Just arriving in the Salvador airport, I already knew I made the right decision. The countryside is beautifully green, and the airport is very clean and FULL of "Surf City" signs, making it probably the surfiest airport I've been to haha... Even if you are an American that only has a long weekend off of work, this is a fantastic destination because of the a) cheap flights and short distance and b) the beach is just a 50 minute, comfortable Uber ride from the airport. Probably some of the most accessible beaches with absolutely insane high quality waves.
So I know what you're probably thinking... El Salvador? Isn't that like one of the most dangerous countries in the world? Yes, it can be for some people, and the situation for the locals, particularly in non-tourist areas, can be very scary. However, I can say that my experience staying mostly in touristic areas I honestly felt probably more comfortable in this country than any other Latin American beach destination I have been yet. It was the first time I regularly hitchhiked around the coast and felt pretty safe doing so. I felt an overwhelming sense of good vibes and community, and didn't feel targeted as a tourist with gringo taxes as I have experienced in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Everyone will have their own experiences, but for me El Salvador clicked really fast and I instantly fell in love with and felt welcome in their country. I did avoid San Salvador entirely and was fortunate not to witness any crime. Travel at your own risk, but I would not discourage any experienced traveler from coming here-- there are definitely more precarious travel destinations you have been in!
A little bit of geography on El Salvador. Situated below Guatemala and surrounded by Honduras, this country only borders the Pacific Ocean, and it is a beautiful coastline at that. They are famous for accepting bitcoin as national currency, but they basically just use the US dollar now that their coin is not circulated anymore. I know the political history has been challenging and had many ups and downs, but the greatest observation I had was how much the surf towns had developed, seemingly recently.
The investment in keeping the beaches clean and safe was motivated by El Salvador hosting world surfing competitions, and it is very impressive and has definitely benefited the country's tourism! Area-wise, El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America but it has the densest population. The culture is nonetheless vibrant and unique, with the delicious pupusas and national Pilsener beers probably being my favorite pieces of their country.
Now I will cover a little bit of the tourism I did OUTSIDE the beach and the next post will be all about las olas increíbles....
I didn't do much tourism beyond surfing because I was on a single mission to be in the saltwater, but my fellow travelers enjoyed daytrips and overnight trips to the Santa Ana Volcana, Ruta de Las Flores, San Salvador, and to the lagoon! I decided to stay a little more local and head with a group of friends to the Tamanique waterfalls, about 20 minutes up the mountains.
We drove up to Tamanique and had to pay $2.50/person to enter the hiking trail, but then an additional $5/person for a guide. We didn't want to have a guide and could have easily done it without one, but the police at the trailhead insisted this was the situation (other travelers had said they were not subjected to the same fees, but we protested the cost to no avail....) Regardless, the trail does have some nice cliff jumping spots so if that interests you, you might feel more comfortable being instructed by the local guide. Even though El Salvador is boiling hot and sunny in mid-August, this trail is surprisingly refreshing with a lot of tree cover and light breeze to keep you cool. That being said, I wish I had brought at least 1 Liter of water because I was thirsty real quick.
It was about 45 min- 1 hour hike down to the main river and waterfall, with some slippery and muddy spots and staircases along the way. It was so serene to arrive at the bottom and I'm happy we started sooner than later before all the daytime crowds arrived. I am a baby and was the only one in my group not to jump off of the rocks, but you just do you! It was still epic to swim in the pools and feel the refreshing mist from the falls. Don't expect to have the place to yourself, but it's still peaceful nonetheless. Our guide took us back up part of the trail to a different waterfall with another, slightly sketchier jumping spot. The heat was definitely getting to me at this point so I just rested in the shade while the rest of everyone jumped and swam. I was pretty thankful to get back to the town after about 3-4 hours round trip because it was effin HOT! The town of Tamanique itself was super peaceful and quiet, and we waited a few minutes for a colectivo to take us back to El Tunco for just $2.
Other nearby sites to El Tunco include the pier and city of La Libertad, where a boardwalk amusement park literally just opened a week ago!! (I told you, tourism is kicking off big time in El Salvador!) There is a huge fish market where you can eat fresh caught fish while mariachi sing around you. It's a nice lunch spot because it's so hot midday, but this spot stays shady and fresh. La Libertad is right next to the famed surfspot Punta Roca, but more on that soon... Since there isn't really tourism in this city, it was nice to experience El Salvador like the locals, and again I felt very safe and not at all targeted although I looked like a tourist.
As for the cost of everything? From what I experienced, transportation and food was slightly cheaper than Nicaragua, but still more than South American countries. While I could find pupusas for $1 on the coast (a seemingly good deal because it is a lot of food!), you can apparently find them THREE for one dollar elsewhere!! Overall, my few first impressions of El Salvador from a two week trip were overwhelmingly positive... now stay tuned for my post dedicated to El Tunco and see how this place really touched my heart :,)
