I wouldn't do that if they paid me $2800 per night. 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. With open ocean views in front and palm forest behind, each one is completely private. 1 / 8. 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. 92.91 Km. The weather on the open water can be unforgiving but how else . Whats more, the water is piping-hot with superb water pressure, so it makes for an all-round excellent shower experience one that I enjoyed so much, I ended up taking about three showers per day in-between spending time on the beach, dipping in the ocean, and going for meals and drinks. That includes three meals a day, plus unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at any time of day. During our honeymoon our tour boat had to return to Phuket from the Phi Phi islands as a storm approached. Not only are three meals per day included at Calala Island, but so too are unlimited drinks at the bar or indeed anywhere, since the staff is happy to serve you drinks no matter which corner of the island you find yourself. :) - One thing to note is they do have full body nice ponchos if it rains on the boat, we had to use them for 20 minutes and never got wet. My friends who have been there all described getting there by boat from Bluefields with about the same experience. We also opted for a garden salad one day, hoping to balance out our daily gargantuan meals with a healthier item. In addition to the weather playing a role, some of the other activities were also affected by the ongoing pandemic. What happened in your situation? Upon your arrival, youre set up with a WhatsApp chat group with Claudia and Leon, as well as a separate WhatsApp line to the front-of-house team. The flight was fine there was a water or juice service, but otherwise theres not much to talk about. I was also quite surprised that the island had an onsite pizza oven, which the staff used to prepare made-to-order pizzas, among other fire-roasted items! Loved this, thank you. Helicopter private transfer price from 3950. We happened to arrive on an exceptionally stormy day, so we were in for anextremelybumpy ride! Guests step directly onto the powder-soft sand from their private decks to enjoy spectacular panoramic Indian Ocean sunsets extending to the far contours of mainland Madagascar. Rates vary significantly seasonally, and start at $1,650 per night in low season, to $3,400 per night in high season, with a three night minimum stay no matter what. Girona Railway Station. While Calala Island is small and intimate at only 11 acres in size, it fully maximizes its area for guests enjoyment. I can't wait for the actual review of the property Lucky. Here we met Shorvin from Calala Island, who would be accompanying us on the rest of the journey. Villa Policies Check-in: 4:00PM Check-out: 10:00AM Children are welcomed Pets require prior approval and non-refundable pet deposit Non-smoking Villa One quirk about Calala Island is that coconuts will regularly fall from the palm trees on a regular basis. But how relevant is it? 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. Platinum members get access to a Discord chat server, participation on exclusive livestreams, and even better discounts and early access. There was also a Saturday market there at this point, with the freshest meat imaginable (which was kind of tough to see as a former vegetarian) you could have a chicken killed right in front of you, and any part of a pig just cut off for you. . However, Calala Island is also member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, which has a marketing partnership in place with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. Theres not much else happening on this eastern half of the island, which makes the spa something of a sanctuary of its own. We went for a few quick dips, but soon decided that wed rather hang out by the more serene beaches on the southern side. I am sure you have been to Maldives and you know they have seaplanes there which are fantastic . After about 15 minutes we were on our way. Do you have to register for this promotion or you get the points automatically when you reserve? 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. Stay connected with the latest travel, aviation, and credit card news. 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??). . 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. I much prefer three hours of Omg! As our taxi zipped through the narrow and fairly dilapidated streets of Bluefields, it was clear that this part of Nicaragua was very much lagging behind in terms of development. To get from Managua airport to Calala island, we had to be at the airport at 5:45 am or 1:00 pm. Note that theres an additional list of premium spirits that you can opt to pay for, although we were totally happy with ordering from the regular drinks menu to our hearts content. Enduring this is the cost of admission to Calala Island, I guess. We had planned a few days to explore Nicaragua after our Calala Island adventure, and I was already looking forward to that part of the trip. After waiting for about an hour, the airport staff indicated that the plane was ready for boarding. Please let us know if you are interested in this service and we will gladly arrange. The toilet is housed in a separate chamber. Experience the coming together of unspoilt paradise and barefoot luxury. There are two ways to get to Calala Island; directly by helicopter or by taking a short flight from Managua to Bluefield's, before boarding a traditional Nicaraguan boat that will take you through lush mangroves to the island's dock. The whole island operates as a luxury resort, accommodating a maximum of eight guests. I want to see hotel recommendations when using Rome2rio . 