#FlyWashington Magazine Winter 2017 | Page 46

Start in La Libertad, where the nonprofit Zoological Foundation of El Salvador (Funzel.org) manages turtle hatcheries intubating the eggs, protecting them from predators and eventually releasing the tiny baby sea turtles into the ocean. For a small donation ($10) tourists can help send the tiny reptiles off on their journey to life into the ocean. Four of the eight sea turtle species on earth live along the Salvadoran coast, including the critically endangered leatherback, the hawksbill, the green sea and the olive ridley. Wander further south along the coast to the Biosphere Reserve in the mangrove-lined, deep-blue watered Jiquilisco Bay, where scientists and ecologists are capturing, weighing, tagging and releasing sea turtles. Join them for a full day on the water (with lunch included) to experience their fascinating work. You can also jump right in the water for a swim with these majestic creatures. Save some time for a ride up into the mountains following the Rutas de Las Flores (the Route of the Flowers), especially in the months between November and April (the best time to visit the country overall, as rainy season happens between May and October). There you’ll find a riot of blooming flowers juxtaposed with vast views of volcanic lakes and little towns with inexpensive restaurants and quaint hotels. Be sure to stop for a soak at Termales de Santa Teresa in the mountains near Ahuachapan, one of the biggest hot springs in this country filled with thermal baths. This one has 30 different hot pools! There are four national parks to explore in El Salvador: El Imposible National Park, the tropical rain forest near the northern border with Guatemala; Cerro Verde, which has three volcanoes within its confines; Walter Thilo Deininger National Park, close to the ocean to the south and teeming with tropical birds; and El Boqueron, just 20 minutes from downtown San Salvador, with its huge volcanic crater. That’s an ideal spot to finish up your visit, with a final look from the top of the long- dormant volcano at the vast green expanse that is El Salvador. GETTING THERE Avianca offers daily nonstop service from Washington Dulles International (IAD) to Baby Sea Turtles Heads to the Ocean Credit: iStock.com/ MrDamien Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport (SAL). PLANNING YOUR RETURN Despite El Salvador’s small size, one visit just isn’t enough to see all the sights this hidden gem offers. There are Mayan ruins to explore, scuba diving expeditions to experience, mountain biking tours to ride, fishing trips to be had under the stars and much more. And with nonstop round-trip airfares from Washington Dulles International Airport to Monseñor Oscar Arnulfo Romero Airport hovering around $500 and taking only about five hours, there’s no reason not to return. Jiquilisco Bay Credit: Sebastiao Pereira-Nunes FLYWASHINGTON.COM 44 WINTER 2017/18