El Salvador

Reasons to go:

1. Parque Nacional Montecristo ★

  • My tour was from Santa Ana, passing through the main entrance of the park (14.359855, -89.418833), continuing on a 4x4 car road past a great viewpoint (14.388054, -89.376547) and hiking from (14.397925, -89.361276) until the Punto Trifinio (14.42061, -89.355988) where El Salvador meets Guatemala and Honduras. I don’t know if there are other big hikes in this park, but this hike through the cloud forest was so breathtakingly beautiful I would love to do it again. And again.
  • There is a beautiful orchid garden at (14.397925, -89.361276). The opening hours are short and access is only with a local guide, but it is totally worth it to conduct some negotiations to make it happen. The diversity of species in their living orchid library is huge.

2. Santa Ana Volcano ★

  • A chance to see an active crater filled with a sulfur lake. El Chichonal volcano in Chiapas, Mexico is the only other place where I’ve seen anything like this.
  • Take a sharp corner at (13.835089, -89.623616), park on Casa de Cristal property (13.832615, -89.629879) and find yourself a mandatory guide. From here it is a shorter hike than from Cerro Verde and guides are much cheaper. I arrived just before 9:00 and joined a group hike; some people in the group said they’ve been waiting since 8:00 for the chance to start hiking. With your guide you’ll buy park entrance tickets at (13.837154, -89.626614) and hike to the crater. From there you’ll have great views of Izalco Volcano and Lake Coatepeque. See this informative blog.
  • Truncation: If the weather is deemed unsuitable (too rainy, too windy or something else), you might be offered a hike “solo hasta tercer mirador” - until (13.84255, -89.631032). It is not a bad hike and you’ll get pretty views of Izalco Volcano, but you won’t notice that you are hiking on a volcano. Only after this point the terrain gets volcanic and the hike gets truly exciting. So my advice is to plan Santa Ana Volcano early in your trip, to be able to reschedule if needed.
  • Extensions: There are two main ways to make this into a bigger hike. First, you could take a longer, more beautiful hike up Santa Ana Volcano from the north side, as described here. Alternatively, you could start earlier, watch the sunrise from Santa Ana Volcano and then hike up a shorter but steeper Izalco Volcano, as described here. These are just good descriptions, I am not endorsing this particular tour agency, I’ve heard about these routes from several guides I’ve met in El Salvador.
  • Substitution: Given how crowded the Santa Ana Volcano hike is, you might consider hiking Izalco Volcano instead. From speaking to the local guides it doesn’t seem like a good idea - the route is more difficult and the crater is less interesting. I was told that hikes up Izalco Volcano don’t start until 11:00. Also, Santa Ana Volcano is higher, so you get a good view of Izalco from there, but not the other way around.
  • On the way to/from Santa Ana Volcano, don’t miss the great viewpoints - between (13.858808, -89.516756) and (13.852407, -89.521767) there are several great views of Lake Coatepeque, and a great view the other way from (13.82502, -89.565339).

3. San Salvador

  • Zona Rosa / San Benito. The most exciting neighbourhood in San Salvador, though very car-centric. Museum of Art of El Salvador is great and feels very current and alive. The tasting menu at El Xolo was nice, but super rough around the edges. When I visited, I would say it was not worth the price for a vegetarian (and you have to re-explain what vegetarian means after you’ve already explained it when booking), but I’m hoping they will improve. I’ve heard good things about restaurants La Gastroteca and Brutto. Squirrel Eye Brewing for local craft beer.
  • Centro Histórico. Centered around 3 squares - Jardín Centroamérica, Captain Gerardo Barrios Plaza and Plaza Libertad - you’ll find National Palace of El Salvador (I didn’t enter but locals told me I should have), modern looking National Library of El Salvador, Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador and Somasca El Calvario Church. Time your visit to coincide with opening hours of Iglesia El Rosario, because you’ll want to see the inside this modern church. On my wishlist: Railway Museum, Castillo Venturoso, Forma Museum.
  • Plan de la Laguna Botanical Garden. The main entrance is at (13.670098, -89.245909), but you can park and enter here (13.669664, -89.247906). Great collection of plants and a lot of animals too. Huge iguanas are a highlight. Nearby Antiguo Cuscatlan Central Park is surrounded by a lovely neighbourhood. SoyGreen vegan restaurant in on my wishlist.
  • Parque Nacional El Boquerón. Entrance at (13.73355, -89.278887); you’ll pay for tickets (per person) when you arrive and for parking (per car per hour) when you leave. See the crater of Volcan de San Salvador from viewpoints around (13.735393, -89.279918). I’ve heard you can arrange a hike down into the crater with a guide.
  • Santa Tecla neighbourhood. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish (church) is brightly lit up at night, and the whole street is decorated and inviting you to go for a stroll in the evening. Nearby Immaculate Conception Parish (church) is very modern. Daniel Hernández Park and San Martín Park are lovely. Café La Casona has great coffee.

4. Parque Nacional El Imposible

  • It is a big area with many hiking opportunities. What you get to see depends on the point through which you enter and which routes your guide knows. My tour was from Ataco, passing through a beautiful viewpoint (13.85518, -89.862683), driving on a 4x4 car road until (13.832712, -89.903185) and hiking until El Perol waterfall (13.816366, -89.915073). It wasn’t the most beautiful hike, but I got to see locals harvesting coffee. To swim in the waterfall you have to slide down slippery rocks and it is tricky to get back out, make sure your guide has a rope to pull you out because you might need it.
  • My advice - do more research and negotiate a tour to do the hike of your choice.