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. It takes approximately 3h 25m to get from Managua to Calala Island, including transfers. When staying at Calala Island, getting there is half the fun at least if youre a thrill-seeker like me. @ Franklin -- I'll share more on my take on that in the upcoming installment, since virtually everyone working at the resort is from nearby villages. Perpignan Railway Station. While breakfast and lunch were always delicious, its the dinner service where Calala Islands incredible culinary team and service staff truly shine. 1850 im assuming. 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. As part of the lunch service on the second day, one of the chefs prepared some NiCaribbean jerk chicken for us in live-action. Calala Island has a Managua Airport representative, Nestor. This gave me bad flashbacks. as each night will set you back over 360,000 points and that's not including the 814 Euros you'd need to pay for a helicopter transfer each way. They nailed the foundational service principles, from greeting us with a smile every morning to ensuring our drink glasses were never empty for more than a few seconds during mealtime. Its quite the unusual experience, as you watch the water fly by on both sides with a strong gust of wind blowing in your face the whole time. (If we had booked a hotel in the city of Managua, Nestor would arrange a licensed taxi to bring us to the hotel. 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. With the storm continuing to surround us, it was only safe enough to make landfall on one of the nearby islands: Crawl Cay, home to another proposed resort that was abandoned in the middle of construction. Locally, the region is known as the NiCaribbean. In addition, waiting out the COVID-19 pandemic may be a good idea so that you can experience the full range of activities and catch a later departure flight on your last day. Our boat captain expertly navigated through the windswept waves. 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. Indeed, I thought that our interactions with the staff and fellow guests added a very welcome layer of friendship and bonding to our experience at Calala. Whether it was curling up with a good book, watching the sunset, or simply sneaking in afternoon nap, our hammock was our happy place. A luxury, ultra all-inclusive, private Island resort hidden in the undiscovered part of the Caribbean. Eventually, the boat makes its way to Pearl Lagoon, the closest major community to Calala Island. There are no freebie luxury resorts worth that kind of transfer imo. There was another abandoned resort on nearby Pink Pearl Island which is somehow still open to VRBO bookings to this day! Helicopter from Managua international airport direct to Calala Island. Military Customs checkpoint on the mangrove ocean part felt like a straight-up bribe to me. Calala Island guests enjoy a VIP priority queue, and the La Costea staff member inspected our documents and waved us through no need for boarding passes or anything like that. A staff member meets you in Managua's Augusto C. Sandino International Airport to show you how to transfer in the domestic . Did you have to do this in the dark coming back???? While the nonstop flight to Bluefields would have taken 45 minutes, the flight to Corn Island took about 60 minutes. @ 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. This small island is known as the most romantic . More details The Calala-bound passengers (ourselves and another couple from the US) were given priority to walk across the tarmac and board the plane. But what did you use for transfers to and from the Hyatt place by the airport? The Junior Suites are marketed with a square footage of 47 square metres, so they arent necessarily the largest rooms compared to other resorts out there. I actually dont disagree with Ford, at least as far as hotel transfers go. Booking: I was fortunate to catch someone else canceling a 3-night stay, then worked with Hyatt/Calala to add a 4th and eventual 5th night to my stay before traveling. The following activities are included: Private jet flights and helicopter transfers to the Island. Points per night: . 5.0 Excellent 53 reviews Location 4.5 Cleanliness 5.0 Service 4.9 Value 4.4 Calala Island. After quite a long journey, beautiful Calala Island was finally in sight. 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. redeem 40,000 World of Hyatt points per night for a stay here, We flew to Managua Airport the evening before. Also, 7am is the earliest that your coffee or tea can be delivered, since thats when the staff get to work in the mornings, which we found a bit inconvenient when we wanted to wake up at 5:30am to catch the sunrise.). At 5:15am the next morning, we checked out of the Best Western and went to meet Nestor at the airports domestic terminal. Typically, guests are invited to gather at the main bar anytime from 5:30pm onwards for a few rounds of drinks to start the night. Calala/VeryFirstTo. While the boat ride from Bluefields was something that I personally relished as an adrenaline junkie, youll probably feel less enthusiastic about it if you prefer a more serene start to your island getaway. 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! Interestingly there were some drug sniffing dogs on arrival, and also a temperature check. It was awesome to be able to frolic in the ocean merely steps away from our front porch, before retreating to the hammock with a drink in hand. TICO #50023501, Calala Island Tamarind glazed chicken wings, Calala Island Marinated pork ribs with yuca, Prince of Travel Signature Event, Vancouver 2023. . Rickys love for travelling and learning more about the world is unbounded. On the first night, we indulged in a round of rum tasting, trying out several of Nicaraguas renowned Flor de Caa rums. Instead, its very much the sheer exclusivity of the four villas on the island, combined with the magical curated experience across the food and drink, activities, and wonderful service, that sets apart Calala Island as one of my all-time-best travel experiences and a truly extraordinary use of your hotel rewards points. The spa is located at the opposite northeastern corner. It was so bumpy I bruised my tailbone and had trouble sitting and laying down for many days afterwards. Id certainly loved to have stayed on the island for longer during our last day and taken advantage of the midday flight, so Id recommend planning your visit to Calala Island once La Costea hopefully restores full services in the near future. 