"EL LOBO HomePage" a El Salvador Travel Page by jepclg98

The little Pulgarcito of America
El salvador has many beautiful and interesting places where you can find very friendly people ready to help you any time you need it. When you need someone to help you find out more about El Salvador just e-mail me and I will help you to get familiar this great country with no cost at all.

Fishing excursions

There are many resorts that offer fishing services in El Salvador. There are Tuna fish, Blue Marlin, Mackerel, and many other species of deepwater game fishes. You can also do some bottom fishing where you have a chance to catch Snappers, Blue Crevally, Scribbled Filefish, and others.

La Libertad

La Libertad surf beaches is one of the best surfing beaches in the whole Central American region. It is also among the top ten in the world. A lot of surfers from around the world visit El Salvador for its surfing beaches all year round because of the challenge of El Salvador's surf.

Los Chorros

It is a series of large, refreshing natural pools fed, one pool to the next, by clear spring water from overhanging volcanic cliffs. This site is part of the Turicentros program and a favorite day trip for people from San Salvador as well as visitors. Visit during the week for complete relaxation.

The Devil's Doorway

Two huge rocks on the edge of a deep precipice frame the view of the valley lying far below. The "doorway" is approximately 1km south of Balboa Park on the summit of Chulo Hill, 1,000 meters above sea level.

Los Planes Lookout Point

Located to the east of Balboa Park on the road that goes to the Indian village of Panchimalco. The lookout, on the edge of a deep gorge, offers one of the most beautiful panoramic views of San Salvador with Ilopango Lake in the distance. You will find many cafeterias serves typical foods and cold drinks. (take the same bus #12 for Balboa Park)

National Zoo

Considered the most modern zoo in Central America, it houses a large collection of local and foreign fauna. The zoo is designed so that the animals enjoy a habitat as close as possible their own natural one. Open every day except Mondays and Tuesdays from 9am-5pm. A small fee is charged.
(it is in the downtown are. Take bus #2 on Cathedral west side)

Panchimalco Indian Village

According to historians, its name in Nahuat language means "site of flags and shields". The village site is located in a picturesque geological depression and archaeological finds indicate that it was an important area during pre-Colombian times. There is an interesting colonial church here that dates from 1725 and has been classified a national historical monument. You can also find typical food and cold drinks. Ask for a special alcoholic drink which is called chicha.

David J. Gusman National Museum

Home of an interesting collection of pre-Columbian objects dating from the pre-classic period of 1500 BC until late post-classic period, around 1200-1525 AD. Open daily except Monday from 9am-12noon and 2pm-5pm. Free admission. (take bus #34 on 4a. Calle Poniente and 7a Avenida Sur, 1/2 block south of Hotel Ritz)

Montecristo

Montecristo is a rainforest. It is the most important and most protected rainforest in El Salvador. Montecristo has a diverse fauna and flora that will entrance anyone who visits, so that a visit in Montecristo is truly an ultimate ecotourism adventure that should be included in your itinerary.

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Torogoz (Talapo)

Attractions

Facts
El Salvador is a small country located in Central America with a land area of 21,000 Km2 and beautiful lakes and beaches. Los Cobanos (located in the Pacific Ocean) is one of the most beautiful diving places and it is located to 80 Km from San Salvador. You can visit one of the diving centers in San Salvador and make arrangements to dive in Los Cobanos. However, it is not recommended to dive in that place during the winter season (April to November) because the visibility is almost zero. During the summer if the conditions are right you can see Morays Eals, Angel Fishes, Eagle Mantas, Green Turtles, Lobsters, etc. If you are going to visit El Salvador and you want to practice scuba diving during the winter season is better to visit Coatepeque or Ilopango Lakes. Coatepeque lake is located in Santa Ana (60 km from San Salvador) surrounded by Cerro Verde and the Santa Ana and Izalco Volcanoes, into this crater with lots of water life you can see Catfish, Guapote, Zebra fish, etc. Ilopango Lake is located in San Salvador and it is the biggest lake in El Salvador, It has big islands and big cliffs going down. One of the most beautiful places to dive in Ilopango Lake is Los Cerros Quemados. We also have El Coatepeque Lake.

