El Salvador

travel itinerary
El Salvador is the smallest village in Central America and receives few tourists, but it is actually a splendid destination and full of surprises. A travel itinerary in El Salvador allows you to visit in a few days spectacular active volcanoes, colonial cities, coffee plantations, Mayan ruins and waterfalls in the jungle, and then relax on the black beaches of the Pacific coast. The ocean water here is warm, very pleasil, and numerous are spots for surf fans.

A holiday in El Salvador could be discouraged by the fact that this country has recently had the highest rates of murders in the world after Iraq. In reality, this sad statistic is due to clashes between gangs, which is very unlikely involved tourists. Obviously you have to use common sense and, along your travel itinerary in El Salvador and in particular in the city, inquire from the premises on areas to avoid.
To shoot, we found an energetic character who for a few money led us around On his car, giving us a pile of information, listening to high volume rock music, fumming of the canes and offering a beers. He was a guide, the most original ever, but he treated us like friends, and he made us appreciate the beauties of El Salvador making us feel safe.

The Pacific coast: El Tunco and El Zonte
The coast of El Salvador is spectacular. The beaches are black, often interspersed in cliffs, and palm trees and vegetation get out of the ocean. The Pacific here is perfect for surfing more than for a swim, apart from some exceptions.

El Tunco and El Zonte are the most popular locations for surfing. El Tunco is a village on the ocean with several bars frequented by Canadian and US tourists. El Zonte has a wonderful long beach and is quite quieter. If you want to do social life, it's not the right place, although in 15 minutes by taxi you can reach El Tunco.

The problem is that the rhythms of El Zonte will catch you, as they captured us during our vacation: we woke up at 6 am to admire the beach at dawn and take a dip or a surf in the heat Pacific ocean. Then, I compivate a travel itinerary within El Salvador to admire her wonders. So we returned to El Zonte at sunset.

An evening dip, a beer, a good dinner, a chat with the few other tourists until, at 9:30, we appened on hammocks, cradled by the sound of waves and the chirping of tropical birds ... to the face of our previous wishes of Nights and worldly life !! Sometimes you don't know what you really want. Ah, what a relax.

Coatepeque Lake and Volcano Santa Ana
The Santa Ana Vulcano, or LlamatePec in Maya language, is located about an hour and a half from El Tunco and an hour from San Salvador. It is one of the three volcanoes of the Reserve of Cerro Verde (others are the Verde Cerro and the Izalco) and is also one of the most spectacular volcanoes of reason, absolutely to be included in a travel itinerary in El Salvador.

To climb the Santa Ana volcano, you need to use the guides of the visitor center: we started in a group around 12. Even a member of the "tourist police", well armed, accompanies travelers, to calm them (!?).

The uphill lasts about an hour and a half and the views are clamorously beautiful.

Arriving at the top, the view spaces on the Vulcans Cerro Verde and Izalco as well as on the Salvadoregna countryside and on the coatcheque lake. The charm of the panorama is equal to that of the circular crater of red, yellow and black nuances, on whose bottom there is a heavenly steaming lake (you can't get off and in any case it is not recommended to bathe, the water will be at almost 100 degrees) .

The coatepeque lake is often visited in the day together with the Santa Ana volcano, and so we also made us. This blue water mirror that fills an old large crater a few kilometers have no truly or emissaries. Around the lake the villas of the Rich Salvadoragni are built. To access the water you have to go through one of the restaurants, which also rent canoes and motorcycles of water.

Add absolutely the CoatePeque lake to your travel itinerary in El Salvador. The views are splendid, you can swim and if you have never tried the bike of water, this is the right place, because it costs much less than in Europe and the bikes go to cannon.

The capital San Salvador
The capital of El Salvador is the most dangerous city in the world, but also in this case the statistic does not say everything and, in my opinion, San Salvador must be absolutely included in your Travel itinerary.
In general, the population is friendly and friendly and walking through the streets of the center and for the gigantic market is an experience rich in colors, sounds, smells and flavors.

The city is poor, made of low houses at all attractive, traffic is chaotic. The cemetery, in the center, offers an oasis of peace with its white or colored tombs. I wouldn't spend more than half a day of vacation in San Salvador, but that half day will leave you intense memories.

For a beautiful view of the city, go to El Boqueron, the volcano rising above the city.

Returning from San Salvador, we saw the panorama from the Puerta del Diablo, but I have to say, there are more beautiful views, like the one above. Here, however, a television crew interviewed us for a salable youtube channel. Since then, we are the idols of all the girls of El Salvador (it's not true, but it was fun!).

Tamanique waterfall
Not far from El Tunco, this waterfall is highly scenic both for the cascade in itself and for the surrounding environment full of vegetation. The possibility of diving in puddles and swimming under the main waterfall adds a great reason to insert the Tamanique waterfall in its own travel itinerary in El Salvador.

Ruta de las Flores, Mayan ruins and waterfalls
La Ruta de las Flores is a winding road that runs through the mountains of the western part of El Salvador. It offers beautiful panoramas and allows you to see the beautiful colonial villages of Juayua and Ataco.

From Juayua you can walk to the chorro de la kalera, a pleasant waterfall where dive >

It is very interesting that the area is full of Maya remains and there are shacks on the ground and Maanya walls transferred or covered by vegetation in the private lands of the population that lives in the area of Tazumal.
Not far from Tazumal there is Another beautiful waterfall, with natural warm waters, in a lush environment. Here the bathroom is a real pleasure!

Other destinations
El Salvador is small, but there are several deserving destinations, as well as those listed, which we have not visited directly. On your journey you can include other locations on the coast like El Cuco beach or the Barra de Santiago reserve. Volcanoes are not lacking, starting from the active volcano San Miguel (the eruption should not be seen from too close!).

The country of Suchitoto should be included in a travel itinerary in El Salvador and was a shame not having time to visit him.
For the trekking, the "El Imposible" park, as well as having a beautiful name, has splendid views.

How, when and other information The best months to visit El Salvador are November, December and January; It cannot be said that there is too much tourism in the Christmas holidays, at least for now, so don't fear the high season.
For the movements, the rental car is a very good solution that requires a certain hair on the stomach. The simplest is the driver with driver or even better a driver/guide like ours, who made a price "Friends" much more convenient than a rental car (hardly repeatable thing!). Buses are not recommended for theft risk, but many use them quietly. The "shuttle", ie the vans for tourists, often quite malicious despite the altitonant name, allow you to move faster at low prices and to reach also locations in Guatemala (Antigua) , Nicaragua and Honduras.
The costs are contained, although, as always, it depends on how much you are suitable: luxurious resorts are also expensive in El Salvador.
To conclude, if you have in mind A travel itinerary in CentraMerica, don't miss passing through El Salvador!

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