Best 14 Day Itinerary To El Salvador (+Maps and Tips) (2026)

Last Updated on December 28, 2025 by Nicole

El Salvador is known as the Land of Volcanoes. It is a captivating Central American country that offers a rich tapestry of culture, stunning landscapes, and vibrant history. Nestled between Guatemala and Honduras, it boasts beautiful beaches, lush mountains, and Maya archaeological sites. My husband and I visited in November and indulged in the delicious local cuisine, explored colorful towns and markets, lounged on gorgeous beaches, and hiked amongst stunning scenery. We loved every moment. Here is the best 14 day itinerary of El Salvador.

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If after reading this article, you are still looking for travel inspiration for Central or South America, please review:

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• How To Visit Iguazu Falls In Both Argentina And Brazil In One Day; and
• Best 14 Days Itinerary in Colombia with Teens.

Background

My husband and I visited El Salvador with another couple in November. Prior to arriving, I worked with Alfredo Avalos and his tour company Explore Salvador over countless weeks to create our itinerary.

Alfredo was amazingly generous with his time before we arrived, answering endless questions of mine to help create an itinerary that we loved.

Once in El Salvador, Alfredo was our driver and guide for 9 days (our time with him ended once we went to the beach) and he was exceptional. He was passionate about his country; offered a wealth of information about its history and culture; and approached everyday with enthusiasm and grace. Even better, he was a foodie and almost every restaurant and food recommendation was amazing. Without hesitation, I would recommend him.

Weather

In November, El Salvador experiences a transition from the rainy season to the dry season. The weather is generally warm, with average temperatures ranging from 70°F to 85°F (21°C to 29°C). You can expect humidity and occasional rain showers, particularly in the first half of the month. As November progresses, the prospect of any rain rapidly decreases.

Over our 14 days, we had beautiful warm weather without a drop of rain. The exception was up in the mountains. The higher we climbed, the cooler it got, with a couple of very windy days.

Tips and Recommendations

• Safety was NEVER a question. We explored a huge swath of El Salvador and we never felt unsafe for a second. Had I not grown up with and read about the violent history of El Salvador, I would never have known that fear and violence was very recently an integral part of their day-to-day lives.
• For the most part, the roads in El Salvador were excellent. However, seat belts were only legally required to be worn in the front seats. Unless you request working seat belts on other seats, they may not be provided. We specifically asked for cars with functional seat belts for all seats and they were always supplied.
• We hired a tour guide and driver for our vacation in El Salvador. However, most people we met on the coast rented cars and self drove for their beach stay. I am still happy with our decision as the first 9 days of our trip were spent exploring El Salvador. However, from what we saw and experienced on the roads, self driving would be safe and easily managed everywhere.
• Like most busy capitals, I would avoid self driving in San Salvador. The traffic was hectic and crazy most days, almost all day and all night. When traveling in or out of the capital, make sure you add extra travel time.
• The roads along the Pacific Coast also had lots of congestion and it takes much longer than expected to reach destinations along there.
• Currency is the US dollar.
• We hardly needed cash. Every restaurant, shop and hotel we visited accepted credit cards. The exceptions were for purchases in markets, some entrance fees to tourist sites, payment for local guides and drivers, and gratuities.
• Exploring the peaks of volcanoes is a must-do activity in El Salvador but as noted earlier, the temperature at the top is very different from sea level. Make sure you pack a warm jacket and different layers of clothes for these experiences.
• Food was exceptional and CHEAP! There was unbelievable meat in the interior and seafood on the Pacific Coast. There were also fresh vegetables and salads offered in most restaurants.
• Tap water was not potable. We either drank bottled water or the hotel supplied filtered water.
• We were never sick from either the food or water.
• International tourism is at its infancy in El Salvador. Notwithstanding this, there was a small yet sophisticated tourism infrastructure in place when we were there.
• We stayed at some gorgeous hotels that I would highly recommend. However, in most spots, there was often only one hotel with western-type amenities. If it was booked up, I really struggled to find another equally nice hotel nearby. This will gradually change as El Salvador grows in popularity, but in the meantime, make sure you book early.
• In the meantime, there were lots of hotels designed for locals in many spots. International tourists were welcome but I quickly saw that on several occasions, they often did not offer amenities that we normally expected. For example, many accommodations did not have hot showers. Accordingly, make sure you research carefully any prospective accommodation.

Best 14 Day Road Trip In El Salvador

Here is a quick snapshot of our 2 week holiday in El Salvador.

Day 1 – Arrived on an evening flight.

Day 2 – Drove to Ataco de Concepcion on the Ruta de las Floras for a 3 night stay.

Day 3 – Explored the towns along the Ruta de las Floras.

