El Salvador

The beautiful country of El Salvador sneaks up on you: in lefty lounge bars in San Salvador, at sobering museums and war memorials, and along lush cloud-forest trails; it's a place of remarkable warmth and intelligence, made all the more appealing for being so unexpected. Travelers tend to skip El Salvador, wooed by destinations such as Guatemala and Costa Rica, and disturbed by stories of civil war. Luckily the war ended almost 20 years ago. Even though El Salvador has fewer protected areas than its neighbors, you get them practically to yourself – including pristine forests, active volcanoes and sparkling lakes. The only place you might find a crowd is on Punta Roca, El Salvador’s most famous surfing spot – it happens to be one of the best right point breaks in the world, yet is a ghost town compared to lesser swells in Costa Rica. And when it comes to cities, none in Central America is smarter or cooler than San Salvador, with first-rate universities, museums and galleries, a vibrant bar, and a live-music scene.

My personal experience to this wonderful country was an amazing cultural experience and I would love to go back one day. I went on a mission trip to an orphanage called La Casa De Mi Padre with North Point Community Church based in Alpharetta, Georgia. It only takes two hours from the Jackson Airport in Atlanta, Georgia but depending on where you’re traveling from it may take a little longer. Remember when flying to El Salvador you’re not traveling over the Atlantic or Pacific like other places such as Hawaii or Costa Rica but you’re flying through Central America. Luscious jungle vegetation, mountains, lakes and rivers are all clearly visible and does give you the impression that you are traveling to Hawaii, Rapa Nui (Easter Island) or any Polynesian country. It’s definitely an awe filled moment! Depending on what season you travel, always remember that the temperature can be very warm and very hot.  Late July to Mid-September is typically the rainy season but it’s still very humid.

In San Salvador there is a beautiful 5 star Hilton Hotel there which is usually the go to hotel for tourist. This hotel is beautiful and very large in size. Personally my friends and I fancied the coffee shop where you’ll meet the friendliest baristas there.  Depending on your view from the hotel, the Night Life of the city is very busy and beautiful with lights, familiar restaurants (McDonalds, Wendy’s, and KFC etc.) and a beautiful view of mountains and jungle vegetation. Speaking of Food, my personal favorite visiting this country are Pupusas (Poo-Poo-sas). Pupusas are a traditional type of food made in El Salvador that is consists of a tortilla filled with beans (frijoles in Spanish) or cheese (queso in Spanish). This traditional delight is good for meals or tapas when you want to sit pool side and enjoy your friends or family. If you’re not looking to explore a little then maybe you will feel more comfortable eating American Food but believe me when I say there is nothing like becoming a local.

I would highly recommend you learn more Spanish. Although they are clearly more Americanized, there are still places where Spanish is used a lot more and you can be able to communicate with locals better as well. There is nothing more horrific than visiting a country you’re not familiar with and not knowing the language. Luckily for us we have a huge population of Hispanic immigrants in the United States and Spanish is becoming a dominant language. So consider yourself blessed for that matter!

Well that’s enough from me; why not check it out for yourself. Book a trip, reserve a room for the Hilton hotel, grab a surfboard and some Pupusas and enjoy what El Salvador has to offer!!