4 Days in El Salvador : A Guide for Beginners
Both of my parents were born in El Salvador and lived there until they immigrated to the United States more than 40 years ago. In recent years, the country has changed significantly and is now considered one of the safest in the world! It has experienced a revitalizing transformation that is attracting a wave of new tourists. This development is beneficial for the local communities and population, marking a significant change from the past. The Pacific Ocean provides stunning beaches, and the volcanoes scattered across the country offer breathtaking views.
What to Know Before You Go
El Salvador is still a developing country. They do have all-inclusive resorts and hotels, but they are learning and there will be some growing pains with the new influx of tourists visiting the beautiful country.
Cell service is tough to have at times and in certain locations due to El Salvador being surrounded by jungles, beaches, and volcanoes. It will get better with each renovation project, but in some spots you won't get any service. We used airalo to buy an eSIM, but also bought an international pass with T-Mobile for double coverage.
The locals typically speak Spanish only, but in the Capital and in more populated areas they will speak English too. The hotels and resorts also have English speaking staff as well. The restaurants and menus do have English in them, so they will be able to help out too.
The weather is typically humid and muggy, but always be prepared for some form of rain shower throughout the day.
They accept USD or Bitcoin (BTC) as forms of payment in all establishments and vendors on the side of the road typically only deal with cash.
You can rent a car directly from the airport or there are numerous personal drivers throughout the country at a fraction of the cost as it would be in other countries.
My family and I hired a driver to take us from the airport to where we were staying about one and a half hours away. We hired them for the weekend and they picked us up from the resort to where we were headed for the day and stayed parked until we were finished. They also took us back to the airport as well. The phone numbers for some companies are listed below.
+503 7785 6768
+503 7560 4721
You can pre-book excursions through Viator, some companies communicate solely through Whatsapp as well.
Day One : A Country Reborn
We reached El Salvador in the late morning, eager to start our journey in a country brimming with fresh excitement and unexplored adventure.
We left the airport to meet with our driver and got smacked in the face with some of the humidity we were warned about. There is a unique walkway leaving the airport that makes you feel like you're the star of the show with people waiting for their loved ones at the exit.
We had a drive ahead of us but it was beautiful sight seeing along the way. We made it to Beto's Restaurant for our first taste of authentic Salvadorean cuisine. The views were astounding and looked as though we stepped onto the Amalfi Coast. The restaurant is cliffside, so you can see the beautiful beaches from far below and the waves breaking against the rocky cliffs.
The food was amazing and the drinks were cheap. Seafood is a delicacy in El Salvador and it lived up to the hype. After spending sometime here we headed to our resort on the western side of the country.
We stayed at Mizata by Antiresort which consisted of treehouses, bungalows, and suites. You're in the jungles of El Salvador, but also only a few steps away from volcanic black-sand beaches. The resort had yoga classes on certain days, an infrared sauna, polar plunge and an outdoor gym. It is definitely for the more nature-minded, but there is a great restaurant on-site with an even better bar. There was also a rowdy nightclub if that is more your vibe.
After checking in, we decided to change and head to the beach for sunset. There was also an infinity pool with perfect view of the ocean. The bar was playing great music and we relaxed after a long day of travel throughout the country.
Day 2: Lago de Coatepeque
After enjoying a resort-provided breakfast featuring traditional Salvadoran dishes like eggs, beans, cheese, plantains, thick corn tortillas, and avocado, we started our day. The coffee in El Salvador is also some of the best in the world. We drank quite a few cups of it to start the day as well.
Before the trip, we reached out to a few companies on the lake for boat tours, jet skis and water activities. We booked them in advance because it could get busy at times.
Lago Lancha - +503 7895 9442
We headed straight to Lago de Coatepeque. It is a large crater lake surrounded by wooded hills and volcanoes. It was one of the most beautiful places we had ever seen.
