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| A rocky beach shines in the afternoon sun near El Tunco. |
For more than a month, we were never short on things to do, plus, the country's size makes it perfectly accessible for fairly comfortable bus travel. A welcome change from the 12-hour marathon bus journeys of Madagascar, Tanzania and Myanmar.
And so, as we bid farewell to Central America's hidden gem, below is our Top 10 list of favorite things and places, in no particular order.
- Eat tacos at Taco Guanaco, burritos at Burritos El Chef, and the chicken platter at the corner restaurant by the parking lot (you'll see it). You can't go wrong
- If you're on a budget, stay at the Hotel Papaya--good rooms for $20 for two
- Want to learn Spanish? Take a lesson (or 10) with Nelson. $10/hour
- Visit the waterfalls of Tamanique, a short bus ride from El Tunco
Olocuilta--No matter what, stop here for the famed Salvadorean pupusa. Located on the road between the airport and San Salvador, Olocuilta is the country's pupusa capital and is home to countless roadside stands selling the unofficial national food. Enjoy one filled with beans, cheese, chicken or fish...and don't skimp on the slaw.
Suchitoto--Just a one-hour bus ride from the capital, Suchitoto is a world away. Beautiful cobblestone streets and a traditional plaza and cathedral sit perched on the edge of lake Suchitlan.
- Go on a birding tour with "El Gringo" to see the Torogoz, Toucanet, Long-Tailed Manakin and others
- Follow the stream to the waterfall for a swim and a few jumps
- Eat and stay at Villa Balanza, with the best views in the city
- Eat some killer tacos at Lips Tacos...the restaurant across the street from Lips "dance boutique"; your cab driver will know what you're talking about
- Volunteer with Glasswing International
- Make the trek up to El Boqueron volcano
- Sing karaoke and eat street food at the fun bars and restaurants of Paseo el Carmen in Santa Tecla
- Visit the Iglesia El Rosario for its stained glass and artistic stations of the cross
- See a movie and eat sushi at the Gran Via mall. If it's been a while since you've seen either, you won't be disappointed
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| Colorful art from an Ataco market. |
- Eat at the new Italian restaurant up the hill from Meson de San Fernando-they had incredible salad!
Juayua--Also on the Ruta de las Flores
- Eat numerous grilled meats (pork, beef, rabbit, chorizo), corn, yucca and other heavenly concoctions at the weekend food festival
- Hike down to the waterfalls and have a swim.
El Pital--Spend an afternoon hiking El Salvador's highest peak, and get some great views of the border with Honduras.
- Stay the night in one of the many mountain guest houses like Posada del Cielo, take in the view and enjoy being cold, for the first time in El Salvador
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| El Salvador...a country of murals. |
Alegria--The Suchitoto of the East with it's small town square
- Visit on the weekend for the street fair
- Have a coffee and try the homemade chocolate with coffee beans at Cafe Entre Piedras
Playa El Cuco--El Salvador's beautiful Eastern beach town.
- Take a short ride to Las Flores and watch surfers ride one of the hemisphere's top point breaks
- Stay the night at La Tortuga Verde (double room for $20), right on the beach in El Esteron. If you stay two weeks, the next two weeks are free!
- Walk the endless beach and look for sand dollars, and admire the cows
- Eat at one of the great restaurants over the water in El Cuco
Golfo de Fonseca--the body of water surrounded by El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.
- Take a boat tour cruising the islands with Mario of Tours Panoramico (golfo_fonseca@hotmail.com) stopping at Meanguera Island for lunch
- Take the boat to Potosi in Nicaragua, skipping the border crossing with Honduras all together
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