Taking a Trip to El Salvador?

Question

I'm going to take a trip to El Salvador, but I'm not sure what to do there. What are some good travel destinations? Hotels to stay at, food I MUST try? And what's the money ratio, what DO they use there? Should I just bring credit cards?

Answer 1

El Salvador has used the US Dollar since 2001, so you don't have to worry about exchanging your money for Colones.  

Credit cards are accepted in most major stores in big cities.  The smaller towns and stores will only do cash.  Bring cash, in small, new bills.  Worn or torn bills are not accepted by people in El Salvador and you will find that it is nearly impossible to use one.  

Hotels vary widely depending on your budget and destination.  You can stay in beach resorts for as little as $70 or as much as $300.

As for food, Our national dish is the Pupusa. Typically filled with chicharrones (porkrinds) and cheese but more recntly you'll find them stuffed with shrimp, sqash, etc.

You would also not go wrong with trying Yuca Frita con Chicharrones - Fried Cassava with pork rinds. They are extremely delicious.

El Salvador lies on the Pacifc. The seafood is fresh and amazingly tasty. Try a Parrillada de Mariscos - A seafood platter. You'll l**k the plate...

Our tamales are to be experienced. They are cooked in banana leaves, with big chunks of pork or chicken and vegetables.

Try Shuco. It is a drink made of purple corn with beans and pumpkin seed sauce. It is eaten as a meal.

Try any of the many atoles (hot corn meal drinks) in El Salvador. Atole de elote, atole de piña, Chilate con nuegados.

Try some of the local sausages. Longaniza de Nahuizalco is extremely popular.

The drinks can be quite an experience. The horchata is made from the seeds of the Morro tree, and not from rice and milk like the Mexican version.

Don't forget the tropical fruits

There is an incredible amount of things to do when visiting El Salvador. Below are a few suggestions:

Visit many of the ruins. Joya De Ceren is one of the best and most complete.

Take the Ruta De Las Flores - You'll view a string of charming western towns - Visit Juayuya for the hiking and Ataco for the colonial setting.

Visit San Salvador. The cultural heart of the country, with a hopping nightlife, top-notch museums, and a packed events calendar.

Suchitoto - A laid-back colonial town with magnificent views and a great arts scene.

Visit any of the many national parks. My favorite - Parque Nacional El Imposible starts in Tacuba and is a long gorgeous hike that is mostly downhill.

Try surfing, as it is becoming big in El Salvador. Go to el Sunzal and KM59.

Visit the many water parks. Atecozol and Entre Rios are excellent! The pools in Atecozol are amazing, and the thermal waters of Entre Rios are said to be therapeutic.

Finally, you can't go wrong with any of the beaches out there. They are incredibly fun and inexpensive. You can also try private beach clubs (Tatami, Salinitas, DeCameron, etc) and pay a daily fee.

As for nightclubs, I can't really recommend any as I don't know where you'll be staying, but San Salvador has many nightclubs you can go to. Pick up the Thursday edition of La Prensa Grafica for clubs and events happening that weekend.

Answer 2

More than half of the information given to you in the previous post is based on a very personal opinion, and can be to a certain extent exagerated.  If you want more reliable information visit a website.