5. Reptilandia El Salvador in Juayúa

  • A great opportunity for snake handling, both small and very big snakes. Weekdays are best, as it gets crowded on weekends. Nearby Iglesia Santa Lucia has a distinctive look.
  • This is part of Ruta de Las Flores (5 colonial towns in the highlands - Nahuizalco, Salcoatitan, Juayúa, Apaneca and Ataco) which, in cloudy weather and without doing any hikes, I found uninteresting. There are a lot of flowers during November-February, but there are equally many throughout the country. To enjoy this area you must arrange some hikes or other activities. If the weather is clear, viewpoints along the route must be nice.
  • Museo del Ferrocarril Sonsonate looked very shut when I tried to visit, but I believe it can be good fun if it is in action.

6. Archeological sites in Chalchuapa

  • Parque Arqueológico Tazumal is perhaps the most impressive Mayan ruins in El Salvador. See detailed description here. If you’ve been to Mexico before, you won’t be impressed, but an opportunity for a great day is there. In Tazumal, apart from the ruins, there is also a small museum and a short nature hike at the far end from the entrance. I saw many different birds and insects in Tazumal, including giant grasshoper-style insects. I then continued to explore super colourful Chalchuapa General Cemetery (entrance at (13.980746, -89.676267)) and Parque Arqueológico de Casa Blanca (also many birds).
  • From here you could continue to El Salto de Malacatiupán (hot spring waterfalls described here, here and here) or to see other ruins - Parque Arqueológico Joya de Cerén (the only UNESCO site in the country - a Pompei-style site featuring ruins of a Mayan farming village that was buried by a volcano), Parque Arqueológico San Andrés and Parque Arqueológico Cihuatán.

7. Santa Ana city

  • Old Art School / Art School Ruins ★ - as described here, it is the most photogenic place in the whole city and must not be missed. I believe it was not allowed to visit without prior arrangement when I was there, but I arrived early and asked the guard really nicely and he let me in. By the time I was leaving, there were 5 guards at the entrance and no way I could have negotiated a way in. From here you can explore Parque Colon (a busy market place) and head east along Calle José Mariano Méndez Poniente (a market street, beautiful Capilla Sagrado Corazón de Jesús and Beats Coffee cafe) or 11 Calle Poniente (that is visibly a red-light district even early in the morning).
  • The main square with Catedral de Nuestra Señora Santa Ana, National Theatre of Santa Ana and Santa Ana Municipal Hall. It is lit up beautifully in the evenings.
  • UNASA Human Anatomy Museum - it is not big, but I love how they strive to be a place for interactive learning, how they push the boundary of what a museum could be. Free. Ring the doorbell and the door will open.
  • If you have more time, there are hikes up small hills in this direction (13.993301, -89.538482) and there are more pretty churches to be found.
  • Food: Comedor y Pupuseria Claudia - great pupusas, but I’ve only seen tourists there. Pupusería La Ceiba is the local favourite, but since everyone is a regular the menu is in Spanish only and very hard to read, you are expected to know what you want. Pirómano coffee (two locations) - great coffee. Taquería La Chismosa - mexican food, their El Salvador-style horchata de morro drink is particularly good, freshly made with morro seeds and peanuts.

On my wishlist:

  • Area around San Miguel - Tecapa Volcano with a sulfur lake in the crater, San Miguel Volcano, hiking in Bosque Conchagua, Playa El Espino (beach).
  • Hiking in El Pital, Chalatenango District.
  • Cascada Los Tercios - a columnar basalt waterfall. And Suchitoto is a pretty colonial town with more hiking opportunities in the area.
  • Playa Los Almendros (beach).

Notes:

  • All of my tours (National Parks Montecristo and El Imposible) were organised by Rex Cárcamo tourguides.elsalvador@gmail.com +50378956749 from Tour Guides El Salvador, based in Santa Ana city. I highly recommend them.
  • It is possible to participate in the release of baby sea turtles on San Blas Beach (November to January). I’m not sure if it is a harmful or a beneficial activity from the environmental point of view, do your own research. Sea Turtle Conservation Association (ACOTOMSAB) +50372554302.
  • To be informed about national park closures due to bad weather follow Ministerio de Medio Ambiente on social media. Local guides seem to get their updates from ministry’s Facebook account.
  • Food: You can’t escape pupusas in El Salvador; luckily there are many vegetarian options - frijol y queso, loroco, ayote, mora, zanahoria, espinaca, cebolla, hongos. Uniquely Salvadorean flavours to look out for include loroco (in pupusas), mora (in pupusas), isote (only in fancy restaurants?) and morro seeds (in horchata de morro drink).
  • On the way to/from El Salvador International Airport, you can stop for pupusas in Olocuilta. Open from very early until late.
  • Best time to visit - the dry season is November to April.
  • With my Claro sim card, I had connection most of the time. I believe Movistar and Tigo might be even better.
  • I found blogs by Sally, Mark and Pubali and Indranil really useful.
  • Super Selectos was my favourite chain of supermarkets where I did all my grocery shopping.
  • You might need USD cash to enter the country, so keep it handy. USD is the official currency in the country, colón (SVC) has not been in use since 2001. I heard that Banco Atlántida and Banco Hipotecario offer free ATM withdrawals.
  • My USA plugs worked everywhere.