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
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