Visit El Salvador

Is El Salvador the safest country in the world? It’s hard to believe considering that it was once deemed the murder capital, yet it has transformed itself into one of the safest countries according to a 2023 Gallup poll. In addition, it is the only Latin American country ranked in the top 10 safest countries in the world. How is this possible? How could a country go from being the murder capital of the globe to a place where most Salvadorians feel safe walking at night. This transformation is largely due to President Nayib Bukele. Taking office in 2019, Bukele has taken control back from the most notorious gangs in the world creating a more safe country today. Hence, a good reason to visit. We decided to take a week hiatus from our family vacation in Guatemala to explore this hidden gem - the new and improved El Salvador.

We began our tour in the capital of San Salvador. You can fly into the country, but, we took a bus from Guatemala City, and although it makes for a long day, we did see sweeping landscapes of both countries along the way. We stayed at the Villa del Angel, a modest hotel on the outskirts of the city. There are a variety of accommodations available for tourists including big brand American hotel chains, local boutique hotels, and short term stays. We stayed at the Hilton San Salvador the night before our departure which was just lovely. I highly recommend staying here during your stay. It has a beautiful pool, lovely rooms, and a small souvenir shop specializing in products made from local artists and an on-site restaurant with a cool vibe and great food.

The day after arriving, we took a taxi into the Historic Center to meet our guide Hugo - a legend. We booked Hugo through GetYourGuide , our go-to company to book tours. During our walking tour of the Historic Center, we saw the main Cathedral, city squares, the National Theatre, the National Palace, and of course the newest on the scene - the National Library - aided by the Chinese government to not only endorse education, culture and technology, but also it serves as a symbol of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. The architecture in the Historic Center is a blend of the colonial old and modern influences and it’s evident there has been an effort to revitalize and restore key buildings.

While in San Salvador, you might want to check out El Boquerón National Park located at the top of the San Salvador volcano, right in the middle of the city. We didn’t get a chance to go due to time restrictions. Instead, on our second morning in San Salvador, we rented a car from another legend - Ronald Rent a Car. Ronald was super friendly and professional during our stay even dropping off and picking up the rental at our hotels. He gets similar reviews on Google so give him a ring. You can get around the country by public transportation but most places that you are going to want to see are located in remote areas and they are often hard to reach by the local bus. We highly recommend renting a vehicle for your trips outside of San Salvador.

After we got the SUV, we drove about 2 hours for an overnight stay on Lake Coatepeque. Lake Coatepeque is a favourite destination with both locals and tourists. This volcanic lake is home to many migratory birds and idyllic nature spots, in addition to many water spots. Accommodations can be found right on the lake. We stayed at the Equinoccio Hotel, a boutique hotel offering a quiet night’s stay and an on-site restaurant with truly great food and a chill atmosphere. We ended up taking a kayak out for an hour through some very choppy water, followed by some serious relaxation time lounging by the pool and sipping a couple of cocktails. It felt like we were in the Caribbean and not in the middle of Latin American. I’d be remiss to tell you that although Lake Coatepeque is stunning, don’t be surprised to see the surrounding prevailing poverty that reminds you that even though there are sweeping changes in the country, they have a long way to go in their quest for social and economic stability in the country. Please give back to these local communities whenever you are visiting and don’t forget the furry friends too.

Following breakfast the next morning, we drove about an hour to Cerro Verde National Park to begin our hike up the Santa Ana volcano. There are many volcanoes in El Salvador with Santa Ana ranking the highest peak at 7,749 ft. It’s still an active volcano with the last eruption in 2005. Although it boasts the highest peak, it was a relatively moderate to challenging hike for our older bodies. Getting to the Cerro Verde National Park from the Equinoccio Hotel was about an hour drive through the countryside and local towns. It was a bit of a challenge finding the entrance to the hike but there are many local vendors and stalls to ask for directions. Eventually we found the entrance and drove about a kilometer to the grass parking lot where we again asked where the trailhead was to the hike. Once parked, we walked about about half a kilometer back and up the hill to the entrance way. We had planned walking on our own but once there, we were told that we had to walk with a tour group or a local guide employed by the Cerro Verde National Park. We chose to walk with the local guide as it was not expensive at all. The overall cost of the hike including the fees for the parking, the local guide and the park entrance for two people was about $24 USD. We also tipped our guide at the end of the hike - he was a legend too. Brent was hiking with a groin injury and our guide took it slow and steady - as did the gracious young people in our small group.

