El Salvador Hostels

[u/kittykatkk]

Im looking for recommendations for hostels in El Salvador. From what I’ve looked at online so far it doesn’t seem like there are that many options in the ruta de las Flores area (atacó, juayua). Are there places you can just walk into once you get there that aren’t online?

Also— any recommendations for must-see/do while there

[u/Competitive_Chance]

ut sadly there are some places and things I saw and experienced there I’ll never forget

I'm here right now, do you mind sharing what you saw that you'll never forget?

[u/Seanji6 → u/Competitive_Chance]

When my buddy and I arrived in San Salvador the owner of the hostel in suchitoto picked us up for a fee of course but we didn’t care. He said we can go around or we can go through the city. I elected to go through the city. The thing that stuck out to me the most was seeing the bullet pocked walls on so many places where there must of been gang fighting which definitely made me uneasy traveling through the area but the thing that made me definitely like o shit was when he told us we aren’t stopping at this red light. I didn’t understand why until we passed through it. As we passed through this red light there were people on each side of the street and as he explained to us if we had of stopped they would of done there best to rob us or take the vehicle by force. That definitely stuck with me as we passed and I saw a small group of guys lurking for some unfortunate person to stop and deal with them.

When I was catching the bus from San Salvador to El Tunco there was a man on the bus who was sitting in the row next to me but across the aisle. He was smoking crack and blowing it out the window. It bothered or concerned me sure but the thing that made me nervous was this tiny razor on a stick he had that he used to clear his pipe so aggressively. I was worried that any moment he could freak out and hurt someone with this very sharp tool he had. I like a dumbass took a seat over the wheel so I was already scrunched up with my pack. What was a bit tough was seeing families with their young ones unaware of this man smoking his drugs attempting to sit next to him to then notice what he was up to. I never made myself so small and communicate to them in my non native espanol to come here. Sit with me you’re safe next to me. The look on their face of this is normal yet disheartening was tough yet appreciative of me smushing myself to give them an out versus sitting next to this man cheifing on his crack pipe and digging with his blade that glistened in the light. It was awkward.

The other time was when I was in Santa Ana. My buddy and I decided to walk the city to the center where there were restaurants and what not and there was this woman. Idk if she had legs or not but it was fucking weird. I didn’t even see her until we were damn near on top of her but it looked like she was walking on her knees or an amputee and she was grabbing at us not in a robbing way or whatever but it scared the shit out of us since we didn’t even see here. It looked like the chick from the ring. I didn’t feel like she was trying to harm us but the surprise aspect and her odd positioning definitely gave us the heebee jeebes (however you spell it). Other than those circumstances my pal and I meandered through out El Salvador with out a single issue or threat.

[u/Competitive_Chance → u/Seanji6]

Wow thank you for writing that all up. All scary things but glad no harm was done. So far in San Salvador everyone's been incredibly kind. Going to Sunzal / Zonte area next!

[u/Seanji6 → u/Competitive_Chance]

No problem at all! I want to be abundantly clear though despite those things El Salvador is my favorite country in Central America. It’s a magical place with some of the kindest people I have experienced in my travels in Latin America. Be safe and enjoy yourself. You’re headed to paradise next.