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May 26 – June 5, 2026 · 10 Nights

El Salvador

✈️ Avianca AV523/524 👥 David · Vilma · Markus · Ashley 🚗 Ford Explorer → Toyota Corolla 📍 Sonsonate · San Salvador · La Paz

The people here are something. Kind in a way that doesn't announce itself, humble in a way that doesn't ask for recognition. A country building itself. People doing the same.

10 nights
3 properties
$3,979 group total
$797 David personal
15+ destinations
all settled

Day by Day

11 entries
D01
Travel Day
Tue May 26
$0
🚗
Departed Crestline 6:00 AM
Picked up Ashley in Downey · LAX Terminal B
✈️
AV523 departed 1:50 PM
Arrived SAL 7:30 PM · Modern terminal — better than expected · No tourist cards required
🏠
Evolution Home — San Luis Talpa
Off-grid feel · off a rough dirt road · arrival night · fruit and almond trees in the courtyard
D02
David's Birthday ★ — Izalco Highlands
Wed May 27
$161.63
"We set out for waterfalls. Construction had other plans. We pivoted to the volcano. A gate was swinging open. Workers standing around. We pulled over and asked what was there. Dos Alas. It became my birthday lunch. Unplanned. Unrepeatable."
🌿
Chichicaste Incident
Ashley stung on the highland road · white towel treatment · resolved in ~5 min
🍽️
Dos Alas Restaurante — Birthday Lunch
Highland slope · Izalco Volcano commanding the sky · $15 entry credited · nobody rushed the family
$50.00
Casa Cristal / San Blas Gastro Café
Coffee plantation · ancient trees draped in tillandsias · bought Pacamara & Borbon beans off the farm
$33.55
🛒
Selectos Sonsonate + Anthony's Bakery
Groceries, longaniza, chicharrón, beer · Cake P Eclipse for David's birthday
$78.08
🏠
Arrived Villa Valdemar
Bold yellow walls · iron balcony · they sang · all of them · right there in El Salvador on a Wednesday night
D03
Santa Ana & Lago de Coatepeque
Thu May 28
$173.50
🕍
Catedral de Santa Ana
Neo-Gothic · built 1913 · under exterior restoration · hundreds of pigeons on every ledge
$20.00
🍕
Simmer Down Restaurante-Pizzeria
"En El ❤️ De Santa Ana" · pizza lunch in the heart of the city
$30.00
Lago de Coatepeque — Boat Tour
Small blue-painted boat · canvas canopy · life vests · mid-lake, west shore, Isla Teopán · volcanic crater lake
$70.00 group
🚗
The Pupusa Detour
30 min of Salvadoran traffic chaos near Pollo Campestre · full-size Explorer · within inches more than once · never got the pupusas · got the story instead
D04
Playa Mizata & Vehicle Swap
Fri May 29
$119.10
🏖️
NAWi Beach House — Playa Mizata
Infinity edge pool · semi-private beach · oceanfront day beds · black volcanic sand · Pacific views
$74.10
🐎
Horseback Riding on the Beach
Handler in a straw cowboy hat leading along the surf · Vilma on a dark bay horse · volcanic black sand
🚗
Vehicle Swap — Puerto de La Libertad
Ford Explorer P76F21 → Toyota Corolla Grey P1060FE · Contract #000053 · $45 cleaning fee (wet bathing suits)
$45.00 group
D05
The Pupusas Finally Happened — Tazumal
Sat May 30
$64.41
🫓
"HAY DESAYUNOS" — Roadside Breakfast
Mountain road · cinder block walls · Champions League sign · 2 eggs, beans, plantains, bread, coffee, 8 pupusas (loroco, mushrooms, chicharrón, frijoles, mora) · David paid for all 4
$40.00
🏛️
Parque Arqueológico Tazumal — Chalchuapa
Mayan stepped pyramid · 1,500+ years old · active excavations · turquoise-browed motmot (national bird) spotted on the ancient stonework
$7.00
D06
Villa Valdemar → San Salvador + City Tour
Sun May 31
$59.39
💊
Farmacia San Nicolas — Loma Linda
