Two days in El Salvador

Last year, I was invited to do what's called a familiarization trip in the travel industry. The name says it all: it's a trip that allows us to visit and familiarize ourselves with the products we sell. You know, so we can give you good advice and offer you products with full knowledge of the facts. What an unpleasant side of our job (read: lots of sarcasm here).

I left Montreal for a short trip to El Salvador and Panama. Two days in one, three days in the other. A quick dip, as we say back home. My 72 hours in Panama were exhilarating; I'll tell you more about it later, I promise. Today, I'm going to tell you about El Salvador.

Unfortunately, this product is no longer offered as an all-inclusive package by our suppliers. However, I wanted to mention it because it was a truly amazing trip. In any case, it's still possible to book individual packages (flights and hotels separately). Trust me, it's worth it!

I didn't really have any expectations, as I didn't really know the destination. I had a vague idea of the hotel we offered our clients (Royal Decameron Salinitas), but it was very limited.

We arrived in the rain (it was raining in October). The temperature was humid and hot. I was immediately impressed by the kindness of our guides, and even that of the customs officers and airport staff (which, admittedly, isn't always the case).

The transfer from the airport takes approximately 2 hours. It seems long, but the scenery is so breathtaking that you don't notice the time passing.

I got a little thrill (okay, a big thrill) when I saw the San Salvador volcano, which is only about fifteen kilometers from the country's capital. We also caught a glimpse of Santa Ana, another volcano, in the distance. Impressive. Unreal.

The hotel was a bit dated, but comfortable. Very clean too. I must admit that the food was pretty much what you find in Cuba. Not haute cuisine, but always something to eat. The lack of variety, however, disappointed me.

The site is vast, but easy to navigate. The facilities aren't modern, but they are very well maintained.

The beach: small, volcanic sand, so dark! There's a rock barrier to prevent really big waves, so it's not ideal for serious swimmers. However, there are some lovely pools and something you don't often see: a natural pool, right in the sea!

My favorite thing? THE PEOPLE! The people are kind, smiling, welcoming.

We took a trip, "The Flower Route," which led us up into the mountains, to small villages where we could admire the views and do some shopping. The villagers were friendly, everyone seemed happy. It was touching.

Art is everywhere in the small markets, and it's beautiful! People work a lot with fabric; it's the perfect place to find unique clothing, scarves, and canvases. It's colorful and magnificent.

What was missing from my adventure in El Salvador: a visit to volcanoes. These day trips allow you to see up close these unusual mountains that make El Salvador's landscape so impressive.

There is also the possibility of spending a day in Guatemala, which is only about 1 hour and 30 minutes from the hotel.

Two days, two nights? That wasn't enough. I'll go back one day, that's for sure.