Pearls of Life: Santa Ana Volcano, Hiking, Waterfalls and Hot Springs in El Salvador.

Carmit and Noy on the top of the Santa Ana Volcano in El Salvador.

Exploring El Salvador was the best decision that I took during my trip to South and Central America. Among the countries that I have visited in South and Central America, El Salvador is the one that has a special place in my heart. That special place is given to the Salvadorians due to the fact that the people are so warm, nice and happy. They welcome tourists with open arms and a kind heart.

Carmit and our guide hiking to the top of the Santa Ana Volcano with the flag of El Salvador.

I know that there is criticism against El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele for the national crackdown on gangs, which was conducted in March 2022, but I believe its a big no-no to this criticism. Due to the fact that I have witnessed that Nayib Bukele is very popular and has high job approval from the Salvadorians and across Latin America. I was able to travel the country of El Salvador with public transportation, local tuk-tuk to remote places without fear or any problems of being robbed or injured. 

Carmit and the Salvadorian local guide posing in the hike to the Santa Ana Volcano.

Hiking in the area near Santa Ana is a must. We woke up early in the morning and we traveled to Santa Ana volcano. Hiking with a local guide is required to go up to the top of the volcano. The hiking took a few hours and the views are amazing. You definitely need to be in good physical health. 

Carmit and Noy on the top of the Santa Ana Volcano in El Salvador.

Carmit and Noy at the top of the Santa Ana Volcano, El Salvador.

Arriving to the top of the volcano mountain, we were able to see the active green lava at the bottom. My daughter, Noy, was the first one to reach the top of the mountain from the 25 person group. She was with the flag of El Salvador in her arms. The Salvadorian guide was proud to reach the top of the mountain and he also indicated that the stream of tourism and the safety is mainly attributed to the amazing work that Nayib Bukele, the President, is doing for its country. Nayib Bukele is one of the most popular leader of the world and definitely in this region of Latin America. 

Carmit and Noy enjoying the 7-waterfalls hike in El Salvador.

Santa Ana, the main city and the oldest one in this region, offers many day trips around the area. We decided to travel to the town of Juayua in the Ruta de las Flores in El Salvador. There, we went on a 7-waterfalls hike. The beauty and the nature of the 7-waterfalls hike was incredible. The guide and his wife were well-trained in an amazing physical shape took us in 5 hours hike that included crossing active waterfalls and diving in caves. More can be discovered about the 7-waterfalls hike in my next blog post.  

Welcome sign to “Salto Malacatiupan”, the Natural Hot Spring Waterfalls and Pools in El Salvador.

Another day trip from Santa Ana was to a natural hot springs in a remote site called Salto de Malacatiupan. We got there by taking the local bus and then transferring to a tuk-tuk. With the tuk-tuk we crossed fields in local villages until we arrived to the site of the natural hot springs. In the hot springs, it was very dangerous to step in due to the really strong currents of the waterfalls and the steepness of the sites. I met other local Salvadorians in that site but not tourists. The local Salvadorians were very welcoming. Even though the site is so remote, I felt safe.  

Bathing in the “Salto Malacatiupan”, the Natural Hot Spring Waterfalls and Pools in El Salvador.

El Salvador is rich with natural treasures and many volcanos, rivers, forests and hot springs. In a natural hot spring spa is the best self-treatment for wellness, resilience and a meaningful life. 

“Salto Malacatiupan”, the Natural Hot Spring Waterfalls and Pools in El Salvador.

Carmit and Noy enjoying the natural hot springs in El Savlador.

Enjoying the natural hot springs and the pools with the local Salvadorians was the cherry pick of this region. We used a day trip from Santa Ana by local bus and tuk-tuk to arrive to the spa site. The site was very clean, beautifully maintained and welcoming us. There were few tourists, mostly local Salvadorians and American-Salvadorians from Los Angeles. From small talk in the pool, we learned again that the big shift in El Salvador took place after the President, Nayib Bukele, cracked down on gangs. The local Salvadorians admire and appreciate the big change in their daily livelihood. It was my impression that tourism in El Salvador, development of new economic markets and relationship with other nationalities is a major interests of the current El Salvador population and their leade

I enjoyed visiting El Salvador very much. It is a destination that I definitely will come back to visit and explore more. I salute to this country for the huge transformation that it is going through. I wish the Salvadorians peace, prosperity and success in their endeavors. 

To explore more about authentic travel experiences, please read my previous blog posts.

Site of Natural Hot Springs Spa in El Salvador, near Santa Ana.