A long long time ago, There was a volcano
"I have a dream, I hope will come true
That you're here with me, And I am here with you
I wish that the earth, sea, and the sky up above
Will send me someone to lava
Oh they were so happy, To finally meet above the sea
All together now their lava grew and grew
No longer are they all alone, With Aloha as their new home
And when you go and visit them this is what they sing
I have a dream I hope it will come true
That you will grow old with me, and I will grow old with you
We thank the earth, sea, and the sky we thank too
I lava you
I lava you
I lava you"
- James Ford Murphy
Itinerary at a Glance
El Salvador - Known for Pupusas, Volcano Hikes, Mayan ruins, surfing, & the Rutas De Las Flores
El Salvador is quite untouched, rugged and non-touristic. Due to the Salvadorian civil war between the left-wing guerillas and military government, which only officially ended in 1992, the country is still recovering from the socio-economic & political instability and inequities. As a result, El Salavador is not considered the safest for tourists and the advice is to read up in advance on sights you’ll be visiting. A few places are only recommended with guided tours, big groups or with the policiá accompanying you, more details on that below.
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Getting There
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There are several bus & shuttle service options to get to El Salvador from Guatemala City, Antigua and Panajachel. Night traveling is not recommended as El Salvador is not the safest and thus, it’s best to travel during the day. The bus / shuttle services range from $20-$30 per person.
El Tunco, La Libertad
We took the shuttle service to El Tunco, which is a small beach town. Due to volcanoes in the country, there are black sand beaches. El Tunco itself is very rocky and is in fact, primarily for surfing. People with elongated stays in this town are there to surf. Fully inspired, we vacilandos took a surfing lesson. A few tips to keep in mind for beginner surfers:
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Lesson should be fixed for a time when it’s low tide.
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Find out if the beach town has a designated spot for beginners.
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Meet with the instructors in advance to find out about their certifications and your language preference.
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Be prepared to change your relationship with the ocean, forming an intimate connection like never before ;)
$800 per person
11
days
05/29/18-06/09/18
Getting to El Salvador
Beach Town, El Tunco
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Buses & Shuttle Services
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Departure Point: Gautemala City, Antigua, Panajachel
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Destination: El Tunco, Beach Town
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Cost: $20-30
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Duration: 5.5 hours
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Getting to San Salvador
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Departure Point: El Tunco
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Destination: San Salvador
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Cost of the bus: $1.50 per person
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Duration: 1 hour
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Getting around within the city
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*Ubers are easily available in San Salvador for travel within the city.
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Getting to Santa Ana
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Departure Point: Santa Tecla, San Salvador [It's a bus stop close to Joya de Cerén]
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Destination: Santa Ana
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Cost of the bus: $1.50 per person, Bus #201
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Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
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Getting around within the city
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Since, ubers aren't available in Santa Ana, we hired a car for $25 / day
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Stay
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El Tunco
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Airbnb: $36 night for a private room
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Location: San Blas Beach
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Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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Comments: Beach is within the housing complex, 2-minute walk]. The host is very accommodating, picks up & drops guests since El Tunco has minimal public transport.
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Santa Ana
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Airbnb: $33/night
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Location: 15 minutes from centro historico
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Rating: 4 out of 5
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Comments: Listed as an Airbnb, the place is more of a hotel with a pool. Hosts are accommodating and drop/ pick up guests especially at night
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Food Much
Santa Ana
Simmer Down
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Location: Centro Historico
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Comments: Terrace for the view of the cathedral & central part of town
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Recommended for cocktails / fresh juices
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Currency
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Dollars [El Salvador switched from Colon, its local currency to the dollar in 2001, however, dollarization hasn't led to accelerated economic growth as anticipated]
Highlights
El Tunco
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Surfing Lessons
San Salvador
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Puerta Del Diablo [$7 one way by uber]
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Yoja de Cerén
Santa Ana
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Centro Historico
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Tazumal
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Casa Blanca
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Santa Ana Volcán
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Lake Quatepec
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Rutas De Las Flores
Stay and getting around El Tunco
Through Airbnb, we stayed at San Blas Beach, which as a beach is relatively more swimming-friendly. Our place was fully equipped with the beach in our vicinity, swimming pool, great cocktails and delicious food.
