Traveling Around the Capital
San Salvador

Google Maps and WAZE work well everywhere in the country.

San Salvador is THE city. Malls, restaurants, nightlife, hardware stores, machine shops, hotels, etc. are in abundance. Most American fast food franchises can be found along with local ones. There are plenty of high-end grocery stores with lots of imported products and good selections. Good hotels ranging from inexpensive to eye-watering prices are everywhere. You can find good health care at reasonable prices and there is a pharmacy on every street corner. Past cruisers have opted to use doctors here for significant health-related items like hip and knee replacement, dental implants, etc. Pretty much everything can be found in the city if you know where to look and that is the problem. If you can't find what you need in our data base be prepared to ask questions, lots of questions to lots of people. If someone tells you it is right up the street ask two more people to make sure.

Traveling around the city can be frustrating. There is hardly a left turn and often going around the block does not work because streets are dead ended or there are two one-way streets in a row going the same way, There are some main arteries which help but you really have to have an idea of where you want to go. If you have to back track you could easily waste an hour. The best bet is to make a plan and try not to deviate from it too much.

We have created two Google Maps databases. One contains the most frequent places that cruisers go in San Salvador. The second is recommended places to travel around El Salvador. Copy the link and it will take you to the shared places. If you find someplace that you think needs to be added share it with us and we will add it.

Our Google Maps link for San Salvador

Traveling Around the Country

There are numerous tourists routes created by the department of tourism. They have names like Ruta de Flores, Ruta de Cafe, Ruta de Paz. If you mention them to a local they will know what you are talking about.

The eastern part of the country is where most of the war took place. Central to this area is the town of Perkin. You can use it as a base for traveling the area. Not too many cruisers go there because it is a 5-hour drive from Bahia however, we like it there and it is worth spending a few days.

The western part of the country is best known for Santa Ana, Izalco volcano, and lake Coatepeque. Relatively close are geothermal springs.

The central part of El Salvador is where the capital is located.

Oceanside, the coast is over 300-miles long with cliffs and sand or stone beaches. There are numerous world-class surf spots, diving and snorkeling sites, whale watching, and sport fishing.

It is not so easy to travel by bus because it takes a long time and buses do not go directly. The easiest is by rental car. You can get a car for around $25 per day.

Our Google Maps link for traveling around the country

Please send us map links for any place you feel needs to be added.

San Sebastian, weaving material by hand.

Pineapple festival, in the mountains.

Angel Rameriz gallery in Panchimalco

Santa Teresa hot springs and their "Road Kill" burger