Route in El Salvador. Two weeks on local buses
Having closed my journey through Guatemala at my starting point - the city of Antigua, I decided to go from there to El Salvador. Most travel companies offer shuttles either to the capital of El Salvador or to its coast. I chose the last option. The journey takes about 4-5 hours, the cost of the bus is about 15 dollars. The same path can be done on chicken basses much cheaper, but it will take a little (or a lot) more time.
The Guatemala - El Salvador border is very easy to pass. The border guards of Guatemala put a stamp on leaving the country and give the corresponding ticket. The border guards of El Salvador look at the passport and give it back without any stamp in 20 seconds (in case you are not Chinese. I don’t know why, but Chinese citizens are checked the longest. They ask, looking into the car: “Are there any Chinese? ” ). Voila, you are already in El Salvador.
LA LIB COASTERTAD
The most popular destination on the coast of El Salvador is the city of El Tunco (El Tunco). But I decided not to stay there for several reasons: I wanted to take surf lessons, and El Tunco is good for those who already know how to do it, and not for beginners (by the way, it’s better for beginners not to meddle in the water anywhere near El Tunco. Better try yourself on the beaches San Blas and Mizata); this is a very touristic village - I try to avoid such places as much as possible; touristic and, accordingly, not cheap. So my choice fell on Sunzal (Sunzal) - a village ten minutes walk from El Tunco.
I stayed at the Balsamico hostel. The bed in the dorm cost me $8. A cold shower, fans instead of an air conditioner, working internet, the opportunity to order a hearty breakfast for $2, and nice staff - what else do you need for a traveler!
I spent three and a half days at Sunzal. During this time, I managed to take one unsuccessful surf lesson, go to the nearest waterfalls of Las Tamanices (go there only with the locals - the path to the waterfalls is known for robbing tourists), dance at a local holiday in the port town of La Libertad, eat excellent seafood there, enjoy the sunsets on the beaches of San Blas and Mizata. I was lucky - a local couchsurfer took me to all these places in his car, but if you don’t have a car, buses go to each of the points I named.
In the early morning of the fourth day, I left the cozy hostel Balsamico and ended up at the local bus stop. Tourism in El Salvador is much less developed than in Guatemala, so step right, step left from the tourist El Tunco - your only way to get around will be exclusively local chicken basses. Gather your courage and dive headlong into them.
LA RUTA DE LAS FLORES
My path lay to the west of the country. There, among the volcanic valleys, hid a chain of tiny picturesque villages "La Ruta de las Flores" ("The Flower Way"). The 32-kilometer path consists of many coffee plantations and 5 colonial towns: Nahuizalco (Nahuizalco), Salcoatitan (Salcoatitlá n), Apaneca (Apaneca), Ataco (Ataco) and Juayua (Huayua). You can get to any of them from the capital or from La Libertad (the largest city on the coast). It was him - bus number 287 - that I was waiting for at the bus stop in the early morning near Sunzal. You need to get off in the city of Sonsonate (Sonsonate). Buses run on schedule and there are not many of them, so find out about the departure time that suits you in advance.
It takes no more than an hour to drive from La Libertad to Sonsonate. In Sonsonate, you need to get off and, right at the same bus stop, transfer to another bus that goes directly to one of the towns of La Ruta de las Flores. I decided to stay in the village of Juayua, where I found a cool host on couchsurfing, although in each of the villages there is a cheap hostel for an overnight stay. I advise you not to travel from town to town, but to stay in one and already on the bus (No. 249 and No. 53) to explore the neighboring ones. 2-3 days is enough for this. By the way, La Ruta de las Flores is one of the safest areas of El Salvador. So you can safely walk there even late in the evening.
I think La Ruta de las Flores is not to be missed when visiting El Salvador! In addition to the picturesque flowering of various local plants from November to February, located in the valleys of volcanoes in close proximity to coffee plantations, the towns of the route have a unique charm! Take a chicken bass and maneuver between colorful murals, colorful churches and numerous tempting coffee houses. A food festival is held in Juayua at the weekend, and on Thursday or Friday evenings (check with the locals), Nahuizalco hosts a real fair where you can not only taste local dishes, but also buy original Salvadoran souvenirs. There are several waterfalls on La Ruta de las Flores: Los Chorros de Callera (this is a small waterfall 30 minutes walk from the center of Juayua) and 7 Waterfalls Hike (I have not been there, but I heard that this hike takes about 6 hours).
I really did not want to leave Juayua - such an atmosphere of peace and carelessness reigns there. In addition, the family of my host accepted me as if they were their own, surrounding me with incredible care and love. But no matter how good it was for me to drink endless coffee and eat it with local buns with my Salvadoran family, in the morning of the next day I was again sitting in the local chicken bass. My path lay to the northeast in the city of Santa Ana. It is there that one of the most beautiful volcanoes in Central America is located - the volcano... unexpectedly - Santa Ana! Forty minutes drive to the city. My host lived on the outskirts of the city, so I had to transfer to one of the local buses (and after chatting with a nice driver, give him a hryvnia for a collection).
SANTA ANA VOLCANO
Santa Ana is not the most remarkable city. In the center there is a very beautiful snow-white church (if the roof is no longer under restoration, you can climb up and admire the panorama of the city) and... that's it. The city is not safe - so keep your eyes open. But outside the city there is something to see. In addition to the volcano, half an hour away (by car) is the picturesque lake Coatepeque (Coatepeque). If you get a chance, be sure to go. It is not as mesmerizing as Lake Atitalan in Guatemala, but also very worthy. There are many restaurants near the lake, so sitting and admiring the view in the evening is the best thing.