The beginning of the 3.5 hour hike took us through the Salvadorian jungle with vistas of more volcanoes and countryside before we reached the gnarly rock and loose gravel part of the hike nearing the final ascent to the crater - the show-stopper and the reason why you come. The crater and view of Lake Coatepeque was beautiful and there was plenty of opportunity to explore and take lots of selfies before the descending hike. Although it was a bit windy and chilling at the top, we didn’t mind as some hikes are actually cancelled due to the high winds.

After a quick stretch back at the car, we popped a few Tylenol, and headed to the western highlands of El Salvador to explore the ever popular Ruta de las Flores. If you want to call it a day after your hike, a lot of people will choose to chill at Lake Coatepeque, but no time was wasting for us. The Ruta de las Flores takes you through small countryside villages that apparently are dotted with flowers in Spring. As we were travelling in January, most of the flowers had already frizzled away, making for a bleak drive. There are 7 different villages to explore on the Ruta de las Flores, including Ataco, Apenaca and Juayua each offering a unique vibe, accommodations and places to eat. As it was late in the day and we were both tired and hungry, we made our way to Nahuizalco and stayed overnight at the Hotel Juayua that we booked through Booking.com - another go-to. What a wonderful night we had at the hotel. The view from our room overlooked the Santa Ana, the staff were super friendly, the food was fantastic and the parking was secure at the front of the hotel. Most importantly, it was quiet at night making it possible to get some sound sleep. In hindsight, I don’t think we gave the Ruta de las Flores enough time to appreciate what it has to offer. To do it justice, we’d probably suggest spending more time in the area to explore each village and the surrounding nature hikes and waterfalls in the area.

After leaving the Ruta de las Flores we made our way to the coast - the final destination of our time in El Salvador. We took about 2 hours to drive the winding roads through the mountains of El Salvador before reaching our first beach - El Zonte. El Zonte is a lesser known beach than El Tunco, with a pretty laid back vibe. It has plenty of restaurants and accommodations to choose from, and although we were there for only a short time, it felt like it could have a party scene on the weekends. Let’s face it - any surf town is going to have that vibe right? There are many surf breaks making it a great spot for beginners, intermediate and expert surfers. I also learned that turtle hatching season runs from September through November, and La Mission Hatchery on the west side of the beach loves any help releasing the babies before sunset. This would be a dream for me!

Continuing down the coast, we headed into El Tunco - the most iconic beach on the coast. El Tunco welcomes hundreds of locals and tourists each year including international surfers. As we were on a reconnaissance mission only, we stayed a short while to walk the boardwalk and have a beer at a local hangout on the beach. El Tunco has a definite bohemian vibe with lots of shopping, surfing and restaurants. It’s a pretty cool place and one we’d consider coming back to for a short stay of surfing and yoga.

We continued our coastal drive thinking we’d make a quick stop in La Libertad to walk the esplanade but it was way too crowded, so we ended the day in the Costa del Sol area at the modest Tesoro Beach Hotel. Costa del Sol is a popular beach destination located along the southern Pacific coast. Known for its long stretches of sandy shoreline, warm waters, and vibrant local culture, it’s a favorite spot for both locals and tourists. The area also offers beachfront restaurants, vacation rentals, and nearby mangrove tours.

After our one night stay at the beach, we drove a couple of hours back to San Salvador to return to the rental and prep for the long bus ride back to Guatemala. Was one week enough in El Salvador? It was enough to get the “lay of the land”, but if we were to come back, we’d spend more time hiking the waterfalls across the country, surfing El Tunco and practising yoga at a local retreat.

El Salvador offers a blend of natural beauty, a unique culture, and warm hospitality that makes it a truly unforgettable destination. From stunning beaches like Costa del Sol to lush volcanoes and vibrant towns, this once plagued country is full of adventure and charm. It’s worth a visit to see the changes and support the local economy and people. Whether you're looking to surf, explore, or simply relax, El Salvador promises to be a rewarding experience.

Beautiful Places in Guatemala