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. Typically, Id get a bit of work done in the mornings after our first coffees, and then wed stroll over to breakfast at around 9am. You have to fly to the nearest international airport in Managua (MGA). Helicopter transfers are also possible. You are my VIPs, come with me.. In fact, we were warned to keep clear of the coconut trees as much as possible to avoid an unwanted concussion. Calala Islands four beachfront villas (or cabanas, as they like to call them) are named Awas, Kakabila, Lafe, and Orinoco, respectively. 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. I have a booking for February next year. On the second day, we even got things started early with espresso martinis right after breakfast! You can leave the island at either 5:30 a.m. or noon, for an arrival into Managua Airport at 9:45 a.m. or 5:15 p.m. Check-in Have you ever been greeted by an entire island upon your arrival? 7 nights of accommodation in 4 beachfront suites for eight . Dining on Calala Island is exceedingly flexible and customizable. ), Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners, To get from Managua Airport to Calala Island, we either had to be at the airport at 5:45AM or 1PM, To get from Calala Island to Managua Airport, we could either be back at the airport at 9:45AM or 5:15PM, From Managua to Bluefields to Corn Island to Managua, From Managua to Corn Island to Bluefields to Managua, From Managua to Bluefields to Corn Island to Bluefields to Managua, Youre going really fast, to the point that your eyes are watering and you can barely look outside, even with sunglasses; I spent most of the boat ride just looking down, The boat just constantly hits the water over and over and over; its physically painful, Make sure you put on lots of sunscreen, since theres no shade, Similarly, if it rains youre exposed to all of the elements, and weather in this region changes very quickly; your bags are put into plastic bags and trash bags so that they dont get wet, and youre given a poncho, There is an option to pay to use a helicopter, though its exorbitantly expensive, and personally Im terrified of helicopters, so wouldnt consider it, While a nicer boat might sound nice, theres a practical reason for these boats, which is that they can go in really shallow water, and in some cases youre in water thats just a few feet deep, In some cases you go through some tight turns in the lagoons and mangroves, and a bigger boat just doesnt make sense, The boat goes really fast, so short of taking a huge speedboat, its going to be rough, Ill say this about the resort in advance I dont at all understand economics of Calala Island, and I imagine a more luxurious boat transfer would throw off the numbers even more, Its nice that they at least fully include the transfer with the rate, even when paying with points, The whole transfer is well organized, if nothing else, Given the unique challenges the resort faces, this system is probably the only economically viable and practical way to get people to the resort. Poor Ford. Calala Island: Paradise and luxury if you can handle the boat transfer - See 53 traveler reviews, 268 candid photos, and great deals for Calala Island at Tripadvisor. But at least that was in a bay and not nearly as long. . Correspondence is only done via email, and the phone number in Mandys email signature went to voicemail every time I tried to call. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 6:30AM, and at 6:25AM boarding was called. We parked on the apron, and about two thirds of passengers got off. 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. THANKS, LUCKY [AND FORD!] The bed is definitely on the harder side, which I didnt find to be a problem, but it might not be the most comfortable if you prefer softer sleeping surfaces. 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. Barcelona Franca Railway Station. Im interested in seeing how yours compares to the recent review of this same property on TPG. There are two bars on the island: the pool bar on the northern side, and the main bar on the southern side. 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. On one of the mornings, a coconut fell right by our villa as we were sipping our coffee, so we brought it to breakfast and asked if the staff could prepare it for us as a snack and they were happy to oblige. Jessy and I aimed to sample as much of the drink list as possible over the course of our three days, from a Pia Calala in the afternoon, to an Old Fashioned after dinner, to the surprise me drinks that the staff were all too happy to whip up. Royal Platinum members get access to exclusive benefits, opportunities, and events, along with a personal touch from our founder. Rather hilariously, the hotel staff offered to drive us in the airport shuttle, even though it was immediately back across the street. 53 reviews. Any information published by Cond Nast Traveler is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should . Why Cant They Have A More Luxurious Transfer? 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. PONANT Cruises: Best For Luxury & Adventure? This unspoiled paradise is home to only four private beach-side suites. Cape Fahn Hotel. Youre free to interact with the staff as much or as little as youd like. The flight to Bluefields takes around one hour, and affords some spectacular views of Nicaraguas claim to fame as the land of lakes and volcanoes, including Lake Nicaragua, the Mombacho Volcano, and even Ometepe Island far off into the distance. 