It is tough to commute in the town of El Tunco without a car. Luckily, our host was awesome and super flexible, willing to pick up and drop us everywhere. Alternatively, staying within the town of El Tunco would give easy access to bars and restaurants on the coast.
El Tunco is not the most picturesque beach, and currently is for surfers or for travelers making pit stops as they make their way to Guatemala, Honduras or Nicaragua.
San Salvador
El Tunco and San Salvador are connected by bus and we took an exclusivo for $1.50. Barely an hour away, it was a supremely comfortable ride. There are ubers in San Salvador, which make it easy to get around.
Centro Historico
Similar to other Central & South American countries, Centro Historico is defined by the old colonial buildings; Nacional Palace, Cathedral and Nacional Teatro. People come together to enjoy performances at the plaza. The plaza known as La Libertad holds significance from the time of Independence in 1821 and more recently, during the peace accord that was signed in 1992 between the guerillas and the military-led government.
Teatro Nacional de El Salvador is the oldest theatre in Central America. Constructed from 1911-1917, the architecture has been influenced by French Renaissance. In 1976, a process of remodeling was undertaken by the Salvadoran architect Ricardo Jiménez Castillo and the teatro continues to play a central role in the cultural and political life of El Salvador.
Above is the Cathedral of San Salvador, which was completed as recently as 1992 after a history of tragedy and rebirth. It holds the tomb of Archbishop Óscar Romero, who was assassinated here in 1980.
Puerta Del Diablo
An hour away (uber; $7) from San Salvador, Puerta Del Diablo - the Devil’s door entails two cliffs, which make for the perfect mirador (viewpoints) for San Salvador. You can climb to the top and enjoy the scenic sights. It has a dark history though, since the cave-like entrance was used to torture people during the civil war. El Salvadorians are now in the process of re-claiming this space and re-defining what it means to them. There’s a baby zipline that connects the two cliffs and you can zip from one end to the other, whilst soaking in the depths of the green and beauty around.
Joya de Cerén
A unique Mayan city, its one of the most well preserved archeological sites, serving as a rich source of information abut daily Mayan life. Different from the magnanimous architectural structures that the Mayans built, Joya de Cerén is a farm where Mayans lived in houses; using the Temazcal aka steam bath & sauna; with shamans engaged in medicinal and divination practices. It’s not too touristic and if you’re lucky you’ll have the farm to yourself as you walk through the jungles re-imagining the Mayan ways. Similar to the story of Pompeii in Italy, the city met with a tragic end, when a volcano erupted in the middle of the night destroying the Mayan village :(
Santa Ana
San Salvador to Santa Ana is connected by bus and you can take an exclusivo for a comfortable ride. Our airbnb hosts from San Salvador drove us to Joya de Céren (with us covering petrol for $5) and then dropped us to a bus station at Santa Tecla, where we took the Bus #201 ($1.50) to Santa Ana.
Santa Ana has got a great vibe and you can spend an afternoon in Centro Historico as you walk around the central plaza, admiring the neo-gothic cathedral that is distinctive in architecture from other Cathedrals built in El Salvador and Latin America. Simmer Down, a restaurant at Centro Historico has a rooftop terrace and the perfect view of the old town as you eat super scrumptious food and sip on fresh juices. The Nacional Teatro has performances regularly and if you check in advance you’ll be able to find out the list of events ($1-$2) which are a great way to learn more about El Salvadorian culture.
Getting around Santa Ana
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Connectivity around Santa Ana is limited to public buses as uber is currently not available here. We took a bus to Centro Historico from where we were staying and taxis to return (must bargain for reduced prices). Our airbnb hosts were kind enough to drop us especially if it was after dark. Walking in El Salvador at night is not recommended! To be mobile and visit sights around Santa Ana, we decided to hire a car, which our hosts helped organize ($25 / day).
Tazumal
A 15-minute drive from center of town, Tazumal are Mayan ruins that date back to the classical period of Mesoamerican chronology around 250-900 AD. Located in the zone of Chalchuapa, Tazumal & Casa Blanca are part of ten archeological sites that are within proximity. In addition to being a ceremonial complex, Tazumal had strong links with the Mayan cities in Guatemala, Honduras and Yucatán, Chichen Itza and Teotihuacan in Mexico.