Day 4 – Did the 7 Waterfall Hike, went to Apaneca for lunch, did an ATV tour, and took a tour of a coffee manufacturing facility.

Day 5 – Explored downtown Santa Ana, drove to the top of Cerro Verde National Park, and toured downtown San Salvador. Stayed in San Salvador for 2 nights.

Day 6 – Toured 2 archaelogical sites: San Andres Archaelogical Park and Joya de Ceren. Then, explored San Salvador Volcano and Boqueron National Park.

Day 7 – Hiked up to the crater of Santa Ana Volcano, had lunch at Lake Coatepeque, then drove to Suchitoto for a 3 night stay.

Day 8 – Took a boat tour of Lake Suchitoto and did an indigo dying workshop.

Day 9 – Hiked the Private Natural Reserve of Cinquera to see former guerilla strongholds, and explored the town. Then, hiked down into the basalt rock formations and waterfall of Cascade Los Tercios.

Day 10 – Drove to Costa Del Sol for a 3 night stay on the beach.

Day 11 – Beach time.

Day 12 – Boat tour of mangroves and beach time.

Day 13 – Drove to El Zonte for 2 night stay.

Day 14 – Beach time.

Day 15 – Departed.

Below, I have organized this 14 day itinerary into mini itineraries. Usually, we spent between 2-4 days at one hotel exploring an area so you can easily see what we did and whether this would be too much or too little time for you. In addition, I highlight our accommodation and restaurants choices and what I thought of each.

Afterwards, I provide a list of recommendations and tips for how I would improve our time in each destination (if possible) and which pitfalls I would try and avoid (if any).

Finally, I recommend how I would compress our itinerary in each region. El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America. As such, you could easily spend less than 14 days in El Salvador and still see and experience a lot of what we did.

Day One: San Salvador

We landed around 9:00 pm at San Salvador International Airport and went straight to our hotel in downtown San Salvador.

Where did we stay?

We stayed one night at the Real InterContinental San Salvador-Metrocentro Mall by IHG. This is a beautiful hotel located across from a massive mall. In addition to staying our first night, we stayed 2 more nights at this hotel in the middle of our itinerary. It was extremely comfortable and the restaurants were excellent.

Tips and Recommendations

• The San Salvador International Airport (SAL) is quite a ways from downtown San Salvador. Make sure you have made transfer plans before you arrive, especially if it is a late flight. We scheduled a pick up with Welcome Pickups which offered a good competitive rate.

• Apart from the mall, there wasn’t anywhere to walk from the Intercontintental. If you are simply looking for a comfortable spot to rest after a long day of travel or exploration, then the Intercontinental is an excellent choice. However, if you want to be in the center of the action, I would consider trying to stay in the historic part of San Salvador. When we were there, there weren’t any hotel options in that area that interested me. However, the downtown core is rapidly changing.

Days Two – Four: Ruta de las Flores

The Ruta de las Flores or Flower Route is a scenic road in the Western Highlands of El Salvador, connecting a string of five quaint colonial towns: Nahuizalco, Salcoatitán, Juayúa, Apaneca, Concepción de Ataco (often just called Ataco). These towns are charming, with cobblestone streets, grand churches, bustling plazas, and fantastic murals and street art.

It’s approximately 21 miles (35 km) long, and the road takes its name from the rainbow of wildflowers that bloom along the route in springtime. 

The local economy is traditionally driven by coffee production. Outside of the small towns, the landscape is filled with crops of Arabica plants that yield the fruit for coffee; trees to protect the plants from wind and sun; and volcanoes. It is very beautiful.

On the weekends, most towns on the Ruta de las Flores have farmer or craft markets, food markets, and live music.

We spent 3 days exploring the entire Ruta de las Flores, hiking to gorgeous waterfalls, sampling tasty local foods and enjoying locally grown coffee. 

Day 2 – Concepción de Ataco

We drove over 3.5 hours from San Salvador to Ataco for our 3 night stay.

Ataco is known for colorful painted murals found all over town. There were dozens of artisan shops with lots of crafts and homemade goods. In addition, there were many restaurants, coffee shops and dessert spots.

We had nothing planned for this day, except recovering from our international travel. Once we arrived, we spent the afternoon walking around the small town, and popping into shops. Our hotel was located across from the main plaza so we hung out with the locals, listened to music and people watched. It was fun and relaxing.

Where did we stay?

We stayed at a gorgeous small hacienda-styled hotel right off the main plaza called Casa Degraciela. It offered a handful of rooms, centered on a beautiful inner courtyard. The restaurant was small and pretty, and each room was individually and tastefully decorated.

