My friend was turning 40 and was adamant about celebrating the milestone in a big and special way. She was set on renting a private island in Nicaragua for $650 a night.

Initially, I could not wrap my head around renting an island for several reasons. For starters, the cost. It seemed too good to be true. Try renting a private island on Amalfi Island in Italy, and some are easily more than $250,000 per week. Other islands are so exclusive (and likely so expensive) that you can read between the lines of “contact team for price.”

Logistics was another concern. The idea of renting a private island seems like a dream come true, but we don’t own a yacht or any boats, for that matter. I worried about getting to the island, feared it would be too isolated, and was concerned about how long it would take if we needed something on the mainland.

Then, there’s safety. My mind couldn’t help but wonder how safe it could be to rent a private island. But rest-assured, all of these concerns went away upon arrival to our luxury abode. As it turns out, many owners and hosts of these private islands have logistics and safety taken care of. And yes, renting a private island can be affordable.

How Renting An Island Is Possible?

Nicaragua is famously known as the “land of lakes and volcanoes.” It’s the country of water and fire, boasting more than 50 volcano cones and home to the largest freshwater lake in Central America: Lake Nicaragua. According to Britannica, there are more than 400 islands in the lake, 300 of which are within 5 miles of the city of Granada on the northwest shore.

Many of these islands are privately owned, and the owners build on the infrastructure. Many private island owners rent their homes to visitors, and you can choose from more than a dozen.

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Where To Book and What To Expect

Booking platforms such as Airbnb, Expedia, and VRBO are great places to find private islands for rent in Nicaragua. You can spend as little or as much as you would like. Some private islands have a full kitchen and allow you to bring your own food to the resort. Other private islands, such as the one we stayed in, offer a private chef for approximately $70 (total for the group) per day plus the cost of groceries during your stay.

Private island owners provide round-trip transportation to and from the property. It’s typically combined in total costs. Extra boat rides for your party to and from the mainland cost an average of $7 one-way.

Homes on private islands have staff for safety. We had security, a house manager, and a captain who stayed on-site throughout our stay.

What To Know Ahead of Booking

Most of these homes are immersed in nature, so expect close encounters with wildlife. Luckily, we had no scary encounters with snakes or anything else, but we saw monkeys, beautiful birds, and lizards.

Take extra bug spray. I cannot stress this enough. Be sure to ask your host about the insect precautions, especially at night while your party sleeps. A good host will make sure there are mosquito nets on beds and outside sitting areas. Our group was not so lucky.

Check the amenities of each private island. One of the best things about our stay is that we had access to kayaks, boat tours with wonderful island staff, and our group received private 90-minute massages for an extra $40 per day, per person.

Private chef experience in Nicaragua — Private chef experience. Mitti Hicks

Would We Rent A Private Island Again?

The property we rented was beautiful on the outside, but we had a little trouble with our host, who was a little unprepared for our stay. One of the rooms was missing a mosquito net, and upon arrival, plastic was still wrapped on one of the beds. The house staff was terrific and sprung into action to get a mosquito net over the bed.

While our Airbnb host was questionable, this doesn’t diminish the unforgettable moments with my friends. We finally planned a trip that made it out of the group chat. One bad host experience does not change the fact that there are so many other options to choose from.

That said, we all agreed we would do it differently. Be sure to read all the property reviews, even if you read that an accommodation received a “best of award.” Talk to the host ahead of time before you book. If there is something you don’t understand or are uncomfortable with, discuss it before confirming your reservation.