Posts Tagged ‘things to do in El Salvador’

La Cocotera Receives Two Yellow-Naped Parrots!

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

Yello-naped parrot

Our eco resort is proud to announce the latest additions to the parrots that we have at our eco resort.  We have received two yellow-naped parrots named “Pancho” and “Patricio.”  Pancho was given to La Cocotera after he was found in an abandoned house in El Salvador by the police. The police did not know what to do with him so they gave him to La Cocotera.  We do not know much about Pancho’s background; but, we can assume that he was taken care of by a few women because he will say women’s names like, “Carmen” and “Maria.”  At La Cocotera, we are very impressed by his extensive vocabulary.  Patricio is only a baby parrot and Pancho has been teaching him to talk.  Pancho, for example, would say, “¡abarra la puerta!”  Now, Pancho and Patricio say, “¡abarra la puerta!” which means in English, “open the door.”   Patricio was found in the area near La Cocotera as a chick in a nest that had been poached.

Our two new yellow-naped parrots are a great new addition to the Scarlet Macaws that are part of our Species Reintroduction Program.  Yellow-naped parrots are endangered.  Deforestation of the regions these birds are from along with the illegal removing of the young for pet trade contribute to the decline in numbers of yellow-naped parrots.   Yellow-naped parrots are all green when they are young and as they mature they develop the “yellow-nape” on their necks.  Yellow-naped parrot

When you’re staying at La Cocotera, be sure to check out the yellow-naped parrots!  See if you can even teach the parrots some new words to say, they love to talk!

Things to do in El Salvador: A Relaxing Vacation in El Salvador

Monday, December 20th, 2010

During the holiday season, taking a vacation to a tropical destination and staying in an eco resort is a great alternative to a “white Christmas.” Instead of being cold and surrounded by snow, why not go to El Salvador and have a relaxing trip on the beach and feel the sand in between your toes. While staying at an eco resort in El Salvador, you can enjoy fresh local food and there are a wide range of activities that you can do.

For breakfast, La Cocotera provides a delicious breakfast buffet. The breakfast buffet includes: fresh fruit, yogurt, granola, French pastries and breads, locally grown and roasted coffee and fresh juice. El Salvador is a major coffee producing country in the world and you will be able to taste how truly delicious it is when you able to consume El Salvadorian coffee at the source. Lunch and dinner is prepared with all fresh ingredients and local fresh fish and seafood are available daily. You can eat poolside in the open air dining area and enjoy the ocean breeze. The restaurant is has beautiful scenery and has a nice backdrop of coconut, mango, and almond trees that have inhabited the area for years and produce an abundance of fruit.

The Barra de Santiago is a nice relaxing beach in El Salvador. While you are staying at La Cocotera and on the beach, you will feel like you are in your own tropical paradise. The Barra de Santiago is a great place to go surfing in El Salvador because the beach is not crowded and you can surf without competing for a wave. You can also kayak, water ski, and go fishing.

Spending your holiday in a warm tropical paradise like El Salvador definitely beats the cold and snow and La Cocotera would love to have you for the holiday season. So when you are thinking about how to spend your vacation, why not go to El Salvador and stay at an ecoresort?

Barra de Santiago, El Salvador

Things to do in El Salvador: Ecotourism in El Salvador

Wednesday, November 24th, 2010

La Cocotera Eco Resort

La Cocotera Eco Resort

El Salvador is the perfect destination for any nature lover seeking an eco-friendly travel experience. Staying at an  eco resort and lodge in El Salvador is the first step to your ecotourism experience in El Salvador. La Cocotera was built following the “green leaf” system utilized by the Certification Sustainable Tourism (CST). Our goal at La Cocotera was to build a resort that our guests would find luxurious at no expense to the environment or residents. La Cocotera allows you to have a place to stay in El Salvador and be a tourist without damaging the environment while you are visiting.

At La Cocotera, we built an eco resort that seeks to try to minimize the impact that conventional tourism has on the environment. We attempt to reduce the negative environmental impact by using solar energy, energy saving light bulbs, biological (not chemical) waste water recycling treatment, environmentally safe shampoos, soaps, and all cleaning supplies, ionization pool filtration, and recycling of plastics, paper, and glass.

The Barra de Santiago is an excellent location for bird watching. La Cocotera is part of El Salvador’s official program to reintroduce Scarlet Macaws into the country. Scarlet Macaws have been extinct in El Salvador for the last fifty years. While bird watching in El Salvador and staying at an eco resort, you can learn more about the Scarlet Macaw program and ask questions to the people involved while they are staying at our eco resort.

We also have an Olive Ridley turtle release program. In the Olive Ridley turtle release program, we buy turtle eggs that would otherwise be sold to be eaten, allow the eggs to hatch, raise the turtles, and then release the Olive Ridley turtles into the Pacific Ocean. The conservation of the Olive Ridley turtles is a serious concern and we are so pleased that at our eco resort we can help the Olive Ridley turtles.

Things to do in El Salvador: Surfing in El Salvador

Friday, November 12th, 2010

Barra de Santiago, El Salvador

Barra de Santiago, El Salvador

There are many things to do in El Salvador; however, surfing in El Salvador has become increasingly popular in recent years. For one thing, the beaches in El Salvador are not crowded making surfing in El Salvador a nice tranquil surfing location. The best time to surf in El Salvador is during March to October when swells can reach 10 feet; however, surfing in El Salvador is remarkable year round.

