San Salvador/Roca Sunzal

San Salvador is as smoggy as the books/people say it is, be sure to stay on the outskirts of the city and avoid cars/highways when possible. It's not as touristy as the Carribean or Costa Rica, which I think makes the experience unique.

People: The people were probably the most memorable part of my trip to El Salvador. There was not a time when I felt like I was unwelcome - even though my Spanish was not the greatest so communication was pretty minimal

Enjoying San Salvador and Roca Sunzal for its people, culture and beaches

Culture: Although the books I read talked about El Salvador being on the conservative side, I didn't feel that it was necessarily so. My friend and I were in bikinis at the beach - this was advised against, but I think it was fine. Also, books had recommended wearing skirts however there were a fair amount of women wearing pants

Food: Papusas, a staple dish in El Salvador, were interesting - they reminded me a lot of something between a nacho and a tamale. They are flat and usually have a bean, cheese or meat filling.

Safety: This is really important to me - I felt like the areas I was in were safe. There are a lot of security guards with guns and it seems like that would make things less safe, but I think it's more for show than anything. As a female traveler, I felt safe in the Sheraton in Zona Rosa and the beach town Roca Sunzal - about 7km west of La Libertad