We started the day with a boat ride around the entire lake. We were given the opportunity to dive off the boat and into the volcanic water. The water is thousands of meters deep and is crystal clear. Due to the volcanic properties of the water, it made our bodies denser so we had to wear life vests throughout the boat ride. The water felt incredibly refreshing too.
From there we went around the Lake and given a brief history lesson on some of the infamous properties on the lake and where the current president has a lake house as well. On the opposite side of where we began our boat ride we ended up in the thermal springs of Lago de Coatepeque near Teopán Island. The temperatures ranged from lukewarm to scalding hot in certain areas. It was incredible to see how diverse one body of water could be. We met some locals selling some freshly cooked fish near there too and were on our way after that.
The next portion of the day consisted of riding jet skis around the lake. The ride started as any jet ski excursion would on a sunny day. We rode around and saw the volcano in the distance that we were aiming on riding towards. Our day suddenly took a turn when a dark cloud began descending on our location. We decided to turn around and ride in the opposite direction, but when we looked back the volcano was gone. It felt like something out of Game of Thrones when the white walkers arrived. It was consumed by the rain clouds and we decided to book it back to the dock in the pouring rain. We look back at it now and laugh but it got a bit sketchy at the time.
In the higher elevations the weather could be very unpredictable, so after the jet skis we decided to have lunch at La Octava Maravilla Restaurante & Bar. The food was great and the drinks were cheap as well.
A little tip when visiting El Salvador is to not feed the dogs (chuchos) there. There's quite a few strays, but they're friendly. They may be cute, but they won't leave you alone if you give them some food, no matter how many puppy dog eyes they give you.
After our wet and wild day we headed back to the resort for a one-of-a-kind sushi experience. You had to book it in advance because they caught the fish fresh at sea that morning. My wife and I had a seven course sushi experience full of unique flavor combinations.
Afterwards we headed to the pool to drink a few beers and hang out with my family to recap the day.
Day 3 : El Tunco
We started our day enjoying the black sand beaches near the resort. The water was warm and despite the rain many people were enjoying the water. After coffee and breakfast we got our day started and headed to El Tunco.
El Tunco is a world-renowned surf town on El Salvador's Pacific Coast. Tunco means "pig", named after the rock formation on the beach that kind of looks like a sleeping pig. It's a laid back vibe with different shops and markets. There's also lively bars at night and beach clubs to party the night away.
If you're into surfing then this is the place to be too.
We spent out day shopping and eating some pupusas from the numerous restaurants that had them. There's quite a few bars too that get rowdy at night when you're wanting to dance the night away.
Walking around the streets, you get to experience a lot of Salvadorean culture and enter into a different side of the country that you wouldn't otherwise see. I highly recommend visiting for the day, or even staying in this area.
To end our fun day, we watched baby leatherback turtles being released into the ocean at our resort. Witnessing these soon to be giant turtles at the start of their life journey in the sea was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Last Day in El Salvador
On our final morning in El Salvador we decided to horse back ride on the stunning beach outside the resort.
We had our final breakfast and embarked on our journey home. Before we left we did stop at a roadside stand for some famous Salvadorean green mangoes with chiles and some other fruit synonymous with the country like mamones.
More to do (We definitely didn't get to experience everything, but here's more options if you're staying longer than us)
Ruta de las Flores - route in the western highlands connecting six vibrant, colonial towns with coffee shops, waterfalls and colorful street art.
Tamanique Watefalls - you'll need a guide to do this route, but if you're an avid hiker it's highly recommended.
Santa Ana Volcano - Incredible hike up the most famous volcano in El Salvador!
San Salvador - Capital of El Salvador with refreshing city life
Surf City 2 - an updated and modernized version of El Tunco on the opposite side of the country, the country has invested quite a bit over the years in this section
Conclusion
El Salvador is undergoing a transformation in image and in reputation. There's construction happening everywhere to keep up with the newfound tourism and innovation throughout the country. It is finally turning into the dream our grandparents hoped it could become one day. The beauty of the beaches, the views of the volcanoes and the hospitality of the locals will have us coming back again and again to experience more that it has to offer.
Comments