El Salvador is a rustic that’s small in dimension however various within the landscapes and experiences you’ll be able to take pleasure in. Till only a few years in the past, the considered planning a visit to El Salvador was a distant dream for many, as a result of excessive violent crime charges and restricted vacationer facilites.
Immediately, due to infinite effort on the a part of the nationwide authorities, its residents, the army and the police, El Salvador has develop into a protected nation to go to. It went from being probably the most insecure nation to one of many most secure in Latin America, and is unquestionably price being in your bucket checklist.
💰 Enjoyable truth: the official foreign money of El Salvador is the American greenback (USD). El Salvador can be well-known for the adoption of Bitcoin, though in our expertise and talking with locals, the adoption charge is restricted throughout the nation.
Final El Salvador 5 Day Itinerary
As a small nation you’ll be able to simply see the perfect issues to do in El Salvador in simply 5 days. It’s extremely really helpful to lease a automotive throughout your go to to El Salvador for a street journey to make sure you can take full benefit of every day, and never lose time ready on a bus or set tour departures.
The most effective half is you’ll be able to even make it an extended weekend getaway to Central America. We had been already in Guatemala, so added a number of further days to our journey to incorporate El Salvador. Since we drove throughout the land border from Guatemala to El Salvador, it did affect our route beginning and ending within the westernmost facet of the nation.
Day 1 in El Salvador
We began off very first thing within the morning going to the Santa Ana volcano. We suggest arriving when the park opens at 7AM, particularly on the weekends, so you’ll be able to benefit from the crater lagoon with a decrease probability of clouds and considerably fewer guests.
To hike up the volcano it’s required that you just go together with a information, which you’ll be able to rent proper there within the car parking zone whenever you arrive.
A shared tour information prices $3 USD per individual, however it is advisable to look forward to the tour to fill with 15 to 30 individuals, relying on how busy the park is. If it’s a week day it may be a 20-30 minute wait. It’s higher to rent a non-public information which prices $35 USD and permits as much as 10 individuals within the group. We merely arrived similtaneously one other group and with 8 of us in complete, it was solely one other $1.38 per individual and didn’t have to attend, completely price it for us.
In addition to hiring a information parking prices $3 USD and the doorway ticket to Los Volcanes Park prices $6 USD for foreigners, whereas nationals pay $3 USD.
The stroll took us 1 hour and a half up and an hour down. On the prime they provide you half-hour to take images and admire the panorama. On the prime there may be additionally a man promoting ice cream for under $2 USD, which is scrumptious and a pleasant deal with within the heat solar.
Whereas the park opens at 7AM you’ll be able to enter earlier by hiring a non-public information prematurely and paying a further safety payment. You’ll be able to attain out to our information, Marwin, immediately by way of WhatsApp: +503 7506 6674 for extra data. He supplied us all details about the pure beauties inside park in addition to his personal views on the modifications that that El Salvador has gone by way of not too long ago.
After a morning of journey we determined to go all the way down to Lake Coatepeque. We stopped for lunch at Restaurante Los Leones, with waterside tables on the non-public dock. After lunch rented a jet ski from the restaurant for under $1 USD per minute and toured a part of the lake on our personal. We had an absolute blast, and it’s a excellent spot to attempt jet snowboarding for the primary time, as you don’t want to fret about waves, like within the ocean.
After lunch we drove 2 hours south to El Tunco Seashore, stopping for a fast dinner of pupusas from La Cocina de Sivar earlier than heading all the way down to the seaside to observe the sundown.
We stayed the primary night time at Kali Visitor home, which is a ten minute stroll to El Tunco Seashore, and is an easy resort with fundamental bedrooms in-built stacked transport containers, with a shared toilet for a number of rooms. There’s a good dimension pool, however we opted for the seaside as an alternative. Since we booked the identical day, it was one of many solely accommodations with availability on the town, however would in all probability not keep there once more.
Day 2 in El Salvador: El Tunco Seashore
We determined to benefit from the day on the sea at El Tunco Seashore and eat as many pupusas as we may. I’d dare to say that pupusas are the commonest and scrumptious dish in El Salvador. Pupusas are a grilled cornmeal flatbread, most regularly full of cheese and refried beans. We cherished simply enjoyable on the seaside in addition to the environment and the little outlets within the city. We determined to remain the complete day and simply calm down.
The most effective a part of the day is watching the sundown over the enduring rock formation on seaside, which is sort of spectacular.
For the second night time in El Tunco Seashore, we stayed at The Cabins, a extra luxurious tiny house in a transport container expertise. They do have a pool, however it’s comparatively small for the variety of company. We’d positively keep right here once more and even transfer in if we ever moved to El Salvador.
Day 3 in El Salvador: San Salvador
We awoke the subsequent morning and drove an hour north to lastly go to San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador.
I used to be dying to speak to locals on the road and ask them if they’ve seen a giant distinction in life not too long ago, particularly across the drop in crime. Out of the 15 to twenty individuals I talked to, there was not a single one who mentioned life had not improved. Everyone seems to be completely satisfied to not have to fret about criminals on each nook or coping with extortion.
One girl even described how a number of years in the past she witnessed a violent theft on the bus proper in entrance of her, however not worries if her household whereas come house every night time. On the social entrance, inflation has been pushing up the price of dwelling for locals whereas salaries stay very low. No less than in the interim locals expressed they’re completely satisfied they will now stay in peace, however are hoping for monetary enchancment within the close to future.
Immediately it is vitally regular to go sightseeing within the historic heart of San Salvador, which was not attainable for a few years. Don’t be stunned if you happen to see an abundance of troopers and law enforcement officials patrolling the squares and on bikes.
