43. Elated in El Salvador

When travelling to El Salvador, it’s advised to be vaccinated as the country is rated at a high level for covid-19 cases by CDC, yet you can also provide a negative PCR test for entrance to the country.

El Salvador is small yet densely populated with 6.5m people, 14 sections called Departments, 25 volcanoes, 14 lakes and three main cities. The first is the capital, San Salvador in the centre. Santa Ana is in the West and San Miguel is in the east. When in a major city, walking is easy. If needed, the most comfortable way for transportation in private taxi. There are multiple activities to do to stay enthused and entertained.

The best surfing hotspot is at Playa Las Flores in San Miguel. For paddleboarding, El Cuco Beach has a laid back vibe. Anything related to jet skiing, wake boarding and water skiing would make one visit Playa El Esteron. The two main cultural sites for the Mayan Ruins are Tazumal and San Andrés. The crème de la crème is Joyas de Ceren.

A volcanic hiking adventure should include Parque Nacional Los Volcanoes. There are guided two hour tours with a low admission fee. Then there’s El Boqueron National Park, the most iconic. Backpackers often enjoy Cerro El Pital and El Tunco.

Savoury Salvadorean diets feature rice, beans and seafood. The most famous dish is pupusa, a corn tortilla with cheese and chicarron, shredded pork in a round shape. People also enjoy platanos, sliced plantains with beans, cheese and sour cream. At times, eggs, yuca, pastelitos de carne are essential foods too.

Although a smaller nation, El Salvador is rich in its natural beauty, loads of volcanoes and warm hospitality.