Bluefields

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Our Arrival

There are 2 different panga companies from El Rama. One drops you at the main port, the other (ours) at a different port a couple of blocks further down hidden down some alley ways. Follow the alleys up to the main road.



Where We Stayed

Hostal Dona Vero - 2 blocks up from the port on the left. Hard to spot as there is a sliding metal barred door and the sign is hiden behind it. $12 room with shared bathroom or $15 for room with bathroom. Free hot/cold drinking water and coffee. Laundry sink and swimming pool. Good internet, towels and soap provided.



What We Did

Watched a baseball game on the weekend. C$20 for us to get in although ticket showed C$10.

Waited around for boats. There is not much happening in the town and it is mostly shut on Saturdays and completely shut on Sundays.



Where We Ate

During the week on the same road as the hostel there are buffet type restaurants open.

On the weekend in the morning the church had food for sale for cheap C$25-C$50 in its gardens. Also there are a couple of snack stalls around town and nacatamale sellers.

Restaurante/Bar El Norteno - from the hostel 1 block towards the port and 1 block right was a cheap place for beer. An upstairs bar with open sides and the music was not too loud. There are lots of bars around town but they tended to be enclosed, very loud and had groups of guys passed out/hanging around outside - this one seemed pleasant and safe by contrast.

Patys - a must try. C$5-C$10 each from sellers around the port.

Where We Went Next

BIG CORN ISLAND

When we were there the government run Rio Escondido ferry to the Corn Islands was not currently running. We were informed there was a boat from El Bluff on Sunday morning at 8am and you can catch the 6am panga to El Bluff to catch it but we are not sure if this is correct.

We decided to get the Captain D boat which left on Wednesday morning. To buy tickets in advance the office is opposite the Oasis Casino just up from the port. It has a picture of the boat painted on the side of the wall and you need to go through the gate, up the stairs and there is a small office on your left just before the house. Tickets cost $10 and you will need your passport to buy a ticket. There was also a sign at the port on the morning the boat left advertising ticket sales.

We were informed that the boat would leave around 11:30am/12pm however after loading all the cargo it actually left at 1:10pm. On the boat go upstairs and you can either sit on the deck or rent a bed for C$50. I would recommend the bed even during the day to be out of the sun/rain and its eaier on your bum. There is a canteen downstairs selling noodles/sandwiches and drinks including beer for C$30 a can. The boat had originally come from El Rama where it was due to leave at about 5pm, left about 1am and got to Bluefields at 10am when you can get straight on the boat. It arrived in big corn island at 9:30pm.



PEARL LAGOON

We came back through Bluefields after the Corn Islands to visit the Pearl Lagoon.

The boats to Pearl Lagoon leave at about 9am and 11am (only 9am on Sundays). Tickets are sold in the green shed just through the port gates. Give your details and pay a C$5 port tax, tickets are sold on the boat. The boat to the Pearl Lagoon is the end boat. We caught the 11am boat which left about 11:40am. Cost C$165 and took just under 1 hour.

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