Brown Pepper Talks

In the spring of 2023, I embarked on a trip to El Salvador! At the time, I was burnt out and needed a break. When I found a ticket, I chose to book it! I decided to not miss this opportunity. In the past I have done this numerous times (Eg. I missed an opportunity to go to Hawaii- still crying over that hahahaha). In the next few years, I want to say yes to trips that fit in my schedule. Sometimes we think we have more time. We may believe we need more money. Most of the time, it is about saying YES more! Especially I find if we are healthy and well, we should use more opportunities to explore the world. Anyways I am getting off track here! One of my best friends is from El Salvador. Her family was kind enough to host me during my visit to their beautiful country. They are like my real family. We are not blood related, but some connections are sacred. You might see me reference them as such as you read along.

Upon arrival at the airport, things were quite smooth. Customs and VISA processing was easy, and the staff were very kind. I learned that with my Canadian passport, I could visit El Salvador. It also allowed me access to Honduras and Guatemala. I feel many nationalities will have the same opportunities. Giving your places of stay for customs was a little different compared to other countries I have traveled to. Instead of a formal address, they use the residence name in Spanish. They do this rather than using the street, which I found interesting. I was lucky that I knew someone who told me how to present this at the airport. Even if you do not know, the immigration officers are quite helpful. They help you identify the address you need. They also guide you on how to get there. I was not able to access wifi in the airport. It will be handy to have an international sim or local sim on arrival.

Overall, this was one of my most favourite countries I have travelled to. The people are kind, the places are vibrant and full of history. El Salvadorians take an immense pride in their hospitality, culture, music, traditions and history. Transportation is relatively easy. There are buses, cars, and scooter rentals in different areas. The cost of traveling, food and other expenditure are very affordable for all income levels. I ate mostly in local places but also went to a few fancier restaurants during my travel. I experienced true home cooked meals. I loved them even more and felt blessed to have had them.

Here are some of the places I enjoyed and recommend:

• Pupusodromo El Manguito, Olocuilta, El Salvador – this was the first place I stopped when I landed in the evening. It had such good pupusas! It is a small local shop, but it was so busy! There are different types to choose from. Vegetarian ones are available. I like to eat those if chicken is not available. The service was fast and convenient. A place to stop by if you’re traveling from the airport!

• Linda Vista Garden, Santa Tecla, El Salvador – more than the food the beautiful view is what captured my eye! You can view and walk around beautiful gardens. There is a cute saint benard and beethoven dog that live and belong there. When I sat and saw the view I really felt like I was in vacation mode! There are hobbit rooms you can stay in here as well. I came to learn it is a hotel area as well which was pretty neat!

• Bens coffee, Calle al volcan, El Salvador – this was a cute coffee and dessert place. The view was nice and the area was quiet and tranquil. The coffee was good! I am not an avid coffee drinker, but I could not go to Central America without trying coffee! My friends (my brothers really!) and I had pie slices that were excellent. I recommend this place if you’re looking for somewhere quiet!

• Tazumal Archaeological Park, Chalchuapa, El Salvador – this was such an amazing UNESCO site to see the Mayan pyramids. I wish I had taken a tour guide (it was honestly hard to find). The day I went, it was extremely warm and not too many people around. I did note a group walking by with one guide. I am sure during their busy season it gets crowded, but I was happy I went when it was quiet! My brother and I got to climb one of the structures. The other pyramid structures, no one is allowed to climb. It is so well preserved with so much history. I felt lucky to have walked around it. There is information at each structure as well in case you do not want a guide. Outside the entrance of this location, you will find a local market. You can purchase souvenirs or grab some coconut water to drink. I did both, haha! It took us around 45 minutes to walk around and appreciate the view. I ended up purchasing a little carved clay turtle from one of the vendors here!

• Joya de Ceren Archaeological Site, San Juan Opico, El Salvador – this was another amazing UNESCO archeological site. It is very well maintained and preserves the ruins of Mayan history and culture. I was able to view ruins from a volcano eruption. I saw so many things, from cutlery to other old ruins. I learned so much that it is hard to put into words here! I highly recommend this place if you visit. I also got to see the national bird from this site in one of the outdoor sites! If you go here, dedicate at least a good 2 hours and wear good walking shoes. It is a beautiful location and the vicinity is well maintained. This is the best spot if you want to learn the full history of the country. You can also learn more about the different volcanos in the region and understand their history.