My only complaint is that with the location came noise. On weekends, Ataco has a very lively almost party-type of atmosphere. Many people do weekend getaways from San Salvador. There was music and fireworks going off all night.

Furthermore, during the day, a local ATV company parked their quad bikes just outside the door of the hotel. If you plan to visit on the weekend and you are sensitive to noise, you may wish to stay elsewhere. However, overall, we really liked our stay here.

Day 3 – Explore Ruta de las Flores

We spent the day exploring the towns on the Ruta de las Flores.

First, we drove from Ataco to Nahuizalco, a town known for its indigenous culture, and farmer markets. It was a Sunday and Nahuizalco was bustling with locals shopping in the markets.

We began by exploring the town. Without our guide, we would have missed most of what we saw.

We visited a little mill where locals can bring their own corn and beans to mill into flour, or tomatoes to process them into smooth sauces and preserves by separating the seeds and skins from the pulp. We met a couple of local women who allowed us to watch them at work which was super interesting.

Afterwards, we visited a craftsman who made beautiful rattan baskets and light fixtures. We were all very tempted to purchase some, but didn’t know how we were going to get these little masterpieces home!

From there, we walked to the farmers market where we sampled local treats such as nuegado – fried dough with honey – and local fruits such as mamon and zapote. It was a ton of fun – we didn’t see another tourist.

Next we drove through Salcoatitan, stopping to admire a several hundred year old tree and an impressive tiled serpent.

The last town we explored was Juayua. On weekends, Juayua offers a food festival and it did not disappoint. We were absolutely blown away by the quality and ridiculously low prices of the food offered. We had a delicious plate of food – that included a fantastic cut of steak – for $7 USD that was so large my husband and I had to share to finish.

Juayua also had a beautiful church called Santa Lucia and of course, a lovely main plaza busy with people and vendors. After lunch, we walked over to a cafe for some coffee tasting. The people of El Salvador take their coffee seriously!!

Lastly, we went to Crater Lake, “Laguna Verde,” and had a pleasant walk around it. The lake is characterized by blue waters and scenic backdrop of mountains and forests.

Day 4 – Las 7 Cascadas (7 Waterfall Hike)

Morning

We got up early and headed outside of Juayua for the 7 Waterfall Hike. With Alfredo, we met our local guide who took us on this fantastic adventure.

Over 2 hours, we hiked along steep forest paths and discovered gorgeous waterfalls nestled in the jungle. We walked in rivers, hopped over rocks, climbed over trees and other obstacles on the paths, and found ourselves getting completely soaked and loving it.

Afterwards, we went back to the guide’s home and met her extended family. It was harvest time and they showed us the laborious work that goes into picking the fruit with coffee beans (sometimes called coffee cherries). It was very interesting and we were honored to meet her family.

Afternoon

Next, we headed to Apaneca, the last town that we had not yet explored on the Ruta de las Flores, and had a fantastic lunch. We picked up quad bikes and took a 2 hour tour through villages, up a mountain, and back to Crater Lake.

Lastly, we took a coffee manufacturing tour of Cafe Ataco just outside Ataco. This was fascinating. It demonstrated the different steps that follow after the coffee cherry is picked for it to ultimately become a coffee bean ready to be ground and made into coffee. We toured the factory and followed the manufacturing process, ultimately ending in a bit of coffee tasting.

Tips and Recommendations

• You should try to visit La Ruta de las Flores on the weekend. The food festival in Juayua only runs on the weekends. You will also get to experience the lively and exciting vibe all the towns have. We arrived in Ataco on a Saturday and left on a Tuesday. It was very quiet and quite different in Ataco on the Monday versus the weekend!
• For the 7 Waterfall Hike, one option is to wear closed toe shoes with a decent tread. Another and better option is to wear water sandals (like Tevas) so you can hike safely and go into the waterfalls. You should also wear a bathing suit or fast drying clothes as you will definitely get wet.
• The hike is difficult and tricky in parts and but also manageable if you take your time. However, if you have any mobility issues, this is not the hike for you. I would also discourage bringing small children as there are plenty of spots where there are sheer drops. We also walked in the river which had fast moving water that made it difficult to keep our balance.
• We had hiking poles which we found extremely helpful. Most people did not but it made some spots much easier to handle.
• There is one spot in the hike where some tour groups use a rope and you climb up some steep rocks and through waterfalls. They do this without any safety gear – helmets, gloves, or harnesses. We did not do this. Instead, our guide took us a different route so we ultimately ended up seeing the same waterfalls, but we hiked instead of climbed to it. If you are concerned about safety, you should make sure you speak to your tour guide about how they intend to approach this part of the hike.
• Apaneca is packed with quad bike rental agencies. You can arrive and negotiate a tour once there. You don’t need to book in advance.
• I always enjoy taking a quad bike on an adventure on trips, especially when you might end up in places that you would not otherwise reach by car or on foot. This tour took us back to Crater Lake so it wasn’t as interesting as I had hoped. However, the bikes themselves were a lots of fun.