Diclofenac · Amoxicilina 500mg x30 · Bronchoelite · Pastilla Nervina · Amara
$47.39
🏠
Check-in UrbanView Lomas 500 — Apt #905
9th floor · city views · fútbol fields directly below · El Boquerón visible NW · 5 nights
ARIGATO Tea House / Sōya
Lush garden · living sculpture · volcanic stone water basin · plumeria petals floating · Ashley finally got her matcha
$12.00
🚗
City Tour with Carlos — Vilma's Cousin
Oakley glasses · blue shirt · quiet and steady · Plaza Salvador del Mundo · Parque Cuscatlán · UCA area · Ilopango · Vilma's childhood home · Cancha Azteca on the corner
D07
El Boquerón + Centro Histórico + El Mirador
Mon Jun 1
$158.50
🌋
Parque Nacional El Boquerón
$2/person · volcanic tephra soil cutaway in cross-section · burrowing owl sound from a burrow mid-face · Sêns Café: large horchata + chocobanano
$7.00
🏙️
Centro Histórico — Evening with Carlos
Km 0 bronze medallion · BINAES illuminated EL SALVADOR letters · colonial church · silver living statue extended a rose to Vilma · street band · atol/tamales vendor
$15.00
🥩
Casa Campo El Mirador — Dinner with Griselda
Hilltop restaurant · Los Planes de Renderos · San Salvador glittering below · string lights · Vilma's cousin Griselda — the first to notice Vilma's sister's memory problems back in 2001 · David paid entire table
$136.50
D08
Estero Jaltepeque & La Puntilla
Tue Jun 2
$0 personal
🌿
Estero Jaltepeque — Mangrove Boat
One of El Salvador's largest estuaries · calm dark water · dense green canopy · birds · then suddenly the Pacific opened up ahead
$120.00 group
🏖️
La Puntilla — Pacific Sandbar
Where estuary meets Pacific · narrow strip of volcanic black sand · completely deserted · Markus walked the strip barefoot — estuary to his left, Pacific to his right
🦞
Rustic Beachside Café — Wood-Fire Kitchen
Corrugated metal roof · woman tending fire with a stick of wood · whole fried mojarra · whole grilled lobster · plates so large they covered the table · crayon drawings from local kids on the tile
$60.00 group
D09
Puerta del Diablo · El Tunco · El Sunzal
Wed Jun 3
$115.50
🪨
Puerta del Diablo — Devil's Gate
Panchimalco · glass platform · twin volcanic rock faces · Pacific + Lago Ilopango views simultaneously
$2.00
🏄
Playa El Tunco — Surf City
Km 42 Carretera Litoral · black volcanic sand · boardwalk · Gray "Surfing El Salvador" t-shirt · ES macramé wristband from elderly beach vendor ($5, she only had one)
$15.00
🍺
Roca Sunzal — Estuary View
Pilsener beers · Snowy Egrets ×3+, Great Egret ×1, Neotropic Cormorant ×1 sighted
$14.00
🍽️
Mamaguaya Restaurant — Last Beach Dinner
El Sunzal · David/Vilma/Markus · 2nd visit of the trip · Markus paid his $15 on the spot
$31.50
D10
Jardín Botánico · Mercados · Last Day
Thu Jun 4
$82.05
🌺
Jardín Botánico La Laguna
Antiguo Cuscatlán · 42.25 ha · 32 zones · 3,500+ species · agouti sighted · Flor de Izote (national flower) photographed · $2/person
$8.00
🏪
Mercado Ex-Cuartel + Mercado San Miguelito
Folk art murals · 3 floors · Comedor La Bendición (menudo) · La Nevería (Choco Waffle Capuchino with Grandma) · spices, coffee beans, fanny pack, souvenirs
$49.30
D11
Departure — SAL to LAX
Fri Jun 5
$19.48
4:30 AM Alarm · Departed UrbanView 5:30 AM
Toyota Corolla P1060FE returned by 6:15 AM · Gas filled $16.00 group · Shuttle to SAL terminal
🍗
Pollo Campero + Campestre — SAL Airport
7:31 AM order · Gate 17 by 8:10 AM
✈️
AV524 Departed 9:10 AM · Arrived LAX 1:35 PM ✅
Dropped Ashley in Downey · Arrived home — 24122 Cresta Drive, Crestline