But back to the volcano. Local buses to the foot depart from the bus station around eight in the morning. Drive a little over an hour. Having left at the foot of the volcano, you need to buy a ticket (I forgot the price, but it is very insignificant) and wait about an hour for the group to gather for the ascent. Climbing on your own is highly discouraged. The way to the top takes about an hour and a half. The road is very scenic with views of Lake Coatepeque and several other nearby volcanoes. It is easy to go, only near the top you have to go uphill a bit and tighten up. The crater itself is a very unusual and fascinating sight. A lake filled with azure sulfur evokes the impression of something cosmic! Be sure to visit Santa Ana!
When returning, be prepared to wait for the bus that goes back to the city for about two hours (in most cases, everyone returns from the summit around two in the afternoon, and the bus leaves at four). But if you don't want to wait, you can do as I did: on the track (where you finish the hike), stop any car and drive to the town of El Congo (El Congo). There, ask the locals for a bus that goes to the center of Santa Ana (or Metrocentro is a large shopping mall located in a safe area of the city). At about four o'clock you will already be in the city.
After spending two days in Santa Ana, I still could not resist visiting the capital of El Salvador, one of the most dangerous cities in the world - San Salvador (San Salvador).
My Santa Ana host gave me a lift to the capital by car, but I'm sure the city is easily accessible by bus. The new host lived in the suburbs of the capital - the area of Santa Tecla (Santa Tecla). This is one of the safest areas in the city, located next to a large new park, supermarkets and a party street full of bars and restaurants. I was taken to the center and to the nearest sights by car, but then again - the city is teeming with public transport and taxis. So if you wish, you can get anywhere.
CAPITAL OF SAN SALVADOR
San Salvador is not the most picturesque and pleasant of all the cities I've been to. But there is also something to see. Head to the city center! Marvel at the sumptuous cathedral and the square in front of it. Try a couple of delicacies that the locals sell in the square - many of which you will not find in other parts of the country. Have some coffee! At Coffee Tempo Centro Historico, I drank the best coffee I've had in the previous two months of travel. Even in the cafes of La Ruta de las Flores it was not so tasty - the capital, after all!
And be sure, just be sure to go to one of the oldest billiard rooms in Central America - Club de billares mas antiguo de El Salvador. Ask the locals how to get there. But as far as I remember visually, you need to go around the main cathedral on the right and on its side across the street you will see an old colonial building with yellowish balconies. This is the billiard room. The entrance is located on the left behind the hairdresser (you need to walk a couple of meters through a small market). Inside, you will find yourself in a different era - like in Havana at the beginning of the 20th century! Previously, the building served not only as a billiard room, but also practically as the center of the cultural life of El Salvador, where the local artistic elite of the country gathered: artists, actors, poets and writers... Literary evenings were held in the building and performances were played out. Now the room primarily serves as a billiard room, but until now, culturally advanced youth occasionally gather here and spend various evenings.
Leaving the billiard room, take a walk along the small square opposite. There is a very unusual church with a semi-oval roof made of colored glass.
In the evening, go to the observation deck a few kilometers from the city - Planes de Renderos. There you will not only admire the panorama of the city, but you will also be able to taste various types of pupus in local pupuseria (national Salvadoran food). And on the way back, stop at the Little Prince Park. Few people know that Antoine de Saint-Exupery was very fond of El Salvador and it was he who inspired the writer to write his most famous work. The park will appeal to both adults and children. In the evening, it really creates a fabulous atmosphere.
One of my must-sees in El Salvador was the Joya de Ceré n open-air museum. This is a unique archaeological museum of Central America, where you can see the excavations of the ancient village of the Maya Indians. The museum is small, as the excavations are still ongoing (most of the village is still underground), but I still highly recommend visiting it.
After eating the capital's pupusas, dancing at the capital's discos, walking in the capital's parks, I went to the southeast of the country to a small colonial town with the melodic name Suchitoto (Suchitoto).
I was lucky again, I got a ride in a car from my new friend, a host from Juayuya. But I was ready to travel there and on local buses. As far as I remember, from the capital I would have to get on two of them. Keep in mind that although in theory the journey should take about two hours, during rush hour the time can double or even triple! We left the capital for about an hour and a half - there were such traffic jams.
Suchitoto will appeal to fans of colonial towns. It is cozy, colorful and safe. Many Salvadoran tourists come there to take a break from the hustle and bustle of big cities. The town is located on a picturesque artificial lake. It is replete with coffee shops, restaurants, and in the evening, the smell of fresh pupusas comes from all the streets. In one of these small pupuseria - Pupuseria de Lucia - you can try to cook this national Salvadoran dish yourself! And if you need a local guide, ask Josue (or ask me - I will give his contact), the guy knows a lot of interesting stories about his city and the country as a whole. After eating a pupus, be sure to find a revolutionary bar. It is dedicated to the civil war of El Salvador and looks like a small museum. The host will pour you a local rum tincture and tell you a lot of interesting stories.
In Suchitoto, I decided to take a break from couch surfing and stayed in a hotel. I think it was called Luna Blanca. It has a kitchen and good wi-fi. A private room cost me $8. I stayed in Suchitoto for three days, and from there I took local buses to Honduras.
In total, I spent about two weeks in El Salvador, and this country has become one of my favorite countries in the region. I highly recommend couch surfing in El Salvador as the local people are extremely friendly and helpful. In addition, due to the country's controversial reputation, you will be much more comfortable traveling with locals, and they will be able to show you places in El Salvador that you yourself might not have reached and would not have known about them.
El Salvador is one of the cheapest countries in the region, despite the fact that American dollars are used there. Local buses cost a penny, the average price of a meal in a cheap cafe is $2, the price for a place in a hostel (dorm) is $5-8. The most expensive entertainment for you will be an excursion to a coffee plantation - $ 15-20.
Go to El Salvador, keep your ears open and enjoy!
