Like Guatemala, El Salvador is a land of volcanos and we’d highly recommend climbing at least one of them. Santa Ana is a relatively easy hike with a great view of the emerald lake in the volcano’s crater. We’d recommend going early in the morning with a private guide (perhaps even in time to catch the sunrise on the summit) since it gets crowded later.

El Salvador has lots of great beaches including El Zonte which is to the southwest of San Salvador. We also like the beaches on the eastern side of the country including El Cuco for a variety of reasons including the fact that they are a bit less crowded and their waves are a bit less forgiving.

We loved Ometepe Island in Nicaragua. It’s a place where many locals still use horses and even Ox drawn carts for transportation. And there’s lots to do there, from climbing either of the volcanos (we’d recommend Concepcion), to soaking in the Ojo de Agua natural springs.

There is great surfing all along the narrow stretch of coastline that separates Lake Nicaragua from the Pacific. Some of the most famous surf spots include Popoyo, Manzanillo and Playa Maderas. Keep in mind that the best surfing in Nicaragua is generally during the rainy season April through October.

Caravanning with other overlanders can be a lot of fun. We met our new friends, Joe and Karen (asidewaysmoon) 2 months ago in Chetumal, Mexico. We met back up in Acul, Guatemala, and then again in Antigua, Guatemala. We then headed to El Salvador together, crossing the border, and enjoying a few more expeditions there.

We love The Mango Rosa Resort for many reasons. We had our first adventure travel here, and later we got married here. But there’s a reason we continue to return aside from our good memories and experiences. The Mango crew know how to make your time at the resort and the surrounding beaches and cities very magical. The resort itself has amazingly good vibes, and t’s impossible not to have a great time here.