El Espíritu de la Montaña, SV
This is just simply one of the coolest things you can do in El Salvador, let alone Latin America as a whole. And to be honest, not very many people really know about it. It's very common and popular to do amongst El Salvadorians, but I didn't meet too many travelers who were running around the country who did it. It's a shame, because it's one of my favorite things that I did. So 'El Espiritu de la Montana' is really just another name for Volcán de Conchagua, which is an inactive volcano at the southern tip of the country. El Espiritu de la Montana is the name given to the recreation center that is near or at the top, that is home to a stunning, stunning view of Bahia La Union. The Bay that connects Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua. From the top up here you can see, at the same time, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaraguan land. I don't think I have ever been anywhere else in my life where I could simultaneously see 3 countries. It's also the only portion of western coast Honduras. Poor Honduras really got screwed out of Pacific Ocean frontage. El Espiritu is the name for the observatory that sits on the volcano. It's a campsite, restaurant, and general recreation center for tourists. There is a road all the way up here, so if you don't like to hike, then this is for you. You get all the benefits of a long hike, without any of the work. The only downside of that, it can get crowded. When you get up here, there is a large platform that has been built right up along the view. People reserve spots to put their tents up there, and after that it's pretty much first come first serve for where you set up your tent. The tents, especially on the weekends, tend to cover most of the lookout space. There's a small little restaurant up there as well, serving really cheap and good local food. There's also lots of places to camp in your car if you are rigging it up here. Everyone is here for the most part to be there for sunrise, as the sun rises right over the bay in view of everyone who is camping. It's really a special thing to see, and I will never forget it. The access up here is easy enough, there is comfortable accommodation and food options and it's just one of the most beautiful things you can do. Looking down from 1,000 meters up on a volcano into the bay that connects 3 Central American countries, filled with little islands. Sounds like it's fake. You're also so high up in the mountains here that the terrain changes to pine trees. Feels more like you are in a cold weather mountain town than smack dab in the middle of the tropics. This is one of the best things you can do in the country. I think people kind of sleep on it sometimes because it is just so far down south. You have to get essentially to the border of Honduras. But with the country being so so tiny, it's not all that hard.
GENERAL OVERVIEW
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LOCATION - El Espiritu de la Montana, or rather Volcan Conchagua, is located at the very very southern tip of the country. So close, that you are pretty much at the border of Honduras here. There's a place near here even where you are so close to the Nicaraguan border that some people travel by boat to Nicaragua in order to skip entering Honduras at all. It's located outside of the town off La Union, which is about a 3-and-a-half hour drive from San Salvador.
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Given its location all the way in the south of the country, it's not the easiest place to get to. Probably why it's not really all that common for backpackers and tourists to travel here, unless they are traveling by car. Even if you are traveling here by car it is pretty gnarly to get here. It's extremely steep. I mean EXTREMELY steep. Windy little roads with potholes curve up the mountain. I even turned 4-wheel-drive on at some points getting up here. But it's not necessary, I saw some people in like Corollas doing the drive, so it's doable without 4x4. It's located at a pretty high elevation of 1,225 meters. Or about 4,500 feet. Here's a few different ways to get there:
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BY BUS/SHUTTLE - If you are coming from the beach area, which I assume a lot of people are, by far, the easiest way to get here is to book a tour. I found a tour operator here that will take you up there for the night. They provide all of the transport and everything. It costs $125 all in for the 2-day tour, which includes camping. They will provide all the gear and everything so it's not a bad deal all included. Like I said, it's hard to get there.
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BY CAR - Okay, so if you are coming here by car it is certainly the most logistically easy way to get here, but by no means does that mean it is still easy. The route up is not easily marked, the road is so thin at times that only one vehicle at a time can pass, which gets pretty scary at times considering just how high up you are here on the volcano. I would personally recommend using a 4x4 vehicle to get up here. If you don't have one it may get pretty sketchy. I saw cars without it doing the trip, but it's a generally very very steep and skinny ride, so without it would make me a little hesitant.
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Anyways, to get here, I would first get to La Union. — About 3 and a half hours from San Salvador. There are two ways up this volcano, one of them is private, and I couldn't find a way to get in. You want to take the way up that is nearest to La Union. The entrance to this road is located right here. It's important that you find it. You'll have to traverse up through a little town called Amapalita first. A cool little mountain town with tiny, very steep streets you have to come up. Once you get to the entrance to the volcano you just start to climb up. The tiny, skinny little mountain road that goes straight to the recreation center. When you get up there you will have to go through some park ranger like guys and they will ask you to pay a little bit to get in. The fees are $5 per vehicle to enter the protected area, $5 per person to enter the Mirador, $2 per person for camping overnight. But with that you can find a parking spot, and there you can camp wherever. This is your final destination.
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ACCOMMODATION - The only accommodation options up here are car camping or camping. There are no actual places that you can rent to sleep in. Personally, if you have a tent I would recommend that you use a tent instead of the car. Even if you have a great setup in your car. The tent area is just so beautiful and perfectly situated on the viewpoint or mirador. All the car camping spots are a short walk from any view. The camping spots do fill up on the weekends though, so if you are not there early, you may have to camp in the car.
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EATS - There is a little restaurant up at the top, but I would recommend bringing in some of your own food as well. The restaurant has really basic options including pupusas and tipicos for dinner. Just so you know if you order the tipico for dinner, it will be the same as a tipico breakfast. Eggs, beans and cheese.
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NIGHTLIFE - Nothing at all. Just hanging out with whoever you came with and then going to sleep, only to be excited to wake up for the sunrise.
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SIGHTS - This place is the sight. The mirador in the morning. All day long really as well.
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SURFING - Nada, up in the mountains.