Travel Tips

Traveling in El Salvador

El Salvador is not yet on the major tourist routes, largely because of echoes of the decade-long civil conflict of over 15 years ago. Most roads and bridges have been repaired or replaced since then and many new ones built, but getting around can still be an adventure. Traveling at night or alone is not advised, nor is camping; there is bandit and gang-related activity in the countryside, especially at night.

On the other hand, El Salvador is no more dangerous than most urban areas in the United States or many other tourist attractions in Mexico and Central America. And the country is still largely unspoiled by tourism and over-development.

map El Salvador is tropical — that means warm. Don't forget your hat, sunscreen and bug repellent. Please remember that wearing shorts and sandals or a scanty top to archaeological sites will surely result in sunburn, bug bites, and scratches. When traveling between May and October, bring a rain poncho or umbrella; there will be tropical thunderstorms with attendant cloud bursts. Occasionally, when there is a hurricane in the Caribbean, there may be several days of rain.

Don't go out of town without water. Agua Cristal is available in bottles and in bags (really useful, as they fit into your pack) in most stores and in the mini-marts associated with large gas stations.

Driving

Traveling in El Salvador is best done by private car or by bus. There are numbers of car rental agencies in San Salvador; most have desks at the international airport. If you can, make a reservation for a car before you arrive. Check any good travel guide for current agencies and their fax or 800 numbers. El Salvador now requires the use of a seat belt at all times as well as the use of turn signals and obeying the speed limits. You cannot bribe the traffic police.

Try not to drive at night and do not go out into the countryside alone. Be very careful of people who try to stop you on the highway or who seem to be following you in town, especially at night or in areas of light traffic.

When visiting archaeological sites, you may find it more convenient to hire a car and a driver through a rental agency or to contact a tour agency to show you around. Alternatively, there is good bus service, though in daytimes only. In El Salvador, as elsewhere, you must be careful of pickpockets and various kinds of thieves on the buses, especially in the city.

Visiting Cihuatán

Cihuatán is the largest known archaeological site in El Salvador. Although the original site covered most of the Loma de Cihuatán, the park encompasses only the two ceremonial centers and a bit of the residential area to the south. The Western Ceremonial Center and West Terrace are open to the public. The Eastern Ceremonial Center or Acropolis is closed to visitors.

Cihuatán is open from 9 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon, Tuesday through Sunday. It was recently (November 2007) inaugerated as an archaeological park and now has tourist facilities. There is a site museum for orientation, bathrooms, and a shady picnic area. A small snack bar selling bottled water, soft drinks ,and snacks is located just to the side of the museum. You can also get your guide leaflet (available in Spanish and English) to the newly re-designed Interpretative Trail at the snack bar. There are no guides, so the leaflet is essential to understanding the site.

Access to the ruins area is secured, as it is in all archaeological parks and you are not allowed to enter with food, balls, radios, dogs, firearms, etc. There is 24 hour a day security at the site. Cihuatán can be very hot in the afternoon, so a good strategy is to visit it in the morning and then go on to Suchitoto (about 25 minutes away on a new road) for lunch at one of the many restaurants in this well preserved traditional town.

By Car From San Salvador

Take the Carretera Troncal del Norte. Just past Aguilares you will see the ridge of Cihuatán and the main pyramid ahead on your right. The entrance to the site is about 3.7 km past Aguilares and is well marked on both sides of the road. It is a tree-edged narrow, unpaved, road which ascends the ridge upon which the site is built. The access road is passable in all weather. Parking is indicated to the right, just below the site museum.. The trip takes about an hour from San Salvador on a good highway, although traffic can be very heavy during morning and evening rush hours..

By Bus from San Salvador

From the Terminal Oriental (by the Flower Clock...anyone can tell you how to get there by bus or taxi) take a 125 Chalatenango, a 127 Tejutla, or a 119 La Palma bus. When you get to Aguilares, where the bus will stop and be inundated with food vendors, ask the cobrador (this is the guy who takes your fare) to let you off at the entrance to "las ruinas." It's just a few minutes past Aguilares. Get off and walk up the road (about 800m) to the site. The bus trip takes an hour or a bit more, depending upon traffic conditions and how many stops it makes. Buses only run until about 4 PM, so plan your trip accordingly.

From La Palma and the Honduran border

Take the Troncal del Norte towards San Salvador. After you cross the Puente Colima start keeping an eye out for the entrance to the site on your left. The trip takes several hours, depending upon current road and weather conditions.

Visit other sites in El Salvador.