Whichever way you measure it El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America. Often forgotten about and largely only recognised for its links
with murders, violent crime and gangs (most notably MS-13 & Barrio 18). El Salvador has however changed under its leader Nayib Bukele, while controversial in many aspects he
vowed to bring back stability and reduce crime in El Salvador and too many extents he has done a tremendous job in making El Salvador a much safer place to visit. During our
time here we felt just as safe as being in any city in the world and certainly a lot safer than one would feel roaming around many US cities such as Los Angeles.
We'd not been able to come here as we traversed the rest of Central America in 2013 due to the security and safety situation. Had we come here then I'm not sure how we would
have rated it. Central America has so much to offer and might just be one of our favourite regions of the world. The cheap local food is available easily and we've taken many
dishes away from this region which we continue to enjoy to this day. The weather is more balanced than the South or North of the Americas, the region is full of fantastic beaches,
great reefs for snorkelling and diving, numerous mountain ranges & national parks, eco & adventure activities, wildlife and some of the world's least visited Mayan ruins. For such
a compact area of the world it has so much to offer and the best part is that its size makes it easily explorable in comparison to larger country groups.
El Salvador though is a hidden diamond within a basket of gems. Being the smallest of the Central American countries and also the only one lacking a Caribbean coastline many may
discount this country as they navigate there way from Belize to Cost Rica. This is a double-edged sword as it makes El Salvador a quiet and at times tourist free country which is
always a great thing to experience, but it also means many people miss out on all that this country has to offer. As the country is reforming itself I suspect a boom in tourism in
the coming years especially as more typical nearby countries become less safe such as Mexico and Honduras. El Salvador also has its own variants of cuisine such as Pupusas which are stuffed
flat breads made from corn or rice flour and typically filled with refried beans, cheese and a choice of other fillings such as vegetables, meat or fish.
Getting to El Salvador was difficult. We had two options from the United Kingdom. One with 3 connections across the United States.
A second with a direct route to Bogota and then a connection back up to El Salvador. Both routes were set to take about the same amount of time but via the
US we'd have to deal with many more airports, low quality baggage handling and the cost would have been higher. Additionally once we grouped Ecuador and the
Galapagos on it made a lot more sense to stick with a single airline for the return (Avianca - Only a few select airlines are allowed to operate in/out from
the archipelago). As such it was a long journey to get here, all in about 22 hours door to door.
We arrived at around 10am in the morning and it was already hot. Tired and with one of our group unwell we set about collecting our rental car and then driving from San Salvador to Santa
Ana. While the drive wasn't that long this day we wanted to make the most of it by stopping at some sights along our route and also a local supermarket for lunch and the supplies we'd need
over the rest of our time in El Salvador. Most notable of the sights is the Mayan ruins of Santa Ana. The site had turned out to be partially shut which was a shame as this part had the
best temple viewing. It looked like it had been closed for some time with the path overgrown. However this is most likely the first site any people coming into El Salvador will be able to
visit; situated only and hours drive from San Salvador. The site itself is quiet but you can walk around the museum and ruins freely. For those people who've not seen Mayan ruins before
it is a cool place to visit, although I'd recommend avoiding the heat of the middle of the day if possible as even with the tree growth and shaded paths it can be hot when viewing the actual
ruins.
Next we progressed onto our stop for the evening of Santa Ana. Santa Ana is El Salvador's second largest city. While this may make it seem like a place not to stay it is suitably located for
easy access to the Santa Ana volcano and lake Coatepeque. The city itself does have a few nice sights, albeit it not overly geared towards tourism. We got around on foot here and we never
felt unsafe even in the later hours after dark. Specifically we visited the Catedral de Nuestra Señora Santa Ana, Santa Ana National Theatre, Mayors Office and Parque Libertad. Walking here
can be a challenge due to the lack of pavements and stalls and cars placed on them. But the square itself it very nice and there is a place with views over the square called Simmer Down.
However we chose to eat dinner at a quaint little place set in a courtyard off the street called Keka's Place. The food here was fantastic as was the local mocktails and beer. It was the
perfect place to recharge our batteries before our early night ahead of the big day tomorrow.
Any brief search into visiting El Salvador and you'll be inundated with volcano hikes. With over 20 volcanos in its small
territory it's hardly a surprise. Many of which as still active with the last eruption here to occur in 2013. Out of all of these it is often the highest
one which is most caveated for explorers and hikers. It is situated at 2,381m above sea level however this volcano is one of the easier in El Salvador
to climb. For example Izalco Volcano offers a much more challenging climb. Having said this the altitude can still be a challenge and I'd strongly
recommend against climbing it in sandals or in the midday heat.