Spending

All settled ✅
Group Expenses — David Fronted
Airfare (4 travelers)$1,713.04
Lodging (3 properties)$936.94
Rental car + cleaning fee$570.00
LAX Parking$152.57
Gas — Days 2, 3, 8, Dep.$135.00
Boat — Coatepeque$60.00
Boat — Jaltepeque$120.00
Lunch — La Puntilla$60.00
Car tips + misc$10.00
Travel Insurance$280.37
Group Total$3,979.43
David & Vilma Personal
Day 2 — Birthday, groceries$161.63
Day 3 — Santa Ana$62.50
Day 4 — NAWi Beach$74.10
Day 5 — Breakfast, Tazumal$64.41
Day 6 — Pharmacy, Tea House$59.39
Day 7 — Boquerón, Mirador$158.50
Day 9 — Beaches, dinner$115.50
Day 10 — Botanical, markets$82.05
Departure$19.48
Personal Total$797.56
David & Vilma
$428.26
Airfare share · paid
Markus
$428.26
✅ Settled in full
Ashley
$428.26
✅ Settled in full
Lodging / person
$234.24
✅ All settled

Places

20 destinations
🌋
Izalco Volcano
Day 2
Perfect volcanic cone · bare and ancient · viewed from highland road pull-offs · road deteriorated before the summit
Casa Cristal / San Blas
Day 2
Coffee plantation · ancient trees draped in tillandsias · bromeliads · Pacamara & Borbon beans off the farm
🕍
Catedral de Santa Ana
Day 3
Neo-Gothic · built 1913 · hundreds of pigeons · under exterior restoration
🌊
Lago de Coatepeque
Day 3
Volcanic crater lake · boat tour · Isla Teopán · north shore overlook · west shore rougher water
🏖️
NAWi Beach House — Playa Mizata
Day 4
Black volcanic sand · infinity pool · horseback riding · Pacific oceanfront · welcome cocktail
★★★★★
🏛️
Parque Arqueológico Tazumal
Day 5
Mayan pyramid · 1,500+ years · active excavations · turquoise-browed motmot (national bird) spotted on the stonework
★★★★★
ARIGATO Tea House / Sōya
Day 6
Lush tropical garden · living sculpture · volcanic stone water basin · 4.7⭐ Google
🏙️
Colonia Santa Lucía — Ilopango
Day 6
Vilma's childhood home · Cancha Azteca soccer field on the corner · working-class · unchanged in the ways that matter
🌋
Parque Nacional El Boquerón
Day 7
San Salvador Volcano · $2 entry · volcanic tephra soil cross-section · burrowing owl · Sêns Café single-origin coffee
★★★★★
🏙️
Centro Histórico — San Salvador
Day 7
Km 0 medallion · BINAES illuminated letters · colonial church · living statue · street band · atol vendor
🌿
Estero Jaltepeque / La Puntilla
Day 8
One of El Salvador's largest estuaries · where the estuary meets the Pacific · completely deserted sandbar · black volcanic sand
★★★★★
🪨
Puerta del Diablo
Day 9
Panchimalco · glass platform · twin volcanic rock faces · Pacific + Lago Ilopango views at once · $2 parking
🏄
Playa El Tunco — Surf City
Day 9
Km 42 · black volcanic sand · active surf · boardwalk · souvenirs · ES macramé wristband from elderly vendor
🌺
Jardín Botánico La Laguna
Day 10
42.25 ha · 32 zones · 3,500+ species · agouti (cuzuco) sighted · Flor de Izote (national flower)
🏪
Mercado San Miguelito
Day 10
3 floors · food court · spices · coffee · Comedor La Bendición (menudo) · La Nevería (Choco Waffle Capuchino)
🏠
Villa Valdemar — Hacienda Santa Clara
Days 2–6
Bold yellow walls · iron balcony · Conf HM54JPNDE4 · Code 42562 · Starlink · 4 nights · birthday celebration happened here
🏠
UrbanView Lomas 500 — Apt #905
Days 6–11
9th floor · city views · fútbol fields below · El Boquerón visible · grey sectional · orange accent wall · 5 nights

