Traveling green doesn’t just mean staying at an ecolodge or turning off the lights when you leave your bungalow, you can pack green too! Here are some tips on what to bring to our El Salvador beachfront ecolodge and how to keep it eco-friendly.
El Salvador has a tropical climate with two seasons: verano, or dry season (November to April), and invierno, or wet season (May to October). Rainfall during this time is usually a single downpour during the day or night with the rest of the day being sunny. The year round average air temperature is between 70 ° - 90 ° F (or 21 ° – 32 ° C), with the hottest months typically being March and April.
Remember to bring lightweight, waterproof outerwear if you plan to travel during the wet season. To keep things wet/dry while you are out and about on excursions, such as a tour of El Imposible National Park, simply re-use old plastic bags as containers.
Pack light! Barra de Santiago is a tropical area so you don’t need to bring any heavy clothes. Packing lighter will lighten the load for you and for all your transportation vehicles. Bring a mix of long and short sleeve shirts for hot days and cooler nights. Instead of denim, which can be heavy and uncomfortable in the humidity and heat, opt for breathable materials for shorts and pants.
If you plan to embark on any eco tours, remember to bring hiking and/or walking shoes along with your beach shoes. On a similar note, bringing a day travel bag for hikes or eco tours is a great way to keep the essentials (sunscreen, water bottle, etc.) with you as you explore the area.
At La Cocotera, we encourage our guests to explore the wonderful natural area surrounding the ecolodge, from the ocean to the estuary to the mangroves. While you’re out and about, it’s a good idea to wear bug repellent. Many repellents products contain harsh chemical ingredients that are bad for the environment and for you. Look for non-chemical repellents, or better yet, make your own! Good herbs that repel mosquitoes include basil, eucalyptus, cloves, geranium, peppermint, rosemary and lemon balm (citronella). You can make your own repellent by combining 10 drops essential oil (see list of herbs, above, for choices) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Combine the ingredients in a glass jar; stir to blend. Dab a few drops on your skin or clothing.
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.
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!
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.
Traveling around the world can offer some of the greatest inspiration to preserve this wonderful gem that we call Earth, but traveling can also be harmful for the unaware eco-consumer.
In an effort to witness all the natural beauty of Central America and its world renowned national parks, make an effort to avoid inadvertent damage. Take these steps from National Geographic’s Traveler for the ultimate guide to sustainable travel:
Try booking a stay at an environmentally friendly resort or hotel. Be mindful of the global impacts of resources used; take initiative to find a local eco friendly hotel or even community environmental programs near your lodging. Visit LaCocoteraResort.com to read about our environmentally friendly methods and our Green Leaf Certification.
Make sure to unplug your home or office when you leave for a vacation. Responsible traveling begins at home! Before you head out, make sure to unplug any appliance that won’t be in use while you’re away, such as computers, phone chargers, televisions, video game players and microwaves. According to Thomas Kostigen, co-author of The Green Book, “as much as 10 percent of the electricity used in your home is wasted energy burned by adapters, chargers, computers and other appliances that we leave plugged in when we’re not using them.”
When you are making preparations for your trip, go paperless. Use online resources to plan and book your trip, and only when necessary, print out maps and other materials at home on recycled paper.
To lessen the negative impact of your travels - and help ensure optimum positive impact - thoroughly research your destination before you book. Traveling to some destinations during the market-induced high season can increase your overall negative impact, so planning a month earlier or later can be beneficial.
Finally, visit during a festival, or schedule your trips in conjunction with vibrant, local celebrations that provide a window into the culture and help support traditional crafts and customs. This helps sustain local economies and cultures. Travelers support the living culture because they spend money on food, lodging, locally made crafts or local events. One of our most popular events at our hotel is the turtle release program, which helps the eco system and supports the culture without inadvertently trampling it.
All these methods are simple and helpful ways to travel better and show respect for the ecosystem both in your own home and all they way across the world.
The estuary and mangroves next to our eco friendly resort in Barra de Santiago may have a little more magic than just the chirping of birds and rustling of wildlife. Popular among villagers is a myth called The Legend of Chasca, a tale about the goddess of fishing.
According to the story, Chasca was once a beautiful princess who fell in love with a Prince named Acayet. When Chasca’s father, Pachacuet, discovered their love affair, he ordered that Prince Acayet be killed. Devastated by the news of her lover’s death, Chasca threw herself into the waters of La Barra de Santiago, and was never heard from again. To this day, people say that Chasca still appears on some nights, sailing in a white canoe and that it is a sign of good fishing conditions. On these nights, the villagers recite these verses:
“Fisherman the moon is out
Unwrap your fishing net
This night is of good fortune
Since the beautiful white canoe is coming,
Fear not, Chasca is good,
There is nobody like Chasca.”
You too can paddle through the enchanted waters of Barra de Santiago when you stay at our eco friendly resort. To learn more about La Cocotera and our beachfront accommodations, visit lacocoteraresort.com
At La Cocotera eco resort we know that the food in El Salvador is hearty and full of soul. We want to provide you with the freshest ingredients to your El Salvadorian meals when you are staying at our eco resort.