Casa Blanca
Five minutes from Tazumal, Casa Blanca is a lesser-known Mayan site where the museum provides detailed insight on the stones that the Mayans used to build their architectural gems, including volcanic rocks that are widely available in this geographical terrain; plants that they grew as part of their livelihood with corn being the primary one; and indigo being the main source of trade. The ruins have almost disappeared but the highlight is walking through the thickets of the jungle at Casa Blanca.
Santa Ana Volcán
A hike up to Santa Ana Volcán is a must-do during your visit to El Salvador. There are guided tours that are available, but you can take public transport or drive up to Cerro Verde Parque, where the hike begins. If you are driving your car, I would highly suggest parking your car at a spot available 1 kilometer before Cerro Verde Parque. There are a few advantages to this; Firstly, you won’t have to pay the fees to enter the National Park. Secondly, you miss out on an unnecessary part of the hike, which entail climbing down 600 steps. The hike to the volcano only gets more challenging as you ascend and you want to save your energy and spirit for the real deal! Lastly, on your return after you’re exhausted from the hike and can’t wait for it to get over, you can literally jump into your car and whiz away instead of walking back up through the road or climbing the 600 steps! I wish we had this information before we commenced the hike, but we did get lucky on our return, as there was an option to come back in a car ($0.50), however, there is no guarantee that the pick up truck will be there.
The common verdict online had been that it’s a beginner’s hike, I wouldn’t completely agree because towards the top you’re literally using all fours to climb the rocks that precede the top of the volcano. So just a heads up to be prepped for what follows. The hike, however, is completely worth it! You are on the crater, witnessing the sulphuric acid that is visible in the volcano and the color and expansiveness is simply mesmerizing. Aim for the hike on a clear day as you don’t want to miss the glorious sights from atop where in addition to the phenomenal crater, you can see Lake Quatepec and another volcano. I’ve climbed a few volcanoes now and it’s fascinating how characteristically different each sight and experience has been.
We did climb this volcano a week after Fuego Volcán erupted in Guatemala and couldn’t help thinking about the terror and destruction that these wild treasures of the earth are capable of rendering. Our thoughts were with the people who had been impacted by the eruption and gratitude for everyone who remained safe. It was suggested to us to hike the volcano and then visit Lake Quatepec on the same day, which is definitely one way to do it, especially if you have limited time in El Salvador. However, if you have the luxury of time, a day can be dedicated to the hike solely with it being a full-day activity.
Lake Quatepec
If you are planning on spending a few days in Santa Ana, I would highly recommend staying around the lake. A lot of the area around the lake is privately owned, so the airbnb’s are steep in prices. Capitan Morgan Hostel is a great option, with the deck at the brink of the lake. You can take a swim, relax on the hammocks or Jet Ski through the water! The hostel will organize the Jet Skis for you ($1 / per minute)! After my spin on the water, I just realized that I am a born jet skiier ;)
The lake is a beautiful way to get away from the chaos of El Salvador and catching the sunrise and sunset over the lake is such a poetic way of letting go off your day and starting afresh again with renewed determination, vision and explorations.
Rutas De Las Flores
One of my top favorites in El Salvador are the Rutas de las Flores, which has a flower path that connects five quaint little towns, Juyayua, Ataco, Apaneca, Nahuizalco, Salcoatitan, aka the Route of Flowers (in season).
We decided to visit two towns. First, we took a pit stop at Juyayua, which has the 7 waterfalls hike. However, as we parked our car, an El Salvadorian advised us that it was unsafe for two people to take the hike alone and suggested we should take him as a guide or hire the police to come with us. Reviews online seemed to indicate it wasn’t that safe either. So, we went to the center of town to garner more information and decided eventually to not visit the waterfall because of these conflicting suggestions. And boy, were we glad because we met someone a few days later who shared a story of how she and her friends had been robbed on that path by a guy who emerged from behind the bushes with a machete! Apparently, the waterfall itself is not a gorgeous site either so I would recommend skipping the 7-waterfall hike. We did eat many delicious pupusas in Juyayua!
Our next haunt was Ataco, and it’s a town absolutely worth visiting. As we meandered through Ataco, we found beautifully painted murals that made the town come alive. With a great vibe, delectable food, the central parque is filled with music & festivities especially during the weekend.