Aside from El Tunco, I wouldn’t say El Salvador is a terribly touristy place so getting off the beaten path was relatively easy. There are travelers and backpackers, of course, but a large majority of people I met on my Central America ventures opted to skip El Salvador (and Honduras, too) due to safety concerns. That is a shame for them.
Buy Dirt Cheap – and Literally Dirty – Clothing
I’ve become quite fascinated with the abundance of stores selling Ropa Americana I keep seeing around Central America. How do American thrift clothes wind up here? Why do I see shirts with my college logo in countries thousands of miles away? Why is there a t-shirt I am wearing, at this moment, on a hanger in rural El Salvador? I did some research to learn about it. So much research in fact I wrote a dedicated blog post →
Point is, browsing/shopping/thrifting in a foreign country can be fun, too.
Eat at the La Libertad Fish Market
I didn’t care for El Tunco, so I spent most of my time there in neighboring La Libertad. A normal town by the ocean, it had a massive fish market. If you’ve been to other fish markets it’s nothing special, but the dining hall feature on the side was unique if you’re into eating dead fish.
Try Bright Pink Foods, Become Concerned Re: Kidney Failure
When I entered El Salvador I saw large, neon pink circles hanging from metal racks on the side of the road. I at first thought they were some sort of toys, but soon realized they must be food. Of course, I had to try them (turns out they are wafers dyed pink). I also tried many local candies (dulces tipicos). Everything was fine and delicious until one morning I entered the restroom and to my horror, my pee was red. I determined it was “contaminated” water in the public restroom and thus fine. Back at my hostel it happened again. I had avoided anything murder-y in El Salvador thus far, but thoughts of death, kidney failure and additional serious ailments filled my head. After panicking for about 1 to 48 hours, it suddenly occurred to me that maybe it was the result of something I ate. The neon pink wafers or the candies, perhaps? Perhaps indeed. So if you try them – beware. But they are delicious.
[Kidney failure or excessively strong food dye? Not clear. Actually it is clear and it’s the latter.]
Swim on a Cliff Over the Ocean Alongside a Giant Beer
In addition to having decent beer, the El Sunzal outpost of Cadejo Brewing Company has a very cool swimming pool. It’s complimentary for patrons (what a deal), and overlooks the ocean on a little cliff. My favorite part is the giant statue of a hand gripping a beer emerging from the pool’s waters.
Shop for Things [Weird Underwear]
I always enjoy mistranslated items in foreign countries, as well as random English slogans out of context. I found them aplenty in El Salvador, and was especially interested in the strange phrases I kept seeing on women’s underwear. Tap Me. Tie Me Up. Beautiful But Dangerous. I could go on. Even if you don’t buy anything browsing is still highly-entertaining. Of course big cities have the best markets/shops, so I’d head to Santa Ana or San Salvador.
Visit El Majahual and Rent a Sex Changing Room
When I first arrived in El Majahual I was perturbed. On the beachfront were structures. Within these structures brightly-colored wooden doors opened to reveal near-barren cement rooms with a slab for a bed, a filthy sheet masquerading as a mattress, and sometimes a chair. I was fascinated as I peered into room after room, facility after facility. I had landed in a secret sex beach! What was happening? Turns out what was happening was I am an idiot; the sex rooms weren’t sex rooms at all, but small rooms to rent to change/rest while spending a day at the beach. They rent by the 4-hour block it appears. Or at least this is what I think; I am actually not sure. Not something I have seen before.
If these rental rooms aren’t your thing it’s ok; the beach of Marujal is cool too. We’re talking black sands, inflatables, street-food delights being sold on the sand, and waves that probably won’t kill you.
Get Lost in the Labyrinth of Albania
When browsing the map for a bus station I saw something called the Laberinto. A labyrinth? In El Salvador? My mind went to a magical place, and I hopped off the bus and headed to it immediately feeling pure joy. Turns out reality was not exactly what I had in mind, and I found myself at a tourist attraction teeming with people. My joy was less pure than five minutes prior, but I still had to attempt the maze. I spent a long time there and am embarrassed to say I struggled to find my way out.
Photograph Street Art Along Ruta de los Flores
This is definitely a top El Salvador attraction, but I found it so pleasant I will include it on my list. This is a route of 7 towns in the mountains of western El Salvador. The towns all have various street art boasting pictures of flowers and are all unique, full of shops, cafes, stone streets, and markets. Presumably, in the correct season, they have real live flowers too.
See more about the Rutas de los Flores →
Stay or Dine in the Comic Book House
After spotting the glorious labrynth I began paying really close attention to the map. It wasn’t long before something called a thematic hotel and resaurant came to my attention. I had no idea what the theme was, but headed there to find out! Unfortunately the Dove Massimo Thematic Hostal & Restaurant was closed when I arrived. But I peered into the gate to glimpse it, and subsequently ascertained the theme was comics. I also WhatsApped with the owner (presumibly Massimo) about coming by to eat later, but got distracted and never made it back.
Explore an Abandoned Art School
In the middle of bustling Santa Ana, right near the main markets, stands an abandoned art school. The Mariano Mendez Art School was left behind at some point, although the histroy is not clear even after extensive online research. If you like abandoned buildings it’s an easy stop – and not especially terrifying since you’re right in the city (as opposed to, you know, in the woods alone hours from your hostel).
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