• Suchitoto Central Park, Suchitoto, El Salvador – this is a very picturesque area. It features many shops and quaint hotels. You can walk among pebbled stone streets. There is a beautiful 18^th century church located in the middle of this park area. You can hear lots of music and view beautiful lights in the night. FYI: my friends are going to laugh. I thought they were taking me to sushi when I heard the name Suchitoto. HAHAHA. My family would not stop making fun of me during that portion of the trip. I went with them during the night. It was breezy. We enjoyed walking in and around different hotels and roads.

• Casa 1800, Suchitoto, El Salvador – a very cute and posh restaurant located in this hotel. There was a beautiful view of Lake Suchitian, outdoor seat rockers and I got to spend such a wonderful evening with my family enjoying different types of pupusas, coffee and dessert. The staff were amazing and very kind. Good quality and highly recommend. It was a cozy and private feeling which I really enjoyed. A unique experience with a beautiful view.

• Nahuizalco Central Park, Nahuizalco, El Salvador – if you’re looking for authentic native food, this is the place to go! This is a wonderful park where many grocer vendors are located. You can shop for groceries and listen to live music that is played throughout the day. In general I saw that people were very happy dancing and eating here. I felt so calm even though it was crowded. There are many vendors selling handicrafts here as well. I visited this area towards the end of my trip. I picked up some crafts for my family back in Canada.

• Santa Ana Volcano, Santa Ana, El Salvador – this was something that I did not plan for. I am SO glad my friend brought me down here. This is the highest volcano in the country located close to Coatepeque Caldara. We had a private tour and climbed up through jungle and terrain till we got to the top. It took me and my brother approximately 3 hours to climb up and down (not bad I say so myself!). There was so much history I learned from the guide (thank you for translating Erick!). I saw many people locally and internationally climbing this amazing site. It has inspired me to go climb other volcanoes!

• El Tunco beach, El Salvador – a great beach area! I did not get to spend too much time here. Next time I come, I would love to spend more time. Lots of music, clubs, plenty of space for swimming and a lively location where a lot of tourists’ flock to.

• Ataco, El Salvador – a beautiful and colourful area with cobble streets and churches among an area of hills. I enjoyed walking through the area and viewing the many hills above. I was told about different superstitions and many other facts in the history of this historic spot. We walked. We got to see inside the Church of Maria (Iglesia inmaculada conception de Maria). There is a lovely little park nearby. Here is me holding a little magnet I purchased. It is so cute don’t you think?

• La placita de Salcoatitan, Salcoatitan, El Salvador – a place to try different local foods, desserts and drinks. A vibrant area and you can enjoy with friends and family here. It is a busy food court but that should not make one stray from trying the local delicacies. I really enjoyed my time there. There was a local band playing but we just missed them when we had arrived. I recommend eating light or fast before coming here as you will be full after!

In general, my trip to El Salvador was wonderful! These are just some of the numerous spots that I enjoyed during my travels. It is a warm country with friendly people and so much culture. It is a safe country to travel to and I highly recommend going! You need to take precautions. Do not drink the water; drink bottled water. Be wary of traveling at night, just like any country. You will be safe with local transport. People are quite friendly if you need anything. That is, if you can find English speakers. They use USD currency in the country. It is good idea to brush up on basic Spanish. So you can read and try to order things in Spanish. I was too afraid to try. The next time I go, I hope to try speaking since I’ve been working on Spanish. Will talk more on that in another blog!). I felt I learned and experienced a lot of culture and food, and I can’t wait to go back. I enjoyed having horchata before I left and bought some before my flight! Next time, I want to see other parts of Central America and experience hot springs.

Generally when I travel, I normally do not plan such an extensive itinerary. I am so glad my friend drove and showed me so much of El Salvador! Shoutout to Erick and Pamela! I was lucky to have had wonderful hosts. My friend and her family made sure that my stay was the best. It was! I was there a total of 9-10 days. I was able to see my friends brother graduate from his engineering degree which felt amazing. If you go solo, you can do a lot of these places within 5-6 days if planned well ahead. For me personally though, I like to stay relaxed upon my travels while exploring locally.

I can’t wait to explore more of Central America to see Guatemala in particular and return to El Salvador. I highly recommend traveling and seeing El Salvador if you can! I hope you enjoyed this article and the pictures I shared. Who knows what volcano I will climb next!? I do wish to do more medical volunteer work there. I am also interested in any other volunteer service. I need to work more on my Spanish first. Stay tuned for that article in future. Lets manifest this goal for me. A major goal for the future. 🙂

Where are some places that you have enjoyed traveling to? Have you gone anywhere to do medical volunteering or any form of international volunteering? Comment below.