How to Compress this Part of Itinerary

• If you had less time to enjoy the Ruta de las Flores, I would definitely:
  • Explore Nahuizalco, Juaya and Ataco.
  • Do the 7 Waterfall Hike.
  • Tour the coffee manufacturing plant.

You could easily accomplish these experiences over 2 days. If you were motivated and organized, you might even be able to pack them into one long day.

Days Five – Seven: Santa Ana, Lake Coatepeque, Volcanoes and San Salvador

We spent the next couple of days exploring the interior of El Salvador between Santa Ana and San Salvador. This small area offers an incredible and diverse amount of experiences, with astonishing scenery almost everywhere you look.

If you love volcanoes – seeing them from afar; hiking up, around or down them; or spectacular views from the top – this is an area for which you want to set aside some time on your 14 day El Salvador trip.

Day 5 – Santa Ana, Cerro Verde National Park, San Salvador

We toured 2 cities and went to the top of our first volcano.

Morning

In the morning, we drove from Ataco to Santa Ana. Santa Ana is the second-largest city in El Salvador. It offers a vibrant blend of colonial charm, volcanic landscapes, and authentic Salvadoran culture.

We spent about 1.5 hours touring its stunning colonial architecture built between 1880 – 1920 and learning about its history. First, we visited City Hall with its beautiful courtyard. Then, we walked by Teatro Nacional de Santa Ana, a lavish, European-style theater from the early 1900s, still hosting performances.

Finally, we explored Cathedral of our Lady of Santa Ana – one of the most beautiful neo-Gothic cathedrals in Central America, gleaming white with intricate spires. This was a lot of fun as we were able to climb up to the roof and walk all around it, enjoying stunning views of Santa Ana and the volcanoes beyond.

Afternoon

For lunch, we drove from Santa Ana to Los Pinos Vistalago, a restaurant offering gorgeous views over Lake Coatepeque, a massive volcanic lake with crystal-blue waters. In addition to delicious food, it offered walking trails, views of Santa Ana Volcano and the ability to walk down to the shores of Lake Coatepeque.

After lunch, we drove up to Cerro Verde National Park for more breathtaking views. It sits on top of Cerro Verde Volcano, an extinct volcano. From here, we had stunning views of Santa Ana and Izalco Volcanoes, both active volcanoes.

There was a ranger-led one mile hike at the top that we had hoped to do. However, it was very windy and it was cancelled.

Finally, we headed to San Salvador to finish our day. We toured the historic downtown area and were completely surprised by its beauty, pretty colonial and modern buildings, and cool vibe. It was also really busy with locals hanging out with family and friends in the central plazas. There was live music and people dancing.

First, we went into the Mercado Central. It is one of the liveliest and most chaotic places in the city—a sensory overload of food stalls, street vendors, cheap goods, fresh produce, clothing, electronics, and everything in between.

Then, we walked over to Iglesia El Rosario, one of the most unique churches in Latin America. It was built in the 1970s by sculptor-architect Rubén Martínez. It looks like a concrete airplane hangar from the outside—pure Salvadoran brutalism. Inside, it transforms into a kaleidoscope: colored glass windows create stunning rainbow beams across the pews.

We saw the National Theater (The Teatro Nacional (1903–1917)), the oldest theater in Central America and the National Parliament building – 2 impressive buildings.

We also popped into some very cool bars and spots for salsa dancing.

Finally, we explored the new National Library of El Salvador. This is a massive modern building that feels completely out of place. However, the modern interior is beautiful and offers the public with an incredible public space for everyone to enjoy. For tourists, there are phenomenal views of San Salvador from one of the top floor patios.

Where did we stay?

We stayed 2 nights at the InterContinental San Salvador-Metrocentro Mall by IHG, the same hotel as our first night. This was an extremely comfortable hotel with excellent restaurants.

Tips and Recommendations

• The route we followed today was spontaneous. We had planned to hike in El Imposible National Park but there was a misunderstanding and that fell through. Notwithstanding this, I was thrilled with our day and would not hesitate to recommend each experience we had.
• Cerro Verde sits at a high elevation, so temperatures are cooler than the lowlands. You will want to wear pants, jackets and closed toe shoes, or at least bring them with you just in case. When we visited, it was very windy and cold, and we were glad for the extra layers.
• I tried very hard to find accommodation that I liked somewhere around Lake Coatepeque or close to Santa Ana Volcano. By doing so, we would have likely cut out 1-2 extra hours of driving a day. However, there wasn’t much from which to choose and what was available, was either very expensive for what you got or the reviews were not great, or both! As El Salvador grows in popularity, this should change.
• Having said this, I did not mind the extra driving as it meant that we saw other things that we otherwise would not have put into our itinerary. In addition, I was very happy with the Intercontinental and San Salvador was a cool spot in which to spend some extra time.

