Located approximately an hour away from the Salvadoran capital, Suchitoto in Departamento de Cuscatlán, is a charming, historical and quaint colonial town in my country of origin, El Salvador.

The central american nation has been and is overlooked, feared and very often avoided by international tourists because of what is shown on television on a daily basis which is not always very positive but also because of its turbulent past (civil war).

After 5 or 6 trips, solo and with my family, I can personally attest that El Salvador really does not deserve all that bad press. The smallest country of the Americas definitely deserves more credit, attention and is well worth a visit.  It has a lot to offer to both locals & visitors from all over the world. Salvadorans are kind, helpful even if you don’t speak Spanish well and they welcome you with a warm smile!

As I have previously shown you, El Salvador is a land blessed with mountains and national parks, splendid beaches, mysterious and ancient Mayan Ruins, active & impressive volcanoes, pristine lakes, art centers, pilgrimage sites, fantastic food and drinks, lively music (Cumbia) and so much more!

The town I would like to take you on a photography tour. If you look at the photo above, you will see the arrow pointing towards it.

Let’s go Touring Suchitoto in El Salvador.

As soon as you arrive, you can’t help but feel as if you have gone back in time, as far back as the 16^th century thanks to the cobble-stone streets, red-tiled roofs and most importantly,

Iglesia Santa Lucia

This building has withstood the test of time, the civil war and a few earthquakes! It is still standing tall and is the focal point as well as a reference landmark of the town. The church faces Parque Central where the fountain will simply stop in your tracks and will make you stare back!

Life runs at a different pace in Suchitoto. Merchants slowly open their art galleries, tiendas (small stores), and family-run restaurants without a rush. Even the tourist center where I dropped in to get a map opens after 8 a.m.

The staff on site is friendly, willing to answer any question you may have, they can prepare a route plan, suggest activities or places to visit. They are also curious to know where you’re from J

After having a great cup of coffee (mountain-grown & freshly roasted of course) and a slice of sweet bread straight out of the oven at a coffee shop, it was time to explore the area with la familia!

Allow me to take you on a visual tour of Suchitoto.

Enjoy!

Entrance to the port / Turicentro Puerto San Juan

 

Traditional restaurant at the port

 

Wall décor inside the restaurant

 

 Painting of the cobble-stoned streets around town

 

Decorative clay pots on the wall

 

Relics of the past

 

Bench with a beautiful view

 

Port of / Puerto San Juan

Gateway to Lake / Lago Suchitlán

 

Lake shore

We decided to go on a tour of the lake, so we had to wait for our transportation to arrive. Boat tours are offered to tourists from all over the world.

The boat you see on the photo was carrying passengers from France and they were happy to hear me speak French oui 🙂

After they had left, my family and went on board and we marveled at everything before our eyes. I just took a few photos before putting my camera down to truly enjoy the moment and the ride. I’m actually glad I did!

 

Close up view of mountains in Cabañas

It was an amazing day, in great company in a spectacular location. I am happy I got to visit this town and finally understood why a lot of people say that El Salvador is truly impressive and it sure is!

If you are ever in Central America and if you are unsure whether or not you should go or skip it, I definitely recommend including it into any itinerary!  As usual, take the normal precautions and go with reliable transportation, relax and just go with the flow.

After all some of the best adventures are those that come spontaneously like I did! The great memories will stay with you…forever 😉

I’m turning it over to you now.

Tell us…

Have you ever visited a small town on a day trip?

Are you a spontaneous traveler

or

do you like to plan everything down to the details?

 

Tell us all about it and share links as well as images if you have!

Until next time, hasta la proxima.

Felices viajes, happy travels!

K 🙂

 

Karla 🙂