Since we’ve now moved our base to San Salvador, today we decide to go visit Santa Tecla and the National Park El Boqueron. This excursion is very accessible and it’s a good way to escape the city life for a half-day (or more!). We jump on our bus 101B at the Boulevard de los Héroes (close to the Metrocentro) which is the direct bus to the close city of Santa Tecla. The “short” trip, takes a lot longer than expected and it takes us nearly 1 hour to cover the small stretch of 10km between San Salvador & Santa Tecla! The traffic is simply unbelievable but slowly slowly we eventually reach our first stop.
Santa Tecla is a miniature version of San Salvador with just a little bit less of traffic, big supermarkets and a nice market near the Parque San Martín. We spend sometime walking around the colourful streets, eating tasty pupusas and check out a few shops (with the aim of cooling down from the midday sun).
After an hour and a half, we finally get ourselves to take the bus 103B that leaves from the Parque Daniel Hernández and goes up to the National Park El Boquerón. Approximately after some long 45min, we get dropped off at the last stop from which we have to walk up a paved road to reach the actual entrance of the park.
Close to the entrance there are souvenir shops, street-vendors and restaurants strategically places to attract any tourist passing by to visit the place. Definitely not what we expected! In the parking lot there are loads of cars and buses but at least a nice mirador over Santa Tecla make us forget the horror.
But now it’s time to climb… or maybe not? We start our walk to discover the “Boqueroncito”, the name of the inner crater of the volcano. The entrance to the park is 2$ for foreigners and the park itself is very easy to walk on; there are different paths of varying difficulties all leading to the same point but the most difficult could be considered an “easy walk”. In fact, in less than 20min we walk along the whole path reaching 4 different miradores (lookout points) which offers great views on the boqueroncito. What a lovely tiny crater that is!
There’s also the option to walk down to the crater itself without guide but it should be done with caution. We get told from others who did it that at some point they needed ropes to keep walking down because the path is in real bad conditions! Well, satisfied with our views over the little brother, we decide to head back to Santa Tecla an visit the town a bit better but this time not with the bus! Amazingly enough, at the first hitch-hiking try a family driving a pick-up offers us a ride till the center of Santa Tecla. How to say no! Unfortunately, once in Santa Tecla, for some reason we all feel very very tired and decide to get back to our hostal in San Salvador. Hopefully it’s not gonna be so long like earlier!
(…and guess what? It did take an awful lot to go back…Dang!)
PLANNING A TRIP TO EL SALVADOR? CHECK MORE POSTS BELOW!
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