Apaneca
Apaneca is a small village in El Salvador with some great big attractions for adventurous travelers. There's mountains, forests, and two nearby volcanoes for the hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Close to town is an outdoor adventure park with a labyrinth of natural vegetation as well as zip lines and similar thrill attractions.
Understand
editThis area is noted for its abundance of coffee plantations, handicraft vendors, flowers and volcanic backdrops. A rough itinerary of sorts has been developed called the Route of the Flowers (Rutas de las Flores) that incorporates the towns of Salcoatitán, Nahuizalco, Juayúa, Apaneca, and Concepción de Ataco on a day's drive, though Apaneca has enough to keep a visitor busy for 2-3 days.
Get in
editBy bus
editTransportes Maritza Esmeralde runs several route 205 buses between San Salvador and Sonsonate. Buses depart every 30 minutes throughout the day. The 90-minute ride costs about US$2. Once in Sonsonate, change to the route 249 bus to Apaneca. Buses depart every 15 minutes for the 75 minute trip which costs about US$2.
Get around
edit
See
edit- 1 Cascadas de Don Juan (~11 km southwest of Apaneca via CA-8 and RN 15S), ☏ +503 78524500. 7AM-5PM. Kind of like a waterfall grotto with an admission fee.
- 2 Pasaje la Concordia, Avenida Tranceico Menendez Sur, Ahuachapan (in downtown Ahuachapan), ☏ +503 24133502. 11AM-10PM daily. A very colonial agglomeration of churches, government buildings, plaza, etc. Also, in the nearby town of Concepción de Ataco is a town square area with numerous artisanal shops.
- 3 Arco Durán (Duran Arch) (about 2 km north of Ahuachapan on CA-8). An archway not quite to the scale of Arche de Triomphe but something to see anyway.
- 4 Chorros De La Calera (few km east of Juayua). 7AM-5PM. Another waterfall, this one more like a horse's tail.
- 5 La Iglesia del Cristo Negro (Black Christ Church), Juayua. Church with a black Christ statue, some diversity.
- 6 Germinal Museo de la Imprenta (Printing Press Museum), downtown Salcoatitán, ☏ +503 21214100. 8AM-5PM. If you can get yourself interested in printing presses, this is a museum that is very deep on that subject. Also a lot of good eateries in the surrounding town plaza.
- 7 Iglesia San Andres Apostol. The town's main church. While the parish dates from 1798, the original colonial-era church was destroyed by an earthquake in 2001. The new church is a neoclassical style structure with a starkly austere interior of natural wood and white stucco. The impression is of being in a serene space reflective of the surrounding natural world.
Do
edit- 1 Santa Teresa Hot Springs (Termales de Santa Teresa), ☏ +503 72936666. 8AM-10PM daily. Relaxing mineral water hot springs and face masks, etc. Kind of expensive though. $10 per person.
- 2 Laberinto de Apaneca (Labyrinth), ☏ +503 24505036. 8AM-5PM daily. Outdoor adventure park with ziplines, zip-bikes, zip-surfing and of course the labyrinth mazes made up of hedges where they have to send someone in if you get hopelessly lost.
Buy
editEat
edit- 1 Restaurante Santa Catalina, Apaneca, ☏ +503 7988 7434. Daily 8am - 6pm. Tranquil outdoor dining area with tables on the patio, under towering shade trees. Typical Central American cuisine including grilled meats, gallo pinto, fried plaintains and aguas frescas.
- 2 Texixal, 1a Avenida Nte, ☏ +503 7746 1650. Small, cheery cafe serving typical Central American cuisine. The pupusas are delicious, top them off with lots of curtido.
Drink
editSleep
edit- 1 Santa Leticia, ☏ +503 2433-0357, fax: +503 2224-5988. Mountain retreat with 20 tustic cabins scattered across a natural landscape. Cabins are spacious, comfortable, and clean. Located close to the towns of Apaneca, Juayúa, Concepción de Ataco, Nahuizalco and Tacuba. Offers mountain environment, on-site restaurant, nearby archaeological site, swimming pool, and mountain biking.
- 2 Las Cabañas de Apaneca, ☏ +503 433-0500. This boutique hotel in Apaneca is situated 1500 mts above sea level, offering a cool year round climate, restaurant and a good base for exploring the town. $50.
- 3 Jardin Hostal, in downtown, ☏ +503 24073784. More affordable than some and right in town. Has wifi. Some food available. $25.
- Villas Suizas Apaneca 1, ☏ +503 7877 7180. Cozy B&B type place located close to an ancient, deep, secondary crater with vertical walls, the "Cuajusto" extinct crater in Apaneca town. From here you can catch some impressive panoramic views and do hikes to the nearby Laguna Verde, Black Forest and other natural beauties On Calle a la Laguna Verde.
- 4 Hostal las Flores Apaneca, ☏ +503 7127 1105. Cozy hostel run by a friendly young family. Rustic furnishings give the room a comfortable "homey" feel.