El Salvador 🇸🇻
Some Notes:
El Salvador is BEAUTIFUL! More beautiful than I expected. It also has it “all” – city, mountains, and beach.
Don’t let people scare you; El Salvador is very safe! I never felt unsafe while roaming around as a black female solo traveler. The current president (just re-elected) really “cleaned up” El Salvador, making it a great travel destination.
The tourist attractions in El Salvador are spread out. So expect to be in the car for a couple hours to get to most places.
You can still stay in one location the entire time and just commute to different areas, which many do. Or stay in different areas of El Salvador, which I did.
Here’s a link to my google doc with all the information in this post, which may be easier to reference.
Getting around:
Like stated, you will be on the road a lot. Multiple options for getting around: rent a car, taxis, hire a driver.
I hired a driver, so I could feel comfortable with one person the whole trip. I didn’t want to rent a car and have to be focused on driving for hours.
The driver I used is also a tour guide, and he was great. Highly recommend. He’s not cheap, but well worth the money. Funny, knowledgeable, and fluent in english. He provides services all over El Salvador.
Beto. Reach out to him on IG @perfecttourwithbeto
me with Beto, my driver and tour guide
Attractions/Activities:
some of these I didn’t do (because I wanted to relax towards the end of my trip), but I have included anyway
Hike up Santa Ana Volcano
The hike will get your heart pumping, not easy, but I saw plenty people in their 50s doing it.
Highly recommend doing it. Amazing views on the way up and obviously at the top.
Recommend going in the morning, starting by 9 AM. They have tour guides there that will hike up with you.
on top of Santa Ana Volcano
view on the hike, fell in love with all the agave flowers
on top of Santa Ana, Lake Coatepeque in the background
my my my, what a hike
Picnic Steakhouse: rainbow slide
also has some photo-op areas
rainbow slide at Picnic Steakhouse, it actually ended up being more fun than I expected
Picnic steakhouse
Cafe Albania:
Bike in the sky, swing, rainbow slide, life-size maze
Nawi Beach House
Beach club with infinity pool, great food, DJ/music, and complimentary short horse ride on the beach
I didn’t enjoy the music, it was for a different demographic than me lol
Book a day pass prior to going
complimentary horse ride on the beach at Nawi Beach House
delicious meal at Nawi Beach House
Santa Teresa Hot Springs
El Tunco Beach
Beach isn’t nice, but it is a lively area with a lot of restaurants, bars, etc.
El Zonte Beach
Beautiful black sand beach, but no frills. No set up of chairs, cabanas, food service, etc., so bring your own drink and towel.
El Zonte Beach
had a relaxing time at Zonte Beach, reading my kindle and watching the sunset
Restaurants
just a few recommendations
El Tunco area
Erika restaurant
The Jungle restaurant
Near Garten hotel
Beto restaurant
Near Cerro Verde
Bistro Cafe
For great pupusas
El Atico restaurant
views on Cerro Verde mountain, near Bistro Cafe
Accommodations:
I enjoyed staying in different hotels, each one gave a completely different feel. Highly recommend.
Here’s where I stayed:
Beautiful hotel with nice decor in the lobby. Great customer service. Nice city view.
Hotel restaurants have good food, with good options. Attached to a mall, which was very convenient.
Walkable to nearby stores and restaurants.
Hyatt Centric
Hyatt Centric
poolside meal at Hyatt Centric
In a national park, on the Cerro Verde Mountain. Note, because it is in a national park, you can’t get in and out after 8 PM. So keep that in mind, if planning on arriving late or wanting to head out at night.
Beautiful hotel grounds. Amazing volcano view. The most STUNNING sunset views – truly breathtaking.
Highly recommend booking the room with the volcano view to take full advantage of the views.
But would not stay longer than one night. Dinner wasn’t good. Bathroom had a smell. Nothing really close to the hotel.
Casa 1800, view from the deck outside the dining area
sunset and volcano view from the private patio of my room at Casa 1800
beautiful room decor at Casa 1800
huge patio
breakfast at Casa 1800 was okay, but did not like dinner
Beachside hotel. Direct access to El Zonte Beach, a beautiful black sand beach. Nice, accommodating staff.
Note the beach is a public beach, and just a beach – no set up of chairs, huts, food service, etc.
Hotel has 2 main pools, a great menu at the restaurant and offers room service.
Also offer great spa services – I got the 90 minute relaxing massage and it was one of the best massages I’ve had.
If willing to splurge, book a villa to get a private pool to yourself! In addition to the private pool, it comes with 2 rooms, 3 or 4 beds, and a rooftop lounge/sunbathing area.
Garten Hotel, one of the main pools with El Zonte Beach in the background
beautiful shower with skylight in the main bathroom of my villa
Garten Hotel, room service breakfast spread
Garten Hotel, room service
Garten Hotel, villa’s private pool
villa’s rooftop lounge area
MY ITINERARY
my solo trips are always focused on relaxation. So besides the Santa Ana hike, all my other days were chill and relaxing, not jam-packed.
Wed, Jan 31
-arrive at 3:24 PM
- check into Hyatt Centric San Salvador
- dinner at hotel or nearby restaurant
Thur, Feb 1
- Santa Ana hike
- lunch at Bistro Cafe
- check into Casa 1800 hotel
- dinner at hotel
Fri, Feb 2
- check into Garten Hotel
Sat. Feb 3
- Cafe Albania (2 hr drive) or rainbow slide at Picnic steakhouse
- El Tunco Beach
Sun, Feb 4
- breakfast at hotel
- spa day at hotel — relaxing massage at noon
- beach day at El Zonte
- dinner at hotel or local restaurant
Mon, Feb 5
- Breakfast at hotel
- morning swim
- check out