Day 6 – Archaelogical Parks and Boqueron National Park

We explored 2 Maya archaeological parks and went to the top of another volcano.

Morning

There are a few ancient Maya sites in El Salvador that you can visit. We chose 2 of them to explore – San Andres Archaelogical Park and Joya de Ceren, a Unesco World Heritage Site. From my research, these were the best to see. Our guide agreed with me.

San Andrés Archaeological Park is located about 30 km northwest of San Salvador. It offers a quiet, open-air experience where you can walk among pyramids, plazas, and ancient structures that once formed a thriving Maya ceremonial and political center.

Joya de Cerén is considered one of the most extraordinary archaeological sites in the Americas. Often called “The Pompeii of the Americas,” it preserves an entire Maya farming village that was suddenly buried by volcanic ash around 600 AD, freezing daily life in place for over 1,400 years. Unlike Pompeii, it is believed that no one died (or no one has yet been found) as it took several days before the entire village was buried under volcanic ash and the locals were able to flee.

Unlike most Maya sites that highlight temples or kings, Joya de Cerén is about ordinary people, making it one of the most intimate looks into ancient Maya life anywhere.

We spent about 3 hours exploring both Archaeological Parks (they are very close to one another). Each offered museums that, with the the aid of our guide, helped us to understand the ruins that we would later explore.

Afternoon

We stopped for lunch at Finca San Cristobal on our way up San Salvador Volcano to Boqueron National Park. The views from the restaurant were spectacular and the food was exceptional.

Boquerón is a protected natural park centered around the massive crater of the San Salvador Volcano – an active volcano. The park is located at around 1,800 meters (6,000 feet), giving it cool temperatures year-round. It’s one of the easiest volcanoes to visit in the country because you can drive almost to the top and it is a short drive from San Salvador.

We took the main loop trail. It was short, safe, and well-maintained, although initially, you have to climb up several flights of stairs to reach the top. However, it was a beautiful walk, taking you through forested areas to the main crater lookouts in about 15–20 minutes. The views at the top were worth the short climb.

Tips and Recommendations

• I love exploring ancient ruins in Central and South America. Most notably, I have been to Tikal in Guatemala, Teotihuacan and Chichen Itza (and others) in Mexico, and Machu Picchu in Peru. With those experiences, I thought San Andres Archaelogical Park was a little underwhelming. Very little of the ruins have actually been uncovered.
• Although I appreciate the significance of Joya de Ceren, unless you love Maya history and archaeology, I also found this experience a little disappointing. We saw several modest stone structures and we learnt about what they mean as to how the Mayans lived in their day to day life. However, overall, it requires a lot of imagination to truly “see” what life was like centuries ago.
• Like other volcanoes, you should dress warmly or bring a couple of extra layers when you visit Boqueron National Park.

Day 7 – Hike Santa Ana Volcano

We hiked up Santa Ana Volcano and drove to Suchitoto for our 3 night stay.

Morning

We hiked up Santa Ana Volcano. It was one of my favorite experiences in El Salvador.

Santa Ana is the country’s tallest volcano. At the summit, there is a surreal turquoise crater lake unlike anything else in Central America – the color of the lake changes with the sunlight. The volcano is still active and if you look closely, you will be able to see steam coming from some of the surrounding walls of the crater.

The hike up Santa Ana Volcano takes between 3-4 hours return. It is an ascent of approximately 1650 feet (500 meters) that takes you to a total elevation of 7780 feet (2381 meters). The hike offers panaromic views – the day we hiked up, we could easily see the Pacific Ocean, Izalco Volcano and Lake Coatepeque.

Afternoon

We headed down to a restaurant on the shores of Lake Coatepeque for lunch. This area was super touristy. There were several restaurants, boats offering rides around the lake, and loud music. I preferred seeing Lake Coatepeque from above.

After lunch, we drove to Suchitoto.