Ilopango Lake and La Laguna Botanical Garden
Lake Ilopango (now 15 kms long and 8 kms wide) was formed in the aftermath of this gigantic explosion. A more recent eruption in the early 1880s created the Cerros Quemados (Burnt Hills) Islands that literally rose up in the middle of the lake, a natural channel (Río Jiboa) was formed on the eastern side, and the resultant drainage left a volcanic island in the centre of the lake. In 1928 the water again rose, destroying houses along the shoreline. The lake has since become a popular tourist resort, with activity centred on the towns of Asino and Ilopango on the western shore. Today Ilopango, only 15 kms from San Salvador, is a popular spot for watersports and recreation. The hotel and restaurant "Vistalago" and the restaurant "Mirador 70" make for a pleasant stop—offering nice accommodations if you decide to spend the night and excellent menus, plus a spectacular panoramic view of the lake.

La Laguna Botanical Garden

Perhaps the only garden in the world to be located in the crater of an extinct volcano. The 7 acre garden centers around a small lagoon centered in the crater's bottom and is surrounded on the slopes by dense woods which act as windbrakes. For more than a century Salvadoreans have devoted themselves to making these gardens a place of beauty showcasing rare species of local and foreign plants.
Open Tuesday - Friday from 10am-5pm and weekends from 10am-6pm

La Alegría Lagoon and San Salvador Volcano
On the Chinameca Mountain Range we find Tecapa Volcano. Nestled at its peak, a beautiful emerald green lagoon lagoon is formed in the crater, over a sulfur bed. This is known as “Alegría” Lagoon, and is one of the most beautiful places in the country. There are fumaroles and hotsprings, attributed healing powers due to its high sulfur.

In 1891 the name of the town of Tecapa, which means lake of stones, was replaced with its actual name of “Alegría”

Jiquilisco Bay
This bay has the largest mangroves in the country,
abundant fish, and is home to hundreds of exotic birds; all of this, in an
environment of sun and beach, mixed with the delicious and soft scent
of coconut. This is Jiquilisco Bay, one of the most beautiful maritime
ecosystems in El Salvador.
It is located in the coastal area of Usulután department, a little over 100 km
from San Salvador City, in the municipality of Jiquilisco. This is a natural reserve
along 55 km of coastline. It has the largest mangrove forest and is one of the
richest in natural resources in the entire country. Studies have identified 54 species
of exotic birds and curious reptiles such as serpents like the “masacuata” and boas,
as well as iguanas, turtles and crocodiles

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San Salvador

Places

San Salvador is an interesting and 'exotic' place. It's overwhelming with activity, people, noise, etc. The Alcald?a Municipal (City Hall) has been doing a lot of efforts to try to clean up the downtown area and have been somewhat successful. A lot of work still remains to be done. If you decide to visit the 'old' San Salvador, visit the National Palace (a jewel of 'tropical' neoclassical architecture, the National Theatre (undergoing renovation after the 2001 earthquake), the cathedral (modern), Iglesia del Calvario, La Basilica, Iglesia Don Rua, Mercado Cuartel (for local handicrafts- very interesting). In downtown San Salvador keep your eyes open since there are beautiful 19th century buildings that haven't been restored but offer a good idea of what the place must have looked like some 100 years ago, visit La Casa de la Cultura del Centro where they usually host different kinds of exhibits, musical presentations, theatre, literature, poetry readings, and a small cafe. I found a good website containing some excellent pictures of downtown San Salvador at www.asa2000.org.sv.

A great place to visit while in San Salvador is Punto Literario in Zona Rosa. They have a small cafe (good food and tropical fruit juices in a courtyard-garden), a book store with excellent books about El Salvador and a wonderful art gallery that showcases salvadoran artists.

The Jardin Bot?nico (Botanical Gardens) of La Laguna are a must see in San Salvador. They are located in the crater of an extinct volcano and surrounded by a small tropical forest. They are impeccably kept and offer a relaxing day trip to learn about the rich flora and fauna of this beautiful country.

Another great place is the Telef?rico San Jacinto, an amusement park on top of a mountain. There is a wonderful view of San Salvador on one side and lake Ilopango on the other side. You go up by way of a cable car, which in itself is worth the trip for the amazing views.

The nearby archeological site of Joya de Ceren is part of UNESCO's World Heritage since it's the only example of a Mayan village preserved by the eruption of nearby Volcano Caldera (called the Pompeii of Central America) it's a truly interesting site with guided tours for a small fee - given the nature of the place it's worth it to take the guided tour to really know what you're looking at. They also have a small museum with pieces coming from the site. Their web site is: http://ceren.colorado.edu/ Nearby the ceremonial center of San Andres with it's small but well presented museum completes the visit. This is a truly exceptional site and worthwhile to visit. Don't expect to find the soaring pyramids of Guatemala but instead an insight into Mayan daily life.
A unique place to visit when in El Salvador is the Cerro Verde National Park. The view from the spectacular Hotel de Monta?a on to the Izalco Volcano is one you will never forget. The Cloud forest around the hotel is very beautiful and there are clearly marked pathways leading to amazing vistas of Coatepeque lake, Santa Ana Volcano, etc. If you like mountain and volcano climbing this is a good place both for beginners and pros.