Food & Drink

11 notable stops
🍽️
Dos Alas Restaurante
Los Naranjos area · Izalco Volcano slope
Birthday lunch for 4 · $15 entry credited to order · everything from the open terrace
Discovered by accident when a gate swung open. The view of Izalco stops conversation. Nobody rushed the table. Unplanned. Unrepeatable.
Day 2
$50.00
★★★★★
🫓
"HAY DESAYUNOS" — Roadside
Mountain road to Chalchuapa · Highland
2 eggs · beans · plantains · bread · coffee · 8 pupusas (loroco, mushrooms, chicharrón, frijoles, mora) — David paid for all 4
The pupusas that escaped us on Day 3 — finally happened here. Volcanic peak visible from the table. Champions League sign on the fence.
Day 5
$40.00
★★★★★
🥩
Casa Campo El Mirador
Calle a Los Planes de Renderos · San Marcos
Dinner with Vilma's cousin Griselda · full table · 2 Piña Colada · 1 Boca Mixta · pupusas · sopa de gallina · yuca con chicharrones · David paid for all
Hilltop restaurant. San Salvador glittering below. String lights. Cool mountain air. Griselda was the first to notice Vilma's sister's memory problems in 2001.
Day 7
$136.50
★★★★★
🦞
Rustic Beachside Café — La Puntilla
La Puntilla sandbar · La Paz Department
Whole fried mojarra · whole grilled lobster · yellow rice with corn · fresh salad · lime · cooking over live wood fire · corrugated metal roof · no gas, no electricity, no pretense
Plates so large they covered the table. Crayon drawings from local kids. Woman over live flame tending fish with a stick of wood.
Day 8
$60.00 group
★★★★★
ARIGATO Tea House / Sōya
Av. La Capilla 250 · San Salvador · 4.7⭐
Salted caramel frappé · coca frappé · cold coffee · matcha (Ashley finally got her matcha, 4 days in the making)
Lush tropical garden, plumeria petals floating in a volcanic stone basin. Building entirely covered in morning glory vines.
Day 6
$12.00
★★★★★
🍽️
Relajo Cocina Salvadoreña
Av. Las Magnolias 226 · Colonia San Francisco · 4.5⭐
Gallo en Chicha · Yuca con Chicharrón · Gallina Guisada · colored pupusas (green loroco/spinach, red beet) · rice pudding
Traditional Salvadoran. Wood tables. Open-air garden setting. Ashley and Markus paid the bill.
Day 6
$0.00
★★★★
Sêns Café — El Boquerón
Inside Parque Nacional El Boquerón
Large horchata · chocobanano · Salvadoran specialty coffee from Volcán Llamatepeq, Finca Las Brumas, Santa Ana — 1460–2000m elevation
Sat outside at slatted wooden tables. After a morning on the volcanic trail.
Day 7
$7.00
★★★★
🍺
Roca Sunzal Hotel & Restaurant
El Sunzal · CA-2 Carretera Litoral
Pilsener beers · estuary view · David picked up a hotel price card
Wildlife: Snowy Egrets ×3+, Great Egret ×1, Neotropic Cormorant ×1 sighted from the terrace.
Day 9
$14.00
★★★★

Travel Notes

If you go back
Entry & Arrival
  • No tourist cards required for US citizens (May 2026)
  • SAL airport is modern and well-kept — better than expected
  • Carrier: Avianca · Book B4CRLV format · Terminal B at LAX
  • Carry passport at all times — checkpoints are common
Rental Car
  • Eco Rent A Car, near Pollo Campero, La Libertad — reliable
  • Toyota Corolla >> Ford Explorer for El Salvador: better mileage, easier in cities, narrow roads, no fill needed for multiple days
  • Do NOT put wet bathing suits in the car — $45 cleaning fee
  • Deductible $500 accident / 15% theft — standard here
Money & Cost
  • USD everywhere — but don't assume it's cheap. It isn't.
  • Bring cash USD for tourist cards and remote stops
  • Tips appreciated and expected at sit-down restaurants
  • Car watchers at lots — $1–2 expected, standard practice
Roads & Driving
  • CA-2 Litoral is the main coastal route — well-maintained
  • Highland roads can deteriorate fast — don't push it
  • Santa Ana traffic near Pollo Campestre — chaotic, no lanes or lights — allow extra time
  • CA driver's license valid in El Salvador under 90 days ✅
Must Return To
  • Dos Alas — birthday lunch location — make a reservation this time
  • La Puntilla sandbar — completely deserted, wild, unforgettable
  • Lago de Coatepeque — deserves a full day, not just the afternoon
  • Mamaguaya Restaurant — 2nd visit confirmed it's worth a 3rd
Watch Out For
  • Chichicaste plant on highland roads — fibers burn on contact
  • UrbanView Lomas 500 — no plunger on premises (host was responsive)
  • Gas prices higher in country than expected — fill up before heading into the highlands
  • Highway noise at Villa Valdemar — earplugs suggested