Tips and Recommendations

• The Santa Ana hike is considered “moderate” in difficulty by hiking standards. However, do not be fooled by this descriptor. The hike is challenging as it is a steady climb to the top that takes most people around 2 hours.
• The first 30-40 minutes of the hike is in the forest, so lots of shade, but the balance of the hike is out in the open.
• There are several very steep areas towards the top with loose rocks, but it is generally safe. Overall, this would be a safe hike for children except when you reach the summit. There wasn’t any fencing around the crater and it would be a deadly fall to the crater lake below.
• Make sure to bring a windbreaker, or something similar, for the time that you want to spend at the summit. It is much cooler and often very windy. Although the cool air was greatly appreciated after the tough hike, we quickly cooled down and became cold.
• Ideally, you should wear proper hiking shoes with a good tread. However, you could get away with wearing normal gym shoes so long as there is a good tread. Do not wear flip flops.
• We brought hiking poles and they were very useful. Most people did not have any so you certainly don’t need them to reach the summit. It just makes it a bit easier.
• You should wear a hat and sunscreen, and bring lots of water. There weren’t any bathrooms or official spots to purchase drinks once you leave the ranger station, although locals often carry up beverages for sale.
• Start the hike as early as possible. We started at 9:00 am and passed several large groups along the way. However, we were the first to arrive at the top and had the views of the crater to ourselves for a short time – which was fantastic. Once other groups arrived, it felt crowded and far less special.

How to Compress this Part of Itinerary

• If you have less time to enjoy the area between Santa Ana and San Salvador, I would definitely:
  • Hike up Santa Ana Volcano.
  • Visit Santa Ana.
  • Explore the historic center of San Salvador.

• I would exclude both San Andres and Joya de Cerena Archaelogical Parks unless you are a passionate student of archaeology or Maya ruins.

• I would try to include one or both of Cerro Verde and Boqueron National Parks because the views were spectacular (and you can never get enough of beautiful vistas!). However, if you do not have the time, you will get stunning views on your Santa Ana hike.

If you remove the Archaelogical Parks and keep the national parks as a flexible option (seeing how your day unfolds and how you feel), you should be able to comfortably do this part of the itinerary in 2 days (one night).

How you arrange it will depend on where you are coming from; where you will spend the night; and where you are going to afterwards.

I would try to spend one night in San Salvador to enjoy the historic center – the restaurants, bars and overall vibe – if you can.

Days Seven – Nine : Suchitoto

We spent 3 days exploring Suchitoto and the area around it. We did so for 2 reasons.

First, Suchitoto is one of El Salvador’s most charming and culturally rich towns—a beautifully preserved colonial village overlooking Lake Suchitlán. Cobblestone streets, whitewashed buildings, and a strong artistic spirit give it a peaceful, timeless feel that contrasts sharply with the bustle of the capital. It’s often considered the most picturesque town in El Salvador. It is only 1.5 hours from San Salvador.

Second, the region around Suchitoto was one of the central areas where the Salvadoran Civil War was fought. By exploring the area, we were able to learn about the war, meet people who fought in it or lost loved ones, and see some of its lasting remnants.

It was very, very interesting.

El Salvador Civil War

The civil war was a 20-year conflict (1972–1992) and one of the bloodiest wars in Latin America. At its core, the war was driven by extreme inequality, political repression, and social injustice. For decades before the war:

• A small elite controlled most of the land and wealth.
• Rural peasants and workers lived in deep poverty.
• Peaceful political opposition was often met with violence.

When democratic reforms failed and repression increased, armed conflict followed. The war was largely a guerrilla conflict, fought mostly in rural areas. There was:

• Ambushes, bombings, and military raids
• Villages caught between both sides
• Widespread use of death squads linked to state forces

Civilians suffered the most. The impact was devastating:

• Around 75,000 people were killed.
• Thousands disappeared.
• Over one million people were displaced or forced to flee, many to the United States (who financially backed the El Salvador government at the time).
• Entire villages were destroyed.

Late Afternoon

We arrived in Suchitoto in the late afternoon and relaxed after our hike up Santa Ana Volcano.

Where did we stay?

We stayed at Los Almendros de San Lorenzo, a beautiful hacienda-style hotel with a pretty courtyard and pool. Each large room was individually and tastefully decorated with authentic touches from El Salvador. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the restaurant was absolutely fantastic. We went to two other spots in Suchitoto for lunch or dinner at the recommendation of others, and nothing even remotely compared to the food we were served at the hotel restaurant.

Day 8 – Suchitoto

Morning

We took a 1.5 hour private boat tour around Lake Suchitlán. This is a large man-made lake created in the 1970s. Over time, it has transformed into an important ecological and cultural landscape, with rich birdlife. Today, it feels natural and expansive, dotted with islands, peninsulas, and wetlands.

Overall, this was a pleasant experience. We did see lots of birds, and the views of the landscape were quite pretty. However, there was a lot of garbage in the water near the port and on the shores that did take away from the experience.

Afternoon

We ate lunch at our hotel and then, we went to an Indigo dying workship taught by a former female guerilla fighter at a Indigo Cooperative for women.

