El Tunco, El Salvador was the most surprising part of this Central American trip so far. I hadn’t expected much until I showed up. This itty-bitty beach town has BIG LIFE, seriously. Every day just got more and more bizarre. So many times I woke up thinking, “Did last night really happen?”
I’ll do a more thorough guide later. But here are a few good reasons to love El Tunco.
1. Papusas at Fafi’s Place for $0.50 each. (Handmade tortilla stuffed with various goods, like cheese and beans, slathered in salsa and a coleslaw type topping)
2. $1 Pilseners
3. $2 Pilsener Grandes
4. Watching the sunset at Monkey LaLa
5. The giant “pig rock” on El Tunco Beach
6. The surfing scene
7. $10 surfboard rentals
8. Free drinks at the girls’ night parties
9. The “travel agency” across from Papaya Lodge that turns into a nightclub
10. Yvonne, the guy who works at the nightclub bar travel agency thingy
11. Yvonne’s homemade ginger rum
12. Friendly Salvadorians who befriend you at random parties and teach you cuss words in Spanish
13. The papusas at Mama Guayana
14. The insane clown horn honking every single morning – enough for me to curse the bloody bastard driving me to insanity with the incessant noise – only to discover the horn honker is a sassy Salvadorian grandmother selling a massive plate of banana bread. I bought some
15. Bikini babes
16. Easy and cheap shuttle services to Guatemala
17. Cold coconuts for $1
18. Everybody tolerating your atrocious Spanish
19. Chocolate covered frozen bananas
20. The absolutely random Golden beer promotional beach party with water gun mayhem, new friends, and $1 beers (free before 5 PM)
21. The El Salvadorian who told me my hair was the colour of cornfields
22. The sweltering heat
23. Hiking waterfalls and cliff jumping from Tamanique
24. Cheap shops selling everything your heart desires
25. Being able to walk freely around town with your alcohol and nobody giving a damn
26. Super laidback chill awesomeface vibes
27. Finding private hotel rooms for $15 a night
28. Intense thunder and lightning storms at sea
29. $3 breakfasts all over the place
30. Icy cold smoothies
31. Recognizing people around town after day one
32. Recognizing dogs around town after one day
33. Boogie boarding
34. The hidden caves along the beach
35. Every type of food you can possibly imagine (Take a Wok!)
36. Pool party crashing every other hotel in town
37. Salt packets attached to bottles of Corona BECAUSE GENIUS
38. Never having to wear clothes ever
39. Cheap $5 laundry service
40. CHEAP TACOS
I LOVE EL TUNCO. Have you been?
