El Tunco/El Zonte

Things to See & Do – El Tunco/El Zonte

1. Surf

El Salvadorian beaches are popular and well known for having amazing surfing. No matter what level you’re at there is something for everyone. Myself, despite being Australian still decided I needed lesson brush up on my surfing abilities.

So I took up a surf lesson walking distance form my hostel at Wayo surf school who drive you to the beach surf spot and run you through the basics of surfing on shore before finally taking you out to the water to put it into action. The prices for this were:

• Lesson: $35USD (includes transport)
• Board Hire: $20USD (includes transport)

3. Eat Pupusa

The famous traditional dish “Pupusa” cannot be missed when visiting the country. Pupusa is a cornmeal or rice flour flatbread similar to that of an a Colombian/Venezuelan arepa and filled with various ingredients such as chicharrón & quesillo.

This quintessential Salvadoran cuisine is so loved in the country that it was adopted as a national dish and even given an annual holiday in its honour, the 2nd Sunday of November.

Where can you find Pupusa? On almost every street in El Salvador! They typically cost $0.50 USD per Pupusa and the trick to finding the best ones are to look for the Abuela’s that look like they have decades of experience making them.

Transport – El Tunco/El Zonte

Here are my suggestions:

1. San Salvador 

2. Lake Coatepeque

To San Salvador

1. Chicken Bus

Take the chicken bus by waiting on the highway and grab the bus going to La Libertad. In La Libertad (80 or 192 or anything heading to La Libertad).  Switch to the 102 line (regular) bus. This bus arrives at the Terminal de Occidente. Total cost ~$1.25 USD and takes about 1hr.

2. Bus w/ aircon

Get the bus to El Tunco or Sunzal and from there take a nice A/C microbus (102A). The microbus goes between Sunzal and San Salvador and passes El Tunco and La Libertad on the way. In El Tunco, wait on the highway and every 20-30 minutes from 6am until 7pm the 102A will pass. The cost is $1.50 USD and takes about 1hr.

In San Salvador they leave from the Punto de microbuses ruta 102 and pass the Terminal de Occidente and the Estación Ceiba de Guadalupe in the San Benito area.  The trip takes about 45 minutes.

To Lake Coatepeque

1. Bus + Taxi

Follow steps above to reach San Salvador where you will need to switch buses. Once in San Salvador jump on the 205 Sonsonate bus to Armenia which should take approximately 30mins.

Here you will need to hop off and the best option is to next catch a taxi or driver to take you to your accommodation in Lake Coatapeque which shouldn’t cost more than $10 USD and take ~40mins by car.

Lake Coatepeque

Lake Coatepeque is a stunning crater lake located 1.5hrs from the country’s capital San Salvador. It is renowned for its breathtaking beauty, boasting crystal-clear blue waters surrounded by lush green hills and picturesque landscapes. The lake was formed around 72,000 years ago due to a volcanic eruption and is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. Visitors can enjoy a variety of recreational activities such as swimming, kayaking, boating, and fishing while taking in the scenic views. The area surrounding Lake Coatepeque is also dotted with everything from upscale resorts to hostels offering all visitors a chance to relax and unwind in a tranquil natural setting.

Where to Stay – Lake Coatepeque

1. Captain Morgan Hostel

A beautiful pirate themed hostel nestled right on the foothills of the lush green mountains and sitting lakeside offers stunning view of the lake with a chilled out and social hostel vibe.

It comes with it’s own bar and restaurant as well as being equipped with hammocks, jet skis and a platform to jump in the lake.

The cost is $11USD per night.

Things to See & Do – Santa Ana Volcano

1. Santa Ana Volcano (Volcan Llamatapec)

This is a relatively easy and short hike that’s certainly worth the views. It is 2,381m and the highest volcano in the country however the starting point is around 1,800m.

The hike is only around 1hr to reach the crater at the summit with fairly manageable terrain on the ascent. Once at the top you can stare into the crater of the volcano famous for its bright blue lagoon like pool in the middle adding colour and vibrance to your photos. 

When you arrive to the entry point of the volcano you will need to pay $3 USD for a guide which is mandatory. 

How to get there – Santa Ana Volcano

Step 1. Wait outside the front of Captain Morgan Hostel. Bus 242 will come right past the front ~7:30am from the left direction which you will need to take to El Congo (Exit right before the San Salvador Highway). Fare = $0.45 USD.

Step 2. Next we will need to catch the Cerro Verde Bus 248 which arrives ~8:30am leaving plenty of time to grab a breakfast Pupusa from the many stands around there. Fare = $0.70USD

Step 3. Exit at El Tibet where you will get your guide for the Volcano hike costing only $3 USD as you set to embark around 10am.

Step 4. Here you will begin a light 15min trek to the park entrance where you will need ot pay and pick up the entry ticket costing $6 USD

Step 5. Keep in mind after you complete the hike that there are only 2 buses back to the town.

Bus 248 passes by at 1pm & 4pm.

In my case I arrived on time for the 1pm Bus which was heavily delayed and I was pressed for time so it is not uncommon to hitchhike from cars passing by which is what I did. I was picked up by 2 friendly off-duty police officers who took me back to the hostel and even shared stories of El Salvador’s past and how it’s changed recently from the perspective of police officers.

Transport – Lake Coatepeque

To Guatemala

1. Shuttle

From Lake Coatepeque you will have to catch the Bus 242 or 220 to Santa Ana and stay 1 night in the town.

From your accommodation you will be able to book a $40 USD shuttle bus which will pick you up at 5am from your accommodation in Santa Ana, cross the border and take you directly to Guatemala City.

Although I didn’t stay in Guatemala City I heard it’s not highly regarded but it is useful for catching transport to move onto other cities in the country such as Antigua.   

2. Direct Bus

From Lake Coatepeque you will have to catch the Bus 242 or 220 to Santa Ana and stay 1 night in the town.

You could also catch a direct bus to Guatemala city from Santa Ana with buses leaving at 5am, 10am & 1pm. You can purchase tickets at the station or online through the operator “Transportes King Quality”.

The trip to Guatemala City typically takes 6hrs total and costs $17 USD.

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