Indigo is a natural blue dye extracted from the añil plant. When processed, it produces a deep, rich blue that was highly prized in Europe for dyeing textiles.

Indigo played a central role in El Salvador’s history, economy, and social structure for centuries. Long before coffee or sugar, indigo was the country’s first great export commodity, shaping land ownership, labor systems, colonial wealth, and even social inequality.

Indigo collapsed in the late 19th century, mainly due to the invention of synthetic dyes in Europe. As indigo declined, coffee replaced it as the dominant export.

We spent about an hour learning how to dye, each of us creating our own indigo-dyed scarf. It was hot and a bit buggy, but it was also very interesting. The Cooperative also sells some of its own creations.

We did a little walking tour of the town on our way back to the hotel. There was a very pretty central plaza with lots of shops and restaurants around it that we explored. The streets are cobblestoned and the locals were very friendly.

Day 9 – Cinquera

This was another of my favorite days in El Salvador.

We hiked in the beautiful Private Natural Reserve of Cinquera (Bosque de Cinquera) to a watchtower with spectacular views. However, it’s not just a nature hike—it’s a walk through living history, where lush forest has grown back over the scars of the civil war, and guerrilla remnants still remain among the trees.

During the Salvadoran Civil War, it was a stronghold of guerrilla forces. The same trails used by guerrillas are now hiking paths.

The total hike was 3 miles (5 km) with an elevation game of 575 feet (175 meters). We took our time and spent 2 hours exploring. We saw guerrilla camps with hidden cooking spaces designed to avoid smoke detection; trenches and foxholes; concealed storage areas for arms and food; and a makeshift hospital.

People lived in the forest for years. It was a beautiful walk amongst the trees but also very sobering.

Our guide, Alfredo, and his family were from this area. He grew up visiting his grandparents in the town of Cinquera (a few minutes from the forest) and was a university student when the war ended. He still talks about the history of this area with very strong emotion – he lost important people to him.

After the forest, we drove into the little town and was invited into the home of an elderly lady who lost 3 of her children fighting in the war. Across from her home was a mural with the faces of the three, and a list of all the people from Cinquera that died. It was hard to see that and then, meet the mother who had lost so much.

Afterwards, we walked around the central square, saw occasional bullet holes, and a plane that was downed by the guerillas that was now on display. There was not a soul around and it felt eerie even though the main square was filled with colorful murals, a small stage and a playground.

Late Morning

On our way back to Suchitoto, we stopped just outside at Cascade Los Tercios where we hiked down into a basalt rock formation and waterfall. It was pretty fun, but super dicey. We were basically scampering down and over rocks with a steep fall to more rocks below. However, the waterfall was pretty, and the views over Lake Suchitilan were sensational.

Afternoon

We had a relaxing afternoon hanging out at the pool and exploring the town on our own.

Tips and Recommendations

• Alfredo was licensed to give us the tour of Cinquera Private Reserve and he was able to bring to life what it was like to live and fight in the forests. However, you can also hire a former guerilla who can guide you. If I was going to do it again, I would have also hired a former guerilla guide who could have shared even more stories and information.
• The hike in Cinquera Private Reserve was relatively easy. There was some elevation gain to see the guerilla camps and such, but the most significant elevation gain was going up to the watchtower. I think most people would be capable of both but if you are unsure, you can tour the guerilla strongholds and decide at that time whether you wish to continue to the top.
• The hiking path was mostly even on packed dirt but I’d still wear a closed toe shoe with a decent tread.
• Children could easily join in the walk.
• Cascade Los Tercios was not child friendly or good for anyone who isn’t agile and coordinated. You should definitely wear proper closed toe shoes with a decent tread.

How to Compress this Part of Itinerary

If you have less time to enjoy Suchitoto and the surrounding area, I would definitely tour Cinquera, the Private Reserve, and Cascade Los Tercios. I would skip Lake Suchitlán and the Indigo workshop.

We had a lot of down time in Suchitoto, which we very much enjoyed. However, you could easily spend one day there and still make it worthwhile.

If you do not have time to do both the Ruta de las Flores and Suchitito, I’d do Ruta de las Flores, especially if it is a weekend, unless you are very interested in the civil war.

If you have time to visit both, then I’d recommend doing so.

Days Ten – Twelve: Playa Costa del Sol

We drove 2 hours from Suchitoto to Playa Costa del Sol for our 3 night stay. We said good-bye to Alfredo on day 9. Instead, Alfredo organized a driver to transfer us to the beach. Once we reached Playa Costa del Sol, we no longer had (or needed) a driver or guide.

We absolutely LOVED the beach and our hotel, and wished we could have stayed longer.

First, the beach!