We had a car rental and so were able to arrive for around 8am before the buses and even at this time on a mid-week day we had an almost full group ready
to set off on the hike. The cost is $35 per group (in 2025) and the guides will wait for 12 people paying $3 each before departing unless the group agrees
to cover the additional cost, this was something we did but our group size meant we each only need to pay $1 more. A small price to pay to beat the masses
and boy did we beat them. We also had to pay another $3 for the parking and $3 each for the national park entrance fee. Do not bring alcohol or any other
prohibited items as the police and security will search your bags lightly before entering the trail and also potentially at the summit. BUS
The trail starts off walking through shaded forest but up a relatively steep incline. Somehow despite the shade this feels like the most difficult part of
the trail as we struggled for breath, perhaps it was the steps. Thankfully our group pace matched our own however a few in the group were struggling and had
to stop at the first viewing tower and go back down on their own. Speaking of which definitely climb the viewing tower as it allows you to cool in the breeze
while having good views back over the lake and your surroundings. Climbing it can be a little bit of a challenge with a rucksack on though as the ladder
openings with the platforms can be a bit difficult to climb onto. They are sturdy enough but due to the structures support bars you have to lean and slide
backwards and this can lead to your backpack snagging on the floor sometimes.
After this section the trail evens out and you are more exposed to the weather and its elements. During the rainy season hiking here is ill-advised due to
the slippery conditions underfoot and also the fact the volcanos are often shrouded in mist preventing the views both out over the valleys and surrounding
peaks but also into the crater of the volcano. We were hiking early and it was hot, if you were later on the day it'd likely be very hot. I strongly
recommend sunscreen and a sun hat of some sort. At the summit it is very exposed being the highest point in El Salvador and the wind really picks up. It is
advised to bring a light jacket or jumper with you if you are to spend much time at the summit.
The hike in total takes about two and a half hours to reach the craters rim and then about an additional one to one and a half hours to reach the car park again.
Anyone of good fitness in the correct attire should be able to complete the hike, but care needs to be taken. It is also much safer now due to the police
presence along the trail. During the hike there are good views over lake coatepeque, the dormant Cerro Verde volcano and eventually directly into the bubbling
crater of the Santa Ana volcano itself. Depending on the time you make the summit there may be a local vendor selling frozen ice lollies which is a welcome
refreshment from the heat. We had almost beat the ice lolly vendor up the volcano by time we reached the summit. Only one group was ahead of us, turning back
to come back down.
After completing the hike we drove back down the lake side road towards Santa Ana. We stopped at the Cráter Restaurant & Coffee Shop which has a gorgeous viewing
platform overhanging the forest and looking onto the lake. Here there is wide open panoramic views and we managed to get some good food and a refreshing drink
to replenish ourselves from the hike. This place also had some friendly dogs and a good spot to get some instagram worthy pictures overlooking the lake. From here
we headed down before turning onto a lake side road if it can be called that. It was more a dirt and dust bridleway but due to the dry weather we made it fine
in a two wheel drive car. Eventually towards the end of the road we arrived at our hotel for the night, the lake front Equinoccio Hotel. This place was like an
oasis with an infinity pool, poolside bar service, a pier where you could sit overlooking the lake and also some fantastic food including the local Pupusas. I
could not recommend a better place to cool off from the heat of the day and recoup your muscles after a morning of hiking.
Mayan ruins, I'd say for everyone coming to El Salvador there is a top three things on their
agenda: Hiking a volcano, Surf beaches and Mayan ruins. Topping the list of the many ruins El Salvador offers is Tazumal.
Nearby to Tazumal is Casa Blanca, it is less well preserved as it was abandoned many years earlier by the Mayan's. It
pre-dates Tazumal as the original settlement here, but due to constraints Tazumal was built as the better place for the
cities growth and Casa Blanca was outsourced to a ceremonial and ritual sacrifice location. Due to this the site is less
well preserved. Casa Blanca is also therefore less visited but it is a good place to visit to get the history about
this region of what is now El Salvador and the importance of Tazumal and Casa Blanca.