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). If they are charging $2800 per night to stay at a tiny remote island (which is basically extortion for a country as undeveloped as Nicaragua), they should include a helicopter transfer with a stay of at least 3 nights. Flight time is 85 minutes. We take care of all transfers from the airport to and from Calala Island. Learn More. Your stay will also include complimentary breakfast, use of an . For us, thats all the more reason to look forward to the next time that were back among friends on Calala, as we cherish the memories from a transformative maiden stay in this little slice of the Caribbean Sea. Cape Fahn Hotel Thailand. 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. Unlike virtually everything else on the island, spa treatments are not complimentary, and are bookable at an additional expense. 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! Overall, I found the booking and pre-arrival experience to be seamless, if a little shrouded in mystery. The other villas mostly have a rocky seawall in front of them, so I had specifically requested Kakabila with its direct beach access. Prince of Travel is a licensed travel agent, registered in the province of Ontario, Canada. I guess that's not the point of ultra-fancy resorts. Thinking thats the best way to make sure timing is good for arrival and departure . About 100 to 120 kilometers. As you can imagine, World of Hyatt award availability is hotly contested at this property, and its very much recommended to book well in advance. I do wish we couldve made more use of the swim-up bar in the pool, although the windy weather on that side of the island made it hard to spend any quality time there. BusinessPlatinum Card from AmericanExpress. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Sorry for random ?. As for the living quarters, the villas at Calala Island make for a very cozy beachfront home during your time on the island but I dare say that they arent necessarily the highlight of the resort. Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ). Just to give you a sense of how time consuming the transfer process was, we left the Hyatt Place Managua at 5AM, and we only made it to the resort at around 11AM, so it took about six hours door-to-door. And it was worth it because that island is soooo spectacular when you get there. It needs to be good as it is after I go to Antarctica and Galapagos. Calala Island operates as an ultra-all-inclusive luxury resort, offering a total of only four beachfront villas, each with an occupancy of two guests. LOL. The times of day at which you can make the journey are determined by the flight schedules of La Costea Airlines, Nicaraguas domestic airline. 2023 Prince of Travel. Now, even though I had known what we were getting into upon booking this stay, I had purposefully told Jessy to avoid researching Calala Island at all and keep things as much of a surprise as possible. Arriving into Calala Island is not for the faint-hearted. Your feedback is important in helping us keep our community safe. Lastly, our Junior Suite in particular also had direct access to a small stretch of beach in front of us. 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. Breezy rooms are accented by white drapery and shell accessories that . Oh my gosh, getting to the port was a sensory overload, with the number of people, and how loud it was. 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. If I had to compare this place against other favourite high-value luxury resorts, then what Calala Island lacks in the glamour factor and the ultra-luxurious living quarters compared to more popular destinations like Dubai or the Maldives, it fully makes up for with the unmatched exclusivity of only four villas and the unparalleled generosity of all your meals, drinks, activities, and round-trip transfers included in the ultra-all-inclusive rate. On a particularly nice morning, the staff might arrange the breakfast tables to be outdoors right by the water, so that you can enjoy your meal barefoot on the beach. When I mention Calala Island, Im guessing some regular readers will immediately know what Im talking about, while everyone else will be saying eh? Calala Island is a private island on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua (or the NiCaribbean, as the hotel calls it). If you are interested in this service, the resort can make arrangements for you. No way!! 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. Please contact . Experience the coming together of unspoilt paradise and barefoot luxury. 32.08 Km. The owner of this site is not an investment advisor, financial planner, nor a legal or tax professional. Every morning, the islands masseuse, Karen, greets the guests at breakfast and asks if theyd like to book a spa treatment that day. After letting us know how the meals and activities would work, warning us about bug bites, and reminding us to keep our eyes peeled for unique wildlife (including the endangered hawksbill turtle and the islands two resident sloths), Claudia and Leon brought us over to our Junior Suite to settle in. This means that a maximum of eight guests can stay on the island on any given night, which creates an unbelievably exclusive experience for the lucky few who are able to snag a booking on the island. Dessert was a Nicaraguan buuelo with house-made ice cream. Calala Island advertises themselves as being "ultra all inclusive." As they describe it, stays here include the following: Return transfers from Managua International airport (50 minute internal flight and 90-minute boat transfer). Meanwhile, Jessy was decidedly less enthusiastic about another bumpy boat ride, but she was still a good sport in accompanying me. Exclusive hire of the island for only you and your guests. It wasnt super fast, and some parts of the island had a spottier connection than others, but it was more than sufficient considering that youre in the middle of the ocean and would probably want to disconnect as much as possible anyway.

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