El Salvador has a long coastline along the Pacific, but most of it is black sand and rocky. It is a VERY popular spot for surfing.

There is limited amount of golden sand beaches and beaches without rocks to simply swim and enjoy the ocean.

However, this is what Playa Costa del Sol offers – gorgeous soft sand; beautiful warm water; and an ocean floor without rocks, seaweed or sudden drops. The waves are still a bit on the big side, but for us, that meant more fun diving in the water or trying to body surf. The beach goes on forever, and it was very uncrowded, even when we arrived on a Sunday.

Where did we stay?

We stayed 3 nights at Tortuga Village and loved our stay here.

Tortuga Village had 8 standalone huts on stilts, each offering different bed configurations. Underneath the huts, we had our own private outdoor patio with chairs, hammocks and a dining room table. They all encircled the very large pools and were only steps away from the beach.

Inside the huts, we had a large room with very comfortable beds and a private bathroom. They were tastefully decorated with hints of luxury.

When we were there, the Chef was Peruvian and the incredibly large menu was all Peruvian food. It was truly, truly astounding and delicious food!

What did we do at Playa Costa del Sol?

Pretty much nothing! We lounged at and walked along the beach, swam in the ocean, and drank a lot of cocktails!

One morning, we did go on a private boat tour on waterways next to mangroves. Our guide did not speak English so it wasn’t particularly informative experience. However, we had nice views and the guys got to fish for some of the time (successfully catching a couple along the way).

How to Compress this Part of the Itinerary?

Playa Costa del Sol is only 30 minutes from the airport. You could spend one night here and easily reach the airport for a morning flight.

However, if you are a beach lover, I would encourage you to try and spend more time here. It was a little slice of paradise.

Tips and Recommendations

• Tortuga only has 8 huts and they book up quickly. This was the only resort in this area that was geared to International tourists.
• Other than a brief boat tour and beach walks, we didn’t leave our resort. There really wasn’t anything to see or do in the town center, and there weren’t any bars and restaurants nearby. We also couldn’t get enough of the beach, the ocean and the food at our hotel.

Days Thirteen – Fourteen: El Zonte

For our last couple of days, we headed to El Zonte, another beach town around 1 hour and 45 minutes away. Once again, Alfredo organized our transfer for us.

Before we left El Salvador, I wanted to see the black sand beaches and the surfing culture for which El Salvador is famous. However, I didn’t want to go to one of the backpacker party towns.

After careful research, I hoped that El Zonte would offer me black sand beaches and some surfing, but with a laid back vibe. In addition, it seemed that it might be possible to find beaches without rocks for swimming.

El Zonte did offer me some of this – however, not all. Overall, I didn’t love it.

There really wasn’t any beach to enjoy and you were dodging rocks if you wanted to swim. You could see surfing, but other than that, there really wasn’t much of a town center. You were kind of meant to stick to your own hotel.

Once we figured out El Zonte didn’t offer a nice beach or swimming to non-surfers, we went to Lagarza Hostel for our last day.

Only 10 minutes away from our hotel, this small hostel-like hotel offered day passes which allowed us to enjoy their pool and lounge chairs, and gave us easy access to the stunning golden sand beaches below.

Swimming in the ocean was fantastic – similar to our experience in Playa Costa del Sol. The food and drinks offered at the poolside bar were also amazing.

It was a fantastic way to end our trip!

Where did we stay?

We stayed at El Xalli in El Zonte. This was on the side of the hill overlooking the ocean. It had a nice pool and the rooms were very modern and comfortable. They also offered a full kitchen.

However, I wasn’t a super fan of this hotel. There was nothing wrong with it – it offered beautiful rooms with nice views. However, the road was just beneath us and trucks often roared by.

We were also a far walk to the town and we ended up walking along the side of the road (no sidewalks). The restaurant had a bar, offered breakfast and a limited menu for lunch. However, you had to order dinner from their sister restaurant in town. The food was very good but it took a lot of time for the food to arrive.

It seemed that most guests had a car which would have made staying there a more logical choice. You could easily purchase groceries and access nearby surf spots with the help of a car.

Return Home

We had an early morning flight. Alfredo arranged our 1.5 hour transfer to the airport from El Zonte.

Last Word

El Salvador is an incredible destination offering beautiful landscapes, wonderful hikes, gorgeous beaches, pretty colonial towns, and exciting cities. It is inexpensive and the food is truly delicious. The people are very friendly and helpful.

We thoroughly enjoyed our 2 week itinerary – we were able to savour many destinations and experiences – but it would be very easy to enjoy a lot of our El Savlador itinerary with a lot less time.

At the moment, El Salvador is truly a hidden gem. This won’t last. If you love authentic experiences, then try to get to El Salvador soon.