I travelled into El Salvador by bus through Guatemala and fell in love with its natural beauty, the unspoiled beaches and volcanic forests and there’s also the Mayan ruins to enjoy. I hope this short summary of El Salvador will help you plan your trip.
Best Time to Visit
The Dry season is between November and April, while the rain season is from May to October.
Things to do and see
- Cloud forest of Cerro Verde has three volcanoes to explore and fresh mountain air. A great place for nature lovers and thrill seekers.
- Barra de Santiago is a beautiful beach that also doubles as a nature reserve for butterfly’s, turtles and birds.
- Mayan archaeological can be discovered in Joya de Ceren, San Andres and Tazumal. This is a great opportunity to learn about the Mayan empire in central America.
Food
Maize and corn are the two popular carbohydrates, eaten with beef, pork and chicken. Seafood and fried banana are also very popular. Fresh fruit is also eaten widely, fresh coconut is sold in many street stands.
Transportation
Air: There are no direct flights from London to El Salvador and there are no domestic flights in El Salvador.
Roads: Most of the roads in El Salvador are well maintained and paved. Drivers drive on the Right-hand side of the road. In rural areas dusty muddy roads with potholes are common.
Rail: There are no passenger railway services running.
Taxi: To avoid taking long distance buses, many travellers opt to hire a taxi instead, El Salvador is small enough to make it non-expensive. Always negotiate a fixed price before starting your ride. There are lots of yellow street taxis that are easy to flag down, but they are not metered.
Ferry: There is a regular ferry service from Lago Suchitlan to Suchitoto.
Bus: The buses used are old US school buses. They are cheap and connect most of the towns and villages in El Salvador. There is no time table or ticketing system you pay once you get on the bus.
Visa
Visas are not required by all EU, U.S, Canadian and Australian nationals for stays up to 90days.
Language
The official language is Spanish.
Money
The official currency in El Salvador is the US Dollar. There are ATMs in all major but in rural areas it may be more difficult to find.
Tipping
It’s not necessary to tip, however 10% is usually added to the bill at some restaurants.
Social etiquette
75% of Salvadorans are Roman Catholic. Siesta is still a tradition from about 12noon to two clock midday. Although not all shops and restaurants will be closed. Ask permission before taking photographs.
Adaptor
There are two plugs associated with El Salvador.
Wifi
High speed internet is available in all major cities.
Ruth’s Lonely Planet 