Our day in San Salvador centered across the two major squares within the historic metropolis heart, Civic Sq. and only one block over, Liberty Plaza. We parked the automotive at a close-by storage and explored on foot.
Beginning off at Liberty Plaza within the heart is a phenomenal Monument to the Heroes with an angel of freedom on prime. On one facet of the sq. is El Rosario Church with its distinctive curved roof lined in colourful stained glass. The doorway payment is $2 per individual, and is closed to customer whereas they’re holding mass.
Only one block to the east is the Civic Plaza, which its full title is Civic Sq. Captain Common Gerardo Barrios. Right here you’ll discover a few of the most iconic buildings within the nation flanking the sq..
The primary is the Nationwide Palace of El Salvador. Constructed between 1905 and 1911, it served because the headquarters for the Legislative Meeting and Supreme Courtroom of Justice till 1974. The Palacio Nacional is open for guided excursions Tuesday to Thursday from 11AM to 5PM, Friday and Saturday from 11AM to 10PM, and Sunday from 10AM to 6PM. Entrance tickets for foreigners are $5 per individual.
Proper subsequent door is the imposing Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador. It’s a excellent spot to cease, step out of the solar and take a look at the spectacular structure and particulars.
Throughout the plaza is the very fashionable designed Nationwide Library of El Salvador, which not too long ago opened in 2023. The constructing is open an astonishing 24/7 with a various vary of cultural sights, together with an artwork gallery. From its exterior facade to the intricately designed inside, the Nationwide Library is unquestionably price simply wandering by way of.
A half block off from the plaza is the Nationwide Theater of San Salvador. Whereas the French Renaissance model is gorgeous to take a look at, be sure to take a look at the occasion calendar to see if you happen to can attend a efficiency and witness the spectacular inside as properly.
On the best way again to the automotive we stopped at a random Megapaca sort, used clothes, retailer the place we discovered a couple of top quality clothes gadgets for tremendous low cost costs. There was a variety within the high quality of the used clothes, which comes from the US. We discovered shirts with burn holes in them, ripped jackets, but in addition wonderful finds like a model new silk shirt for $2.
In our exploring we discovered that bigger Megapaca chain shops had persistently good high quality gadgets at the next worth. Nonetheless the smaller native outlets had a mixture of the worst and highest quality gadgets at a cheaper price, and half the enjoyable is discovering the diamond within the ruff.
Day 4: Ruta de Las Flores El Salvador (half 1)
The well-known Ruta de las Flores passes by way of a number of small cities situated on the Apaneca-Ilamatepeq mountain vary between the departments of Ahuachapán and Sonsonate in western El Salvador. It’s recognized for the infinite espresso fields, numerous waterfalls and quaint villages with flower stuffed major squares, murals, and markets.
The six cities that make up the Flower Route in El Salvador are:
- Nahuizalco
- Salcoatitan
- Juayúa
- Apaneca
- Conception of Ataco
- Ahuachapan
Beginning of in Nahuizalco, right here is an effective place to purchase crafts and conventional gadgets with a ton of craft outlets. There’s additionally a big conventional meals market right here if you’re trying to attempt one thing contemporary and scrumptious.
Proper on the entrance to Salcoatitán is the Parque La Ceiba, which is only a small park with an enormous Ceiba tree that’s over 350 years outdated. Driving into city go to the colonial Antigua Iglesia de San Miguel Arcángel, which situated in entrance of the picturesque central park, and benefit from the gastronomic pageant that takes place on Sundays, the place you’ll be able to style a wide range of typical dishes. There’s additionally a small trolly that takes you across the park, the church and its major streets.
Then it was onto Juayúa, the place on weekends you’ll be able to take pleasure in its gastronomic truthful that takes place in entrance of the Iglesia Santa Lucia, the place apparently they worship a Black Christ. Two of the best pure sights close by are the Los Chorros de La Calera waterfall and the Las Ranas lagoon.
We spent the night time right here at a rustic model AirBnb adjoining to the Restaurante R&R, which have the identical homeowners. We additionally ate dinner at this restaurant because the meals was properly offered, however sadly common in high quality and style.
Day 5: Ruta de Las Flores El Salvador (half 2)
Our final day touring this glorious nation, we continued on to the second half of the Ruta De Las Flores to additional take pleasure in these relaxed cities and make our drive again to Guatemala.
Begin off the morning in Apaneca spending the morning at Cafe Albania made well-known by its colourful rainbow slides. There are numerous different actions to take pleasure in together with a labyrinth, zip line, bike zip line, a free drop pendulum, and naturally a restaurant restaurant.
Entrance to the attraction space prices $5 per individual, however can be utilized when buying any of the attraction tickets, so be sure to say it on the sales space as we noticed many guests not say something and principally give away $5 every. You can even get a bracelet that covers entrance to every attraction as soon as for $40, saving you $14 when shopping for individually.
Then make your method into downtown Apaneca to stroll by way of its cobblestone streets and see the colourful adobe homes. You can even go to the close by Laguna de Ninfa and Laguna Verde.
Our favourite place on la Ruta de Las Flores is Concepción de Ataco the place we couldn’t cease taking images at each step. The town is legendary for its relaxed environment and colourful murals. Locals make colourful materials on conventional pedal weaving machines and musical devices. It’s simply such a phenomenal place to expertise.
Our final cease of the day was Ahuachapán, which to be sincere we simply handed by way of town heart driving slowly with out stopping. After two days of exploring so many picturesque cities we merely didn’t see something that caught our consideration, and we nonetheless had a 2 hours drive forward of us again to Guatemala Metropolis.
In simply 5 days in El Salvador it’s attainable to see the highlights of the nation and get a superb style of what the nation has to supply. However, leaving the nation, we nonetheless had rather a lot to find and may’t wait to return to El Salvador quickly.