El Salvador is set facing south so the country is arguably one the best place for waves in Central America for south swells. The right hand point waves are a dream for any surfer. There are over 200 miles of beaches in El Salvador which means that there are many possible places to surf in El Salvador. La Libertad and El Sunzal are probably some of the more well-known El Salvadorian beaches, but Barra de Santiago should not be overlooked at all.

At Barra de Santiago, you can look forward to consistent surfing in El Salvador year round. The sandy beaches at Barra de Santiago provide for a nice beach break rather than the point breaks at some of the other beaches in El Salvador. Whether you are an experienced surfer or have never surfed before and just want to try it, surfing in El Salvador is something that you should experience. While surfing is near the top of the list of things to do in El Salvador, at Barra de Santiago there are many things to do.

When you are staying at an eco resort in El Salvador, there are a variety of things to do when you maybe want to take a break from surfing but don’t want leave the beach. There is year round fishing in El Salvador which can provide for a relaxing experience. You can also kayak, sail, and water ski.

Surfing in El Salvador

Monday, July 19th, 2010

Surfing in El Salvador

From popular beaches such as El Sunzal and El Tamarindo to lesser known spots like La Barra de Santiago, such ideal locations, have made surfing in El Salvador a must for the surfing enthusiast to the novice surfer.  If you are looking for warm, tropical weather, unspoiled beaches and challenging waves, then El Salvador has everything you need.

The beautiful beaches and favorable geographical location of El Salvador’s long stretch of Pacific coastline provide some of the world’s best areas for surfing. With mostly vacant waters, El Salvador’s beaches are not only the perfect place to catch a wave, but to soak up the sun and explore the natural surroundings in serenity.

For the longest wave in El Salvador that’s perfect for both long and short boards, try El Sunzal. The waves are big and surfers are often found spending their time here. In fact, many wave seekers refer to El Salvador’s coast as a “surfer’s heaven.” The coast to the west of El Sunzal has many beach breaks and a few river mouths, and it enjoys some of the most consistent surf in the country of El Salvador.

El Salvador has a dry season (November - April) and a wet season (May-October). While the wet season is characteristic of rain, there is also plenty of sunshine and the biggest surf. Waves up to 8-12 ft are not uncommon! The dry season offers beautiful sunny weather and calmer waves, with more consistent surf. Depending on what kind of vacation you prefer, either season may have just the perks you’re looking for.

Experienced surfers may want to check out Barra de Santiago. It is a small coastal village with deserted beaches and consistent year round surf. Beginners can go down the beach towards village where the waves are much softer. When you’re not surfing, you can explore the estuary, observe the local wildlife or just enjoy the gentle breeze.

At just a short five hour flight from Los Angeles, surfing in El Salvador is well within reach for west coasters and a worthy vacation destination for those coming from farther away. At La Cocotera eco resort, you are only a few steps from the beach. Just roll out of bed, grab your surf board and go!  Other water activities are also readily available, including kayaking through the Barra de Santiago estuary. La Cocotera is an all-inclusive resort, so leave the accommodations and meals up to us, and we’ll leave the surfing to you.

Water Activities and Adventures at La Cocotera Eco Lodge

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

El Salvador is an area that offers not only striking beaches, but a wide variety of exciting water activities. In fact, La Cocotera’s  ideal geographic position allows for some of the best water activities in the world. Those seeking solitude will enjoy our ultra-remote location on the northern Pacific coast, known for its national park, estuaries and mangroves. In these groves, you’ll find our El Salvador eco lodge set in a tawny sandbar with thatched-roof bungalows in a stand of coconut palms.

The country’s Balsam Coast is known as a surfer’s paradise, well known for its beach breaks, river mouths, reefs and cobblestone points. For the longest wave in El Salvador that’s perfect for both long boards and short boards, try El Sunzal. The waves are big and surfer enthusiasts can often be found spending their time here.

Some of the other water activities in the area include:

  • Eco/nature/wildlife observation in the Barra de Santiago estuary
  • Kayaking
  • Scuba diving
  • Snorkeling
  • Jet skiing
  • Boogie boarding
  • Boat tours/sailing
  • Visits to local conservation projects
  • White-water rafting
  • Deep sea fishing

To better serve our guests,  La Cocotera eco lodge offers life vests, boogie boards, kayaks and other equipment. Because we are not a large chain resort, these are easily accessible for our guests to enjoy.

After a day of nature and water activities, don’t forget to relax by the pool! Designed to be very private, relaxing and secluded, the La Cocotera pool is the perfect place to lounge and enjoy paradise. One of the most characteristic features of the pool is the design, which allows two mature palms trees to remain in the center of the pool. This is a testament to our commitment to not disturbing the natural surroundings and our effort to accommodate nature and our guests. The pool is environmentally friendly, with an ionization filtration system, eliminating any need for chemicals and chlorine.

Take your time and have fun with these uncrowded water activities. If you are looking for an all-inclusive eco lodge far away from the crowded beaches that allows you to be  a conscientious consumer and tourist, then La Cocotera is for you!