Reef
both
Level 4/10

Little Corn Island

Corn Islands, Nicaragua
🪸Sharp reef⚠️Shallow🏝️Remote🚶Difficult access

Little Corn Island is the ultimate off-grid surf adventure—a car-free Caribbean island where the rugged east coast transforms into dramatic surf when east-northeast swells (30°-130°) arrive from tropical storms or sustained trade winds. The island has no motor vehicles, so you'll walk everywhere through jungle paths to reach the breaks. Consistency is low, but when conditions align during peak rainy season (July-August), you'll surf empty reef breaks in crystal-clear Caribbean water with zero crowds. This isn't a surf trip destination—it's a tropical island escape that occasionally delivers waves.

Little Corn Island surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast
Today9
21
Poor
0.3m@7s
10km/h
Sat10
22
Poor
0.3m@8s
11km/h
Sun11
5
Poor
0.5m@7s
16km/h
Mon12
49
Fair
0.9m@9s
13km/h
Tue13
33
Poor
0.6m@8s
14km/h
Wed14
35
Poor
0.5m@8s
10km/h
Thu15
23
Poor
0.4m@8s
9km/h
Fri16
27
Poor
0.3m@8s
7km/h
Sat17
13
Poor
0.3m@7s
16km/h
Sun18
23
Poor
0.3m@7s
10km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: MorningAM 5 km/h · PM 15 km/h · High tide at 11am (0.4m)
Swell
0.3m
E(84°)
Score: 2/25
Period
7s
Short period / windswell
Score: 4/25
Wind
10km/h
ENE(58°)
Score: 9/25
Weather
29°C
0.0mm62%
First light 4:51amSunrise 5:21amSunset 5:16pmLast light 5:46pm
Windswell0.1m@1sSecondary0.1mConfidence
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: 10:30–11:30am · risingIdeal tide: 0.4–1.4m
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°
29°
29°
29°
29°
28°
27°
27°
28°
28°
28°
26°
27°
28°
27°
27°
27°
28°
28°
28°
27°
28°
28°
28°
28°
28°
27°
27°
28°
28°
27°
27°
27°
28°
28°
27°
28°
28°
28°
29°
26°
26°
26°
27°
27°
27°
27°
27°
27°
28°
2m1.0
sec
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
swell
windkm/h
6g10
4g10
8g13
13g20
16g23
12g17
17g34
9g16
15g20
10g23
15g22
15g20
18g27
17g29
16g28
12g20
14g25
10g17
16g24
13g24
14g20
14g21
11g20
16g22
15g24
14g21
11g22
6g17
14g21
11g22
8g24
6g24
7g23
11g22
14g21
6g13
6g11
7g12
9g14
11g17
15g21
17g22
18g23
15g26
11g27
8g14
9g17
9g20
11g23
12g25
tidem
3:30am0.2m
11:00am0.4m
6:30pm0.2m
4:30am0.2m
11:42am0.5m
7:30pm0.2m
1:00am0.3m
5:30am0.3m
12:15pm0.4m
8:30pm0.1m
2:30am0.3m
7:00am0.2m
1:10pm0.4m
8:50pm0.0m
3:00am0.3m
7:30am0.2m
1:50pm0.4m
9:50pm0.0m
4:30am0.2m
2:15pm0.4m
10:10pm0.0m
4:30am0.2m
3:00pm0.4m
10:30pm0.1m
5:00am0.3m
3:42pm0.5m
5:10am0.3m
4:10pm0.5m
Ideal tideStrike windowDanger tideNight

Tide times today

3:30 am
Low tide - 0.21m
11:00 am
High tide - 0.41m
6:30 pm
Low tide - 0.21m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

21
Poor
Components
Swell Direction22/25
Swell Size2/25
Swell Period4/25
Wind9/25
Raw Score37/100
Adjustments
Wind History-2
🌊 Tide-4
📉 Undersized Swell-10
🚫 Undersized Capmax 30
Adjusted Score21/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score21
🌊 Touches shallow danger zone

Plan Your Strike

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

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
E (80°)
Direction range
30° - 130°
Size range
0.6m - 2m
Ideal size
1.2m - 1.7m
Height multiplier
1.00×
Ideal period
11s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
W (270°)
Offshore range
220° - 320°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
mid to high
Optimal range
0.4m - 1.4m
Danger below
0.3m

Water temp

28°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

1/10

Access: Fly to Big Corn (RNI), then panga boat to Little Corn. No vehicles on island.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at Little Corn Island?

The Little Corn Island profile favors mid to high tide, ideally between 0.4m and 1.4m on the local tide chart. Compare this preference with the forecast tide and local conditions before choosing a session. The profile flags a low-tide hazard below 0.3m.

What wind direction is offshore at Little Corn Island?

The Little Corn Island profile uses wind from W (270°) as its preferred direction, with an offshore range of 220° to 320°. 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 Little Corn Island?

The Little Corn Island scoring profile favors swell from E (30° to 130°), a swell-height range of 0.6m to 2m, and a reference period of 11s. 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 Little Corn Island?

The main season at Little Corn Island is Jun-Oct. A secondary window runs Nov, Dec, Jan. Peak rainy season (July-Aug) best. Needs sustained E-NE Caribbean swell. Very inconsistent.

How do I get to Little Corn Island?

The spot profile lists RNI as a nearby airport. A boat transfer is also required. The profile estimates $15 USD; confirm the current price and departure point with an operator. Fly to Big Corn (RNI), then panga boat to Little Corn. No vehicles on island.

What kind of wave is Little Corn Island?

Little Corn Island is a reef break, a peak with lefts and rights. Difficulty is rated 4/10.

Best Season

Peak: Jun-Oct

Secondary: Nov, Dec, Jan

Peak rainy season (July-Aug) best. Needs sustained E-NE Caribbean swell. Very inconsistent.

Getting There

Airport
RNI
Drive time
0 min
Boat required
$15
Data quality
community

🤙 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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