El Salvador People & Culture

A great place to stay in Santa Ana is the Hotel Libertad. It is a bit run down but for only US$ 12 (in 2007) a night for 2 people and being right next to the main cathedral is a great deal. Santa Ana is El Salvador's second city and is the main city in the west of the country. It is a great base to explore the western portion of the country.

Santa Ana prides itself of having a very large public swimming pool, actually is a large concrete basin where fresh mountain river water flows in on one end, and exits on the oter - feeding a very large facility where people can come take a shower or wash their laundry. Even in Maya times, this location seems to have had a swimmable facility. noadays, the pool also contains fish that will nibble on your toes soon as you stop swimming. very likely, you'll find yourself as the only non-local here, since is not partiularly on the beaten track. easiest to ask a local to bring you there.

El Salvador is beautiful, but it is still a country recovering from a long and extremely damaging civil war. Be aware of that while you are visiting. I never felt in danger while I was there, and I don't believe it is a dangerous place to visit, but it is something that you need to be sensitive to. These people are still trying to put their country back together and many of them have very vivid memories of losing friends and family. As always, don't drink the water. Canned soda is your best bet unless you have bottled water or from a trusted source. The chains are typically safe to eat at, they usually use filtered water.

san salvador is dangerous and not realy save (specialy for western looking people!). just change bus there or do a bow around it.

We have been to El Refugio, El Salvador 3times. When you go you make friends for life. Lived in homes 2 times and stayed in Santa Ana 1 time. Volcanoes, parks, small town festivels, Christian Resort-$15 day to stay, But the best part is the people. No danger, police very friendly and watch out for you. 50% of people speak some English, stores take dollars, Church's are wonderful and friendly. You can hire an interpeter to be with you 100% of the time. Country is poor but the people don't expect more. Americans are respected and special to them.

Santa Ana prides itself of having a very large public swimming pool, actually is a large concrete basin where fresh mountain river water flows in on one end, and exits on the oter - feeding a very large facility where people can come take a shower or wash their laundry. Even in Maya times, this location seems to have had a swimmable facility. noadays, the pool also contains fish that will nibble on your toes soon as you stop swimming. very likely, you'll find yourself as the only non-local here, since is not partiularly on the beaten track. easiest to ask a local to bring you there.

beautiful-el-salvador.com/El-Salvador-travel-tips.html-beautiful-el-salvador.com/El-Salvador-travel-tips.html-http://www.explore-beautiful-el-salvador.com/El-Salvador-travel-tips.html El Salvador Travel Tips on Safety
First of all, just follow your common sense. If an area or a situation does not appear safe, don't go, avoid it or get out of it ASAP - common sense does go a long way DO NOT hitch hike! Hitch hiking is not recommended under any circumstances
Try to leave all your fancy gadgets at home but if you must take them with you, leave them back at the beautiful-el-salvador.com/ElSalvadorHotels.html-hotel , many of them have safety boxes available for guests If you must take your cell phone with you, don't show it off, use it while on the bus or get too distracted. Someone might snatch it and run off with it
Don't wear gold jewelry when you're out and about in public areas (specially in downtown San Salvador) , they attract thieves - it's best to just leave them at home Remember that tourists are a target everywhere, so do not attract undue attention and if you must ask someone something - be aware of who you ask (a person's appearance says a lot) Domestic bus services are available, but they can be confusing. The buses will usually be very crowded and this makes riders a target for pick-pocketing If you happen to become a victim of this, it is better to let the petty thief run away with a little than to fight with them, it's not worth it Longer bus rides (those going to the interior) are much safer but you should still be aware of your surroundings

calm, quiet and beautiful

Despite all the bad press El Salvador has received in years past, it's a great country to travel in. San Salvador along with Panama City are my favourite Central American capitals. We stayed by the MetroCentro (which is the largest mall in Central America) which had several advantages. The first is being so close to an area that had all the western amenities that I'm used to, it was an easy reference point for cab drivers, walking distance to several sights and that there was some cheap and decent places to stay in the area.

Before you start your trip don't forget to change your pin into a 4 number one!
We tried so many atm's. After a long search we could use only the ones in the mall.

A great place to stay in Santa Ana is the Hotel Libertad. It is a bit run down but for only US$ 12 (in 2007) a night for 2 people and being right next to the main cathedral is a great deal. Santa Ana is El Salvador's second city and is the main city in the west of the country. It is a great base to explore the western portion of the country.

Some very nice places to see, but it can be dangerous, specially if you're not acquainted with the city.