El Salvador: San Salvador and Roca Sunzal

I had done quite a bit of research on El Salvador and after reading all of the books and reviews online and in travel books I decided that it was the best location for the amount of time I had to spend for a holiday.

Quite a few books and folks that haven't been to El Salvador recommended against it, especially as a female traveler, however I had so much fun and LOVED the culture, the people and the beauty of the country. The beaches were amazing!!! Palm tree lined beaches with black sand...what more could one ask for in life?

On the flipside....San Salvador is as smoggy as the books/people say it is, though it's not as touristy as the Carribean or Costa Rica, which I think makes the experience unique. Be sure to avoid cars/highways when possible - it's just noisy and unpleasant during rush hour. As with any place, take normal precautions - ask lots of questions and get recommendations from people you can trust. Also, don't roam around alone in the evenings (this should be a no brainer).

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; it always felt like people were engaging, kind and understanding. I think a lot of people also wanted to practice their english so it worked out for us both

Culture: Although the books I read talked about El Salvador being on the conservative side, I didn't feel that was true. It may have been since we were in the captial and nearby beach towns. My friend and I wore bikinis at the beach - this was advised against, but we didn't get funny looks or perverts hitting on us. Also, books had recommended wearing skirts at all times but there were plenty of women in 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. Overall the food probably is not the most eccentric, however the people and environment make up for it.

Safety: I felt like the areas I was in were safe. Mainly I stayed in Zona Rosa while in San Salvador and the rest of the time by the coast. In the cities, there are a lot of security guards with guns and it seems weird at first, but I think it's more for show than anything. I probably wouldn't try to upset one of these guys though....