Arriving at Tazumal we weren't sure if we were heading in the right direction as it seemed to be down back streets without
any real signage. Although this had been a problem throughout El Salvador with tourist attractions only being marked at the
actual entrance point even when off major highways. Once we did arrive we realised we'd timed our trip to coincide with an
entire schools trip to the site. It was a Friday after all and it didn't overly hamper our viewing in fact in some ways it
made it more memorable and we didn't have to wait around long for the kids to start to leave and the queues to climb up the
allowed portions drop to manageable levels. The local kids also tried to talk to us in English as foreigners. In fact English
is rarely spoken in El Salvador at all and it is typically only the kids who are learning it in school. Out of all the Mayan
ruin sites we explored in El Salvador Tazumal appeared to be the smallest but it was also the most impressive and well
preserved. The heat here however was still relentless.
Following our morning exploring Mayan ruins we decided to unwind in the afternoon during our drive
of the Ruta de Las Flores by stopping at the Alicante Hot Springs. There are two major springs here Alicante and Santa Teresa.
Which you prefer depends on your taste. Alicante is a more natural affair set into the mountain side with jungle and shades
overhanging. Santa Teresa is a spa focused more on swimming pool style layout and treatments. If you want to experience something
similar to the western world and less specific to Central America then you would prefer Santa Teresa. If your more of an explorer
and enjoy nature than you'd likely prefer Alicante.
There are around eleven pools here of varying temperatures with the hottest too hot to stay in for any long period of time. You
might think that hot springs in 30°C+ would be ill-advised but due to the surrounding nature and provided shade it was actually
very comfortable and helped to ease our muscles from the previous day's hiking. If it did get too hot you could sit either on the
in pool seats or on the pool edge keeping just your waist or legs in the warm water. For those wanting it there were cooler pools
closer to the restaurant and bar although I hear the food here is not that worthwhile. For the adventurous there is also a hike
up to the source of the springs, we didn't undertake this as we heard it takes about an hour round trip. You can also enjoy
smothering yourself in mud for an additional fee.
From here we continued our drive to the pretty mural town of Ataco. There are several towns to stop at on the Ruta de Las Flores
but we chose Ataco because of the availability of accommodation with parking and also its convenient location along the route.
A lot of the town was under construction which did detract a bit from its appeal but this was more because the best bars and
restaurants overlooked this street. Thankfully with a bit of searching we managed to find a great place for drinks away from the
noise with a viewing terrace for some fresh mocktails and wine. The town itself is full of artsy shops selling goods, pretty murals
and cobbled streets. It was nice to see a very different side of El Salvador and enjoy the more laid back vibe. Again the town also
felt very safe even as we walked home in the evening.
We didn't spend too much time on the beaches having heard they are not the best in the region. However we had a full day
on our hands to get back to the airport and so we decided to take the scenic route via the Pacific coast line. As we dropped down through the local towns
of the Ruta de Las Flores with viewpoints looking out to some more of El Salvador's volcanos we eventually reached the flatter plains of the coast.
Our first stop here was the very local beach location of Playa Dorada. Having arrived here at 12pm (midday) we were stunningly surprised by the length
of the beach, how quiet it was and the volcanic black sand. The temperature had also rocketed by the time we reached the coast to around 38°C. Unfortunately
this did make the sand unbearable for bare feet even through a beach towel. No issues here though given the ocean was so close by and it also was nowhere
near as cold as you'd expect the Pacific ocean to be. In fact it was remarkably pleasant and far more inviting than any waters around the UK. Although
we had wanted to swim here with a flight this evening we saw wise to avoid getting too sun burnt and we were still a few hours from the airport. As such
we continued our drive along the coastline to popular beach town of El Tunco.
El Tunco also known as surf city was much like what we had read online, a bustling beach side town geared towards tourists and surfing. It was not really
our kind of place and we had much preferred Playa Dorada. Having said that it was a good place to escape the midday sun, hydrate and eat some more local
food. If we had just come to El Tunco we may have been a bit disapointed in the beaches of El Salvador, but having seen what else the country had to offer
we knew that there were good swimming spots and long stretches of rustic sand to be found in many places here.
It was hard to believe that we'd only spent 4 days in El Salvador. We'd seen so much in this time that it felt like
we'd spent a week here. While we could have spent more time here, in this time we'd managed to explore the majority of the tourist trail and about half of the country.
Due to the difficult timings of flights both in and out this had limited us somewhat and if you get tired easily or aren't up for a feature packed trip you may need to
take slightly longer. Having said that we still managed to have some nice down time at the Lake and in Ataco during our time travelling around El Salvador.
Next we boarded a flight back towards South America and the Ecuadorian city of Quito. Due to Quito's altitude we were expecting a significant temperature drop.