A typical El Salvadoran diet includes rice, beans and seafood, particularly for those who live on the coast. A variety of traditional dishes are also unique to El Salvador, including the famous Pupusa, a round corn tortilla stuffed with cheese and other elements, usually refried beans or chicharron, seasoned fried pork rinds. There are also vegetarian options with ayote, a type of squash, or garlic.
El Salvador cuisine also includes indulgent fare such as fried sliced plantains (platanos), which are commonly served with beans, sour cream and cheese, and sometimes with eggs, yucca (cassava) root with chicharron, pastelitos de carne (similar to meatloaf), handmade tortillas, or panes con pavo (marinated turkey sandwiches). Panes con pavo is traditionally served with turkey, tomato, and watercress along with cucumber, onion, lettuce, mayonnaise, and mustard.
Other traditional dishes include Yuca frita, fried yucca served with chicharon or curtido (pickled cabbage, onion and carrot), and panes relleno, a Salvadorean style torta topped with a spicy sauce. Soups and stews are also extremely popular.
At La Cocotera eco resort, you can enjoy fresh El Salvador seafood dishes, freshly squeezed juice and locally grown and roasted coffee, all included in your stay. Meals are prepared in the kitchen daily and are served in the open air rancho adjacent to the pool.
Come enjoy a delicious meal with us at our eco resort in El Salvador!
A corner stone of our tropical El Salvador eco resort is, of course, a great concern for the environment that is shared by many of the patrons and guests here. Beyond booking an eco-friendly resort for a vacation, an organization called the World Heritage has put together an online Responsible Travel Pledge, a list to help travelers remain mindful during their journey. By signing the Friends of World Heritage, the list hopes to empower others and help preserve the natural and cultural attributes that make places you visit, like El Salvador, unique.
Actions that visitors can take to alleviate any ecological footprint are understated but important. The Responsible Travel Pledge challenges travelers to incorporate three basic tenets when planning a trip and when traveling to a World Heritage site:
Discover the natural and cultural beauty of World Heritage sites by learning about the history, customs, folklore, and biodiversity that make them so special.
Share their commitment to these sites with hotels, tour operators, and other travel-related entities.
Preserve the natural and cultural values of World Heritage sites by following designated trails, respecting local rules and customs, and not removing archaeological or biological treasures.
By signing the Responsible Traveler Pledge, travelers can take small but important steps to preserve more than 850 places that the international community has recognized as World Heritage sites, and help ensure that these natural and cultural treasures remain for generations to come. Visit www.globalproblems-globalsolutions.org to learn more about World Heritage sites and to sign the Responsible Traveler Pledge.
Did you know? El Imposible National Park is so named for the once-treacherous El Imposible Pass, where a steep and narrow gorge between two mountains blocked the route of coffee farmers transporting their coffee by mule-train. In 1968, the El Salvadoran government constructed a bridge at El Imposible Pass, opening up transportation from Tacuba to Cara Sucia.
El Imposible National Park is part of the Apaneca–Ilamatepec range of mountains and is located 70 miles west of capital city San Salvador. The park is a protected natural area offering the largest biological diversity in El Salvador.
The park covers 12,850 acres of tropical mountain forest. More than 1,000 species of plants are found in the park, as are such endangered animals as the puma, crested black eagle, emerald toucan, aardvark and white-tailed deer. El Imposible is considered one of the most important natural reserves in Central America not only because of its wildlife, but because it is one of the few existing examples of the typical Mesoamerican Pacific coastal rainforests. Access is by hiking and four-wheel-drive vehicle only.
There are 3 major trails in the park: a 1km nature hike, a 6-7km loop into the valley to see a delta of two rivers, and a 8-9km hike to Cerro Leon the highest point in the park.
La Cocotera’s proximity to El Imposible National Park, making hiking a popular eco tourism activity for our visitors. Reservations and permits for each visitor are required in advance. Call or ask us at the front desk about El Imposible Tours and we’ll be happy to help you!
La Cocotera Eco Resort is located in the secluded and peaceful little town of Barra de Santiago. It is about an hour and a half drive from San Salvador and is situated right on the beach near the Guatemalan border. In order for prospective guests to get a better idea of where exactly they’ll be staying, we’ve decided to put up a few maps showcasing the area.
The arrival airport destination for those visiting our eco resort is capital city San Salvador. Airlines servicing San Salvador include: American, United, Continental and TACA, the official airline of El Salvador. TACA (www.taca.com) flies daily non-stop from Los Angeles to San Salvador. Flight time is approximately 4 ½ hours.
Guests can also fly to San Salvador non-stop from most Central American capitals as well as connecting through the U.S. via Miami (2 ½ hours), Dallas (3 ½ hours), Washington, D.C. (4 ½ hours) or New York City (5 hours).
Ground transportation from and to San Salvador airport is included in the price of your stay at our eco resort and it is approximately a 1 hour 45 minute drive. Helicopter and Private Plane transportation from to and from San Salvador airport is available at an additional cost.
