South West Bay Reef
Corn Islands · Nicaragua
A gently sloping fringing reef that wraps the sheltered southwestern flank of Little Corn Island, remarkable for the sheer density and health of its staghorn and brain coral colonies. Nurse sharks rest in the sandy channels between coral heads while eagle rays cruise the mid-water above. The absence of dive boat traffic means coral cover here rivals sites in far more famous destinations.
Conditions
Depth
5 to 22 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
15 to 25 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
26 to 30°C
3mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 26 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 15 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Still | Still | Still | Gentle | Gentle | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Nurse shark
Last confirmed Jan 3, 2026 · 1 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Moist Forest Anole
Last confirmed Jan 2, 2026 · 5 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Spotted eagle ray
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Queen angelfish
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Caribbean reef shark
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Caribbean Bluehead Wrasse
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Atlantic Blue Tang
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Barsnout Goby
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear