Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP- I would recommend you think twice about going to El Salvador. I have no opinions on the beaches or tourism, but it is a very unstable and dangerous country right now. The Peace Corps even suspended it's program there due to security issues. It is part of the Northern Triangle and a hub for narcotrafficking. MS-13, what is known there as La Mara, is a very powerful organized crime ring with heavy arms imported from the United States. It is true that most Salvadoran's are good people, hardworking, the food is great (I love pupusas!), and the country does have a lot to offer. It's simply not a good time to travel there.

Really? Have you been there? Or is this all second hand info? What a gross exaggeration.

I work with asylum seekers from El Salvador. Since you're too lazy to google, here are some links.

https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/library/peace-corps-el-salvador-program-suspended/
https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/dsgsm1519.doc.htm
https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/1043576/download

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't want to let slide that someone above said ... "Really anything is more interesting than Costa Rica, with its greedy locals who have a 50 year head start on scamming Gringos." That is a disgusting and hateful comment.

Why is it disgusting? It’s just the truth. Like Thailand and other similar former paradises, Costa Rica has been overrun with US visitors for many decades, and so the country and people have learned to run various scams to separate Gringos from their Greenbacks. What is actually disgusting is the amount of foreign men who visit Costa Rica for the sole purpose of sleeping with hookers. The same situation exists in neighboring Panama (and in Thailand of course). Because other Central American countries such as El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua receive far fewer visitors, the sex trade is not the same in those countries. So think about that next time you plan a family friendly Spring Break trip to Costa Rica. That country is truly vile.

Sadly this is a well known fact. I remember having a return flight from San Jose with a bunch of men bragging about all the women they’d slept with. It’s also completely legal in Costa Rica. Same in Panama. There were so many prostitutes looking for clients in the lobby of our four star hotel. With mass tourism taking over Colombia over the past couple of years, pretty much same there too.

https://theculturetrip.com/central-america/costa-rica/articles/revealing-costa-ricas-legal-sex-industry/

This looks like a fun book to read if you want to think the men who engage in prostitution are enlightened feminists.
https://carleton.ca/fass/2016/10/gringo-gulchsex-tourism-and-social-mobility-in-costa-rica/

Anonymous wrote:OP- I would recommend you think twice about going to El Salvador. I have no opinions on the beaches or tourism, but it is a very unstable and dangerous country right now. The Peace Corps even suspended it's program there due to security issues. It is part of the Northern Triangle and a hub for narcotrafficking. MS-13, what is known there as La Mara, is a very powerful organized crime ring with heavy arms imported from the United States. It is true that most Salvadoran's are good people, hardworking, the food is great (I love pupusas!), and the country does have a lot to offer. It's simply not a good time to travel there.

Really? Have you been there? Or is this all second hand info? What a gross exaggeration.

OP- I would recommend you think twice about going to El Salvador. I have no opinions on the beaches or tourism, but it is a very unstable and dangerous country right now. The Peace Corps even suspended it's program there due to security issues. It is part of the Northern Triangle and a hub for narcotrafficking. MS-13, what is known there as La Mara, is a very powerful organized crime ring with heavy arms imported from the United States. It is true that most Salvadoran's are good people, hardworking, the food is great (I love pupusas!), and the country does have a lot to offer. It's simply not a good time to travel there.

Anonymous wrote:I don't want to let slide that someone above said ... "Really anything is more interesting than Costa Rica, with its greedy locals who have a 50 year head start on scamming Gringos." That is a disgusting and hateful comment.

Why is it disgusting? It’s just the truth. Like Thailand and other similar former paradises, Costa Rica has been overrun with US visitors for many decades, and so the country and people have learned to run various scams to separate Gringos from their Greenbacks. What is actually disgusting is the amount of foreign men who visit Costa Rica for the sole purpose of sleeping with hookers. The same situation exists in neighboring Panama (and in Thailand of course). Because other Central American countries such as El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua receive far fewer visitors, the sex trade is not the same in those countries. So think about that next time you plan a family friendly Spring Break trip to Costa Rica. That country is truly vile.

I don't want to let slide that someone above said ... "Really anything is more interesting than Costa Rica, with its greedy locals who have a 50 year head start on scamming Gringos." That is a disgusting and hateful comment.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, a lot of diverse opinions! Our family has been to Costa Rica and Nicaragua and we liked both places. This time, I am taking my 70-year old mom along so I am a little more risk-averse. We are hoping for pretty beaches and also hiking. Not planning on going to restaurants or stores except for groceries. In any case, thanks to the PPs and welcome any other advice or suggestions!

OP - if you want to go you should go!! I've been twice and I'm so glad I did (granted it was 15 years ago). The first was with my in-laws (pre-kids). I had an advantage because they are both former Peace Core, had lived there and knew where to take us, knew people so they were our guides and had a great inside view of the country.

The second time I went back with my mom, who at the time, was a Spanish teacher and we went on her Spring Break. We had my in-laws good friends take us around. We stayed in the nicest hotel in San Salvadore which was (in 2006) was $120.00 American dollars. Everyone is so friendly

The things I recommend 1. Learn about the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero and the Jesuit Priests. Fascinating history and museum display

2. Suchitoto - interesting Colonial town. We said at a nice inn right on Lake Suchitoto

3. Go to the pupupa restaurant on top of a volcano overlooking San Salvadore (can't remember the name). To this day, my husband and I say they were the best
pupusas we've ever had and what a view.

4. Take a hike and see the coffee bean fields

5. Surfing (if you're into this)

Note: we did a lot of things off the beaten track like see the medical clinic in a tiny village where my MIL worked at or the school my FIL helped get up and running or driving around the city

Sorry. Having a Peace Corps volunteer show you around is apparently disqualifying.

PP here - ha! Ok, kinda true

I'm kidding. I'm referring to a response to one of my prior posts, where some obnoxious troll gave me grief for saying I got to know Honduras by visiting a relative in the Peace Corps there.

PP here. No one trolled you. Rather, I offered a counterpoint to your bizarre and obsessive need to depict El Salvador as difficult, unclean, and having unattractive beaches. It is none of those things. I really wish you would stop maligning the country, which happens to be the homeland for some of the kindest and hardest working people in the DC area. You said you were leaving the thread, but then you couldn’t help yourself and you came back for more. It’s very strange.

Anyway, as I said above, El Salvador is a wonderful and authentic destination, and very easily could meet OP’s stated desires for a family trip. In addition to broad, sandy beaches (of course be careful of rip tides, as anywhere in the Pacific), there are mountain hikes, waterfalls, colonial towns, and volcanic lakes to explore. There is also interesting history, including the Oscar Romero museum that another poster mentioned, as well as another dedicated to the country’s civil war and related violence that I found instructive. Please accept that not everyone needs or desires the calm Caribbean waters of Roatan, or needs the handholding of a Peace Corps volunteer to enjoy the authenticity of Central America. We understand that you do, and that’s fine, but please stop forcing your brand of travel on others and disparaging a hospitable country and people in the process.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, a lot of diverse opinions! Our family has been to Costa Rica and Nicaragua and we liked both places. This time, I am taking my 70-year old mom along so I am a little more risk-averse. We are hoping for pretty beaches and also hiking. Not planning on going to restaurants or stores except for groceries. In any case, thanks to the PPs and welcome any other advice or suggestions!

OP - if you want to go you should go!! I've been twice and I'm so glad I did (granted it was 15 years ago). The first was with my in-laws (pre-kids). I had an advantage because they are both former Peace Core, had lived there and knew where to take us, knew people so they were our guides and had a great inside view of the country.

The second time I went back with my mom, who at the time, was a Spanish teacher and we went on her Spring Break. We had my in-laws good friends take us around. We stayed in the nicest hotel in San Salvadore which was (in 2006) was $120.00 American dollars. Everyone is so friendly

The things I recommend 1. Learn about the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero and the Jesuit Priests. Fascinating history and museum display

2. Suchitoto - interesting Colonial town. We said at a nice inn right on Lake Suchitoto

3. Go to the pupupa restaurant on top of a volcano overlooking San Salvadore (can't remember the name). To this day, my husband and I say they were the best
pupusas we've ever had and what a view.

4. Take a hike and see the coffee bean fields

5. Surfing (if you're into this)

Note: we did a lot of things off the beaten track like see the medical clinic in a tiny village where my MIL worked at or the school my FIL helped get up and running or driving around the city

Sorry. Having a Peace Corps volunteer show you around is apparently disqualifying.

PP here - ha! Ok, kinda true

I'm kidding. I'm referring to a response to one of my prior posts, where some obnoxious troll gave me grief for saying I got to know Honduras by visiting a relative in the Peace Corps there.

PP here - oh I know! No worries!

I know someone who went recently for work and they said the Covid protocols were good.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, a lot of diverse opinions! Our family has been to Costa Rica and Nicaragua and we liked both places. This time, I am taking my 70-year old mom along so I am a little more risk-averse. We are hoping for pretty beaches and also hiking. Not planning on going to restaurants or stores except for groceries. In any case, thanks to the PPs and welcome any other advice or suggestions!

OP - if you want to go you should go!! I've been twice and I'm so glad I did (granted it was 15 years ago). The first was with my in-laws (pre-kids). I had an advantage because they are both former Peace Core, had lived there and knew where to take us, knew people so they were our guides and had a great inside view of the country.

The second time I went back with my mom, who at the time, was a Spanish teacher and we went on her Spring Break. We had my in-laws good friends take us around. We stayed in the nicest hotel in San Salvadore which was (in 2006) was $120.00 American dollars. Everyone is so friendly

The things I recommend 1. Learn about the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero and the Jesuit Priests. Fascinating history and museum display

2. Suchitoto - interesting Colonial town. We said at a nice inn right on Lake Suchitoto

3. Go to the pupupa restaurant on top of a volcano overlooking San Salvadore (can't remember the name). To this day, my husband and I say they were the best
pupusas we've ever had and what a view.

4. Take a hike and see the coffee bean fields

5. Surfing (if you're into this)

Note: we did a lot of things off the beaten track like see the medical clinic in a tiny village where my MIL worked at or the school my FIL helped get up and running or driving around the city

Sorry. Having a Peace Corps volunteer show you around is apparently disqualifying.

PP here - ha! Ok, kinda true

I'm kidding. I'm referring to a response to one of my prior posts, where some obnoxious troll gave me grief for saying I got to know Honduras by visiting a relative in the Peace Corps there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, a lot of diverse opinions! Our family has been to Costa Rica and Nicaragua and we liked both places. This time, I am taking my 70-year old mom along so I am a little more risk-averse. We are hoping for pretty beaches and also hiking. Not planning on going to restaurants or stores except for groceries. In any case, thanks to the PPs and welcome any other advice or suggestions!

OP - if you want to go you should go!! I've been twice and I'm so glad I did (granted it was 15 years ago). The first was with my in-laws (pre-kids). I had an advantage because they are both former Peace Core, had lived there and knew where to take us, knew people so they were our guides and had a great inside view of the country.

The second time I went back with my mom, who at the time, was a Spanish teacher and we went on her Spring Break. We had my in-laws good friends take us around. We stayed in the nicest hotel in San Salvadore which was (in 2006) was $120.00 American dollars. Everyone is so friendly

The things I recommend 1. Learn about the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero and the Jesuit Priests. Fascinating history and museum display

2. Suchitoto - interesting Colonial town. We said at a nice inn right on Lake Suchitoto

3. Go to the pupupa restaurant on top of a volcano overlooking San Salvadore (can't remember the name). To this day, my husband and I say they were the best
pupusas we've ever had and what a view.

4. Take a hike and see the coffee bean fields

5. Surfing (if you're into this)

Note: we did a lot of things off the beaten track like see the medical clinic in a tiny village where my MIL worked at or the school my FIL helped get up and running or driving around the city

Sorry. Having a Peace Corps volunteer show you around is apparently disqualifying.

