That flight took only about 15 minutes, and by 8:15AM we landed in Bluefields. As you might imagine, though, this was the one part of the overall dining experience that perhaps didnt quite reach the highest heights compared to the sushi we get back home in Toronto or Vancouver. You can go to their website and see what's available and try to match those dates but it doesn't really match.. 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. When youre facing the terminal from outside, its on the right. Once we had our bags Shorvin brought us to a taxi that was waiting to take us to the port the drive took about 10 minutes. The ATR42 is pretty nice for a turboprop, and we had our choice of seats. Makes seasickness a thing of the past! Calala Island is the exclusive private island hideaway in the undiscovered Caribbean of Nicaragua. Calala Island - Boat transfer via Nicaraguan Navy checkpoint. From here, guests can take a thrice-daily, 50-minute commercial connection to Bluefields (flight transfer included in rental price), where they will be met by a representative of the island and taken to the nearby harbour. There are many clever scenarios to get the 200K points required for an epic week at Calala Island. On the first night, we indulged in a round of rum tasting, trying out several of Nicaraguas renowned Flor de Caa rums. Ford: I'll pay $2,800 to get off this boat. Our representatives will accompany you throughout the journey. (If we had booked a hotel in the city of Managua, Nestor would arrange a licensed taxi to bring us to the hotel. How . Then, a small bench sits to the side of the bedroom, serving as a divider to the bathroom area. Wed then stay at the Best Western Las Mercedes Airport, which is right across the road from Managuas Augusto C. Sandino International Airport. Even though the port was a bit crazy, I felt totally safe and comfortable. Having relished the adrenaline-fulled boat journey en route to the island, I took great delight in getting to take the boat out for another trip. We discovered 3 nights of availability over Labor Day weekend almost exactly 13 months in advance. . We take care of all transfers from the airport to and from Calala Island. Calala Islands Managua-based staff representative, Nestor, was on hand to greet us upon exiting the airport in the evening. 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. I would be seriously pissed off if I spent $2800 cash/ night And have to endure that kind of transfer to come to this resort. Thats an emotion that I hadnt encountered at any other luxury resort thus far. You spend the first hour going through mangroves and lagoons, which sounds nice, except: When you get out of the mangroves area you arrive at a military checkpoint, where armed military officers check your boat very carefully to make sure youre not bringing anything you shouldnt be. Anyone paying $$ can afford the helicopter transfer and surely will rather than endure that. As a result of the strong winds, we primarily frolicked in the water on the southern side, where theres a set of swings in the water that makes for a nice photo opportunity. Calala Island offers guests a wide range of activities to fill their days on the island, all of which are complimentary. A 15-minute helicopter ride to Catalina Island is all that stands between you and paradise. Heading out onto the front deck, then, lets take a look at the outdoor facilities that complete the Junior Suite. Jessy and I sat in Row 1 of the Cessna on the way out, getting a front-row view of the pilots in front of us, as well as the passing landscape to our sides. Essentially they operate the flight to Bluefields in conjunction with the flight to Corn Island, which is a popular Nicaraguan vacation destination off the coast. These days, a local Nicaraguan caretaker lives on Crawl Cay along with his family, and sometimes there are wildlife researchers (studying the endangered hawksbill turtle, which breeds on Calala and the nearby islands) who camp out here as well. Calala Island is a small 11-acre island that forms part of the Pearl Cays, sitting 4 km off the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua in the Caribbean Sea. You have to fly to the nearest international airport in Managua (MGA). Shopping site VeryFirstTo.com has launched a one week trip to Calala Island in Nicaragua at a cost of A$1.26 million where the wealthiest of travellers can stay in luxury, waterfront villas. But at least that was in a bay and not nearly as long. That includes three meals a day, plus unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at any time of day. But the thing that gets me is how much the boat is moving up/down when it's in the calm water in the mangroves (unless it's rougher than it looks??). Very clear and enticing article! The Calala Island boat is parked right next to all the other local boats, which are a vital part of the transportation system in this part of Nicaragua, since its the only way to access many towns. Pretty much identical travel experience with few exceptions: 1. . Royal Platinum members get access to exclusive benefits, opportunities, and events, along with a personal touch from our founder. 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. We waited for a brief respite in the storm, and then readied the boat to check out some the neighbouring islands. Offering a world of discovery spanning romantic beaches, dense tropical groves, and secluded sand bars . Rather hilariously, the hotel staff offered to drive us in the airport shuttle, even though it was immediately back across the street. 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. 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. at an additional cost, helicopter transfers direct to the Island The Calala Foundation. Lets talk about those food and beverage offerings, all of which are complimentary in your ultra-all-inclusive Calala Island stay. 1 of 12. Yeah cant wait for photo of the actual island! Is availability based on the regular BA award chart? Private island with four beach cabanas, infinity swimming pool and fine dining restaurant. Based on weather reports collected during 1985-2015. Thanks T.J.! Experience the coming together of unspoilt paradise and barefoot luxury. Chances are that at this point youre asking yourself and why cant they have a nicer transfer option? I asked myself these things as well, and here are some thoughts on that: While the transfer is far from luxurious, I actually get it. Guests of the 5-star Calala Island Set Net can relax with head massage, hand massage and couples massage or beauty therapy, body wraps and a body scrub offered at a wellness center. 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. I was particularly fond of the ceviche, which was light and refreshing, and went along perfectly with a piercing yellow chilli sauce on the side. Your experience of the boat ride is accurate, but my family probably just laughed the whole way there thinking we were on a big roller coaster ride with oh and ahs when we got air! . The other villas mostly have a rocky seawall in front of them, so I had specifically requested Kakabila with its direct beach access. Calala Island places you 2 mi (3.3 km) from Culture House. 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. Based on my research, the flight operates in one of the following ways, and you dont know until the day-of which route they take (even though they publish schedules as if its certain): It seems that they decide which route to operate based on what people booked on a particular date. Start off the morning with a refreshing mimosa. After about 15 minutes we were on our way. 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. I guess that's not the point of ultra-fancy resorts. Private fully staffed island close to Ibiza, Spain available for exclusive rent for holidays or events perfect for a tailor made vacation . You get there in much the same way. 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. For everyone else, stay tuned for the review of the actual resort before deciding whether or not Calala Island is worth visiting, in spite of the transfer. We asked Shorvin if the roughness was normal, and he said it was, noting it was actually a fairly calm day. Of course, St. Lucia Helicopters offers more than helicopter transfers. Oh my. We can also arrange, at an additional cost, helicopter transfers direct to the Island, Copyright 2023 Calala Island. (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. While this isnt what youd necessarily expect from a luxury resort: Still, the process of getting from Managua to Calala Island isnt easy. 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. No way!! As Shorvin and the rest of the staff members brought our luggage over to our villa, Claudia and Leon brought us over to the islands main pavilion to complete our welcome formalities (in addition to offering us some towels to dry off from the ocean!). 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. The resort asked when we were arriving, because when we landed in Managua the night before, Nestor met us upon arrival. 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. The times of day at which you can make the journey are determined by the flight schedules of La Costea Airlines, Nicaraguas domestic airline. 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