g30
9g29
14g27
19g25
tidem
5:50am0.2m
10:00am0.1m
5:10pm0.4m
12:45am0.0m
5:30am0.1m
9:30am0.1m
5:50pm0.4m
1:10am0.0m
7:00am0.1m
10:30am0.1m
5:30pm0.3m
1:45am0.0m
7:30am0.1m
12:00pm0.1m
6:30pm0.4m
2:30am0.1m
10:30am0.2m
6:30pm0.3m
3:00am0.1m
10:30am0.2m
2:30pm0.2m
7:30pm0.3m
3:50am0.1m
11:30am0.3m
4:00pm0.2m
8:30pm0.3m
4:00am0.2m
11:30am0.3m
6:30pm0.2m
4:30am0.2m
12:30pm0.3m
7:30pm0.1m
2:00am0.2m
5:30am0.2m
12:50pm0.4m
Ideal tide (from tide preference)Strike windowNight

Tide times today

5:50 am
High tide - 0.17m
10:00 am
Low tide - 0.08m
5:10 pm
High tide - 0.38m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

10
Poor
Components
Swell Direction14/25
Swell Size11/25
Swell Period4/25
Wind0/25
Raw Score29/100
Adjustments
Wind History-4
💨 Gusty Wind-5
⚠️ Weak Component-10
Adjusted Score10/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score10

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to BEF, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
E (90°)
Direction range
60° - 120°
Size range
0.8m - 2.5m
Ideal size
1.6m - 2.1m
Height multiplier
0.97×
Ideal period
12s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
W (270°)
Offshore range
240° - 300°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
mid
Optimal range
0.6m - 1.5m

Water temp

28°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

5/10

Crowd level

1/10

Access: Caribbean Nicaragua. Flight from Managua.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at Corn Islands?

The Corn Islands profile favors mid tide, ideally between 0.6m and 1.5m on the local tide chart. Compare this preference with the forecast tide and local conditions before choosing a session.

What wind direction is offshore at Corn Islands?

The Corn Islands profile uses wind from W (270°) as its preferred direction, with an offshore range of 240° to 300°. Wind speed matters too: light winds outside that range can still produce surfable conditions, while strong offshore winds can make takeoffs difficult.

What swell size and direction work best at Corn Islands?

The Corn Islands scoring profile favors swell from E (60° to 120°), a swell-height range of 0.8m to 2.5m, and a reference period of 12s. These are model inputs, not guaranteed breaking-wave heights or a promise that the surf will suit every ability.

When is the best time of year to surf Corn Islands?

The main season at Corn Islands is Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar. A secondary window runs Sep, Oct. Nicaragua Caribbean reef.

How do I get to Corn Islands?

The spot profile lists BEF as a nearby airport. A boat transfer is also required. The profile estimates $50 USD; confirm the current price and departure point with an operator. Caribbean Nicaragua. Flight from Managua.

What kind of wave is Corn Islands?

Corn Islands is a reef break, a peak with lefts and rights. Difficulty is rated 5/10.

Best Season

Peak: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar

Secondary: Sep, Oct

Nicaragua Caribbean reef.

Getting There

Airport
BEF
Drive time
0 min
Boat required
$50
Data quality
verified

🤙 Strike Specialist

The Strike Specialist in Nicaragua is Sea Nicaragua Travel. Get in touch with them for the best chance of scoring the best waves in Nicaragua — and don't forget to tell 'em Barrel D sent ya.

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