PP here - ha! Ok, kinda true

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, a lot of diverse opinions! Our family has been to Costa Rica and Nicaragua and we liked both places. This time, I am taking my 70-year old mom along so I am a little more risk-averse. We are hoping for pretty beaches and also hiking. Not planning on going to restaurants or stores except for groceries. In any case, thanks to the PPs and welcome any other advice or suggestions!

OP - if you want to go you should go!! I've been twice and I'm so glad I did (granted it was 15 years ago). The first was with my in-laws (pre-kids). I had an advantage because they are both former Peace Core, had lived there and knew where to take us, knew people so they were our guides and had a great inside view of the country.

The second time I went back with my mom, who at the time, was a Spanish teacher and we went on her Spring Break. We had my in-laws good friends take us around. We stayed in the nicest hotel in San Salvadore which was (in 2006) was $120.00 American dollars. Everyone is so friendly

The things I recommend 1. Learn about the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero and the Jesuit Priests. Fascinating history and museum display

2. Suchitoto - interesting Colonial town. We said at a nice inn right on Lake Suchitoto

3. Go to the pupupa restaurant on top of a volcano overlooking San Salvadore (can't remember the name). To this day, my husband and I say they were the best
pupusas we've ever had and what a view.

4. Take a hike and see the coffee bean fields

5. Surfing (if you're into this)

Note: we did a lot of things off the beaten track like see the medical clinic in a tiny village where my MIL worked at or the school my FIL helped get up and running or driving around the city

Sorry. Having a Peace Corps volunteer show you around is apparently disqualifying.

Anonymous wrote:I just did a search of El Salvador tourism on Google images and it looks pretty awesome! Now I want to go!

That being said, OP….I don’t really understand why you would consider this as a trip with you 70 year old mom for hikes and beaches. It definitely seems like adventure tourism to me.

I know the photos you're looking at. They make the beaches look a lot nicer than they really are.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, a lot of diverse opinions! Our family has been to Costa Rica and Nicaragua and we liked both places. This time, I am taking my 70-year old mom along so I am a little more risk-averse. We are hoping for pretty beaches and also hiking. Not planning on going to restaurants or stores except for groceries. In any case, thanks to the PPs and welcome any other advice or suggestions!

OP - if you want to go you should go!! I've been twice and I'm so glad I did (granted it was 15 years ago). The first was with my in-laws (pre-kids). I had an advantage because they are both former Peace Core, had lived there and knew where to take us, knew people so they were our guides and had a great inside view of the country.

The second time I went back with my mom, who at the time, was a Spanish teacher and we went on her Spring Break. We had my in-laws good friends take us around. We stayed in the nicest hotel in San Salvadore which was (in 2006) was $120.00 American dollars. Everyone is so friendly

The things I recommend 1. Learn about the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero and the Jesuit Priests. Fascinating history and museum display

2. Suchitoto - interesting Colonial town. We said at a nice inn right on Lake Suchitoto

3. Go to the pupupa restaurant on top of a volcano overlooking San Salvadore (can't remember the name). To this day, my husband and I say they were the best
pupusas we've ever had and what a view.

4. Take a hike and see the coffee bean fields

5. Surfing (if you're into this)

Note: we did a lot of things off the beaten track like see the medical clinic in a tiny village where my MIL worked at or the school my FIL helped get up and running or driving around the city

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, a lot of diverse opinions! Our family has been to Costa Rica and Nicaragua and we liked both places. This time, I am taking my 70-year old mom along so I am a little more risk-averse. We are hoping for pretty beaches and also hiking. Not planning on going to restaurants or stores except for groceries. In any case, thanks to the PPs and welcome any other advice or suggestions!

Seeing this, OP, and at the risk of being trolled again, I'm really sorry but I have to come back and tell you that El Salvador just isn't the answer. The beaches really and truly are not pretty. It is also a lot hotter in El Salvador. I would not take my 70-year-old mom to El Salvador for a spring break for beaches and hiking. Again, really sorry!