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Tips 4 :o)

Favorite Thing:
When arriving in El Salvador you will pay a $10 entrance tax when you present your passport at customs. When You leave, expect to pay $25 as an exit tax! US currency is the standard in all of El Salvador. Occasionally you will find colones used in the smaller stores or in remote areas.
I am always cautious about roadsite food booths but here was one that apparently was okay because I didn't get sick! I didn't try the oyster cocktail but the pupusas and ice cold beer were great and generally safe. I wouldn't eat uncooked foods at vendor booths. This booth was just outside the entrance to the Pacific Paradise Hotel on the Costa del Sol(see travelogue of same name!)
The good thing about El Salvador is it's compact size, this allows you to visit the country with ease since there are never great distances to travel. El Salvador hasn't been discovered by the mainstream tourist, and this gives it a particular charm and authenticity. El Salvador has been hardly hit by natural disasters and civil war, and I guess that therefore many of the reviews that we get tend to be negative. On the other hand I have loved visiting El Salvador and expect to go back, there are many places to visit. Besides salvadorans are hard working people, truly engaged in having their country make a come back. It's important to remember where you are in order to know what to expect, if you do so I'm sure that El Salvador will reward you with a wonderful experience.

When in San Salvador don't forget to visit the National Archealogical Museum, it's a brand new building with a very interesting collection of pieces (it's actually an anthropological museum, so its an interesting starting point to learn some of the history of the country). The collection is well presented and starts with the first civilizations of El Salvador (more than 10,000 yrs. old), followed by the Mayas, Pipiles, Lencas et al. the arrival of the Spanish, religion and culture, ethnography, etc
Nightlife is basically concentrated in the Zona Rosa area and the Blvd. de los Heroes -Metrocentro area. They both offer a big choice of bars, restaurants, nightclubs and dancing.

Try to visit La Luna - its a great place they have a small but good menu if you want to eat and always all sorts of funcky activities: live music, exhibits, etc. the word to describe it I guess would be 'salvadorean cutting edge'. well worth it, located on the Miramonte area, not far from Metro Centro Camino Real Intercontinental, etc.

You will also find live Marichi bands and live salsa music as well in the area of the Blvd de los Heroes, with live music until very late.
Salvadoreans love to party....they are also very friendly with foreigners so it will be easy to make friends.
Dress Code:
Depending where you go, but in general El Salvador is a warm country, so dress comfortably. It may get somewhat cool at night so it will be a good idea to carry a light sweater or jacket. For dining especially if going to a nice place dress accordingly, otherwise let you common sense guide you.

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Sea Food

RESTAURANTS

Restaurants in Olocuilta:
Any Salvadorean Typical dish will be a good bet, but if you want to taste the most savory typical food you can go to Juegos Exclusivos of Don Lito Cumbo in Olocuilta, La Paz. In this nice place you will find savory food. Here are a few names of the delicious food they serve:
1.Gallo en chicha (a type of 'coq au vin')
2.Sopa de frijol negro (black bean soup)
3.Sopa mariscada (sea food soup)
4.Tamales de elote(corn), de gallina, tayuyos (well, there are several varieties)
5.Ceviches (these can either be seafood, fish, mixed etc. remember that it's raw fish marinated in lime juice)
6. Plato t?pico (will generally be a grilled steak with rice and beans, fried plantain, avocado and cheese.)
7. Platanos rellenos (plantains stuffed with minced meat, baked and grilled with white cheese and sour cream)
8. Chiles rellenos (stuffed peppers with meat and vegetables, very, very good)
9. Sopa de Gallina india (hen soup -broth- with vegetables and generally served with tortillas, very savory and a meal in itself.)
10. Pan con pavo or pan con chumpe (a turkey sandwich with a delicious ground spice sauce)
11. Chilate con nuegados (fried yucca with honey)
12. Grilled or fried Cotuza (the peace corps really enjoy this)
13. Consome de Garrobo
14. Cuzuco
But if like Mexican food you can go to Los Antojitos, a nice place where delicious food is serve by a very famous salvadorean chef.