Archive for August, 2009

Eco Vacations: Barra de Santiago Estuary and Mangrove Forest

Friday, August 28th, 2009

Barra de Santiago, El Salvador

La Cocotera Eco Resort is located on the sandy shores of the Barra de Santiago coast, with the Barra de  Santiago Estuary and Mangrove forest as its neighbor. If you are looking for an eco vacation that offers relaxing luxury and intriguing wildlife exploration, then La Cocotera is for you.

Barra de Santiago is home to seven different species of mangrove, and measures approximately 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres). Along with lush vegetation, the inner mangrove coastline is a haven for thousands of native and migratory birds and a various wildlife. Guests at our eco resort can see many types of wildlife while floating along the peaceful estuary waters including iguanas, lizards, marine mammals, shellfish, sea turtles, crocodiles, blue crabs and more!

If you are a nature and wildlife enthusiast who is looking for the perfect eco vacation activity, you must try kayaking through the Barra de Santiago estuary. To learn more about kayaking, see our other post on Eco Resort Nature Activites: Kayaking. For those staying out our eco lodge, kayak rentals are included.

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Airline Tips & Tricks to Get You to Your El Salvador Hotel

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

It seems airlines are still finding new methods to charge more these days, a wise consumer should try to save money when it comes to flying. Here some great tips for saving money that have been collected from other travel bloggers, industry insiders and personal experiences so that you can get the most out of your vacation and visit to our El Salvador hotel.

Here are five ingenious and easy ways to get discounts when flying. With just some help from the Internet and a little time, you can find multiple sites that offer discounted rates. With even a little more work, you can find the absolute best price possible. The following are some good tips to get you discount airfares:

  • Do your research. There are a lot of offers available only on the Internet if you look closely. It’s easy to look at flight search engine sites like cheapoair.com, kayak.com and mobissimo.com. After a little research you should find it is best to book at least two weeks ahead, preferably three. Flying mid-week will also significantly drive down the cost.
  • Sometimes doing all of your research online isn’t enough. In many cases travel agents might be able to get you a deal. Ask them upfront what you would expect to pay for a particular destination such as El Salvador.
  • Travel in groups. There are a lot of travel agents out there that will offer discounts to groups of people.
  • Make sure to travel in the off-season. Like mid-week deals, airlines and hotels offer discounts in the off-season months and you can benefit by traveling at these times. For example, at our El Salvador hotel, we have lower prices during off peak months.
  • Use your research as leverage. Use what you have learned when comparing deals and talking to people. See if they can match the price or lower. Many sites and hotels offer a best price guarantee so if you find a better price after booking then they will price match.

With just a little research and help from others, you can save a great deal of money for yourself and your friends making for a great eco vacation. If you have any tips or tricks of your own, please, feel free to comment and share. Happy traveling!

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El Salvador Hotels and Nightlife

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

Don’t forget to check out the bars and clubs that makeup San Salvador’s colorful nightlife during your stay at an eco resort.  When you leave your El Salvador hotel for the evening, check out the Zona Rosa district, just west of the city center.  Many cafes and restaurants can be found in Paseo General Escalon, in the Zona Rosa region, while nightclubs and cinemas  (many of which show English-language films with Spanish subtitles) can often be found in shopping malls, like Metrocenter or Gran Vía. One of the area’s theaters is the beautifully restored Teatro Nacional.

Along with theaters and clubs, venues like the Feria Internacional for concerts, and Estadio Cuscatlán and Estadio Mágico Gonzalez for football (soccer) matches and concerts are great for a day out.

When you go into the restaurants remember to order the national culinary specialities:

  • Pupusa (a fried sandwich of tortillas, filled with pork, cheese, refried beans and/ or vegetables).
  • Típico salvadoreño (standard Salvadoran breakfast comprising eggs, local cheese, refried beans, fried plantains and tortillas).
  • Corn tortillas.
  • Tamal de elote (cornflour batter with meat filling, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed).

To read more about traditional and specialty cuisine, see our other post on El Salvador Food!

When you go out to the shops or clubs don’t pass up on drinking some of the local specialties:

  • Café (coffee).
  • Refrescos (natural fruit drinks).
  • Tic tac and torito (strong alcoholic beverages made from distilled sugar cane).

In El Salvador, the legal drinking age is 18. For night clubs and bars, remember that entry charges are common. For tipping in the area, give about 10% in El Salvador hotels and restaurants, and 15% is appropriate for smaller bills. Check before tipping because service charge is often included on bill.

FYI: Certain areas are best to avoid. The actual San Salvador downtown offers little to no in the way of entertainment and should be avoided for the most part at night. Outside the capital most places of entertainment (even hotels) close early.

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