Juayua

Ruta de las Flores

The Ruta de Las Flores is a 32 kilometer road in the mountains that link five small El Salvadorian towns. These towns are connected by a winding road that has coffee plantations, delicious food and wildflowers.

My travel companion and I got a good chuckle over how underwhelming the Ruta de Las Flores was. We went in December which is during the peak time to see flowers (November-February), however, the flowers were few and far between. Later in our travels when we would see more flowers on a regular road we would joke that it should instead be named the Ruta de Las Flores.

Understandably, in the world of tourism, everything needs a gimmick. As Vang Vieng in Lao is popular for its self-made river Tubing, as San Juan Del Sur has earned its place on the Gringo Trail for Sunday Funday, El Salvador has created a tourism industry over a completely normal amount of flowers.

Juayua

With all of that being said, Juayua, the most popular town on the Ruta de Las Flores is very beautiful and a fun way to spend a few days in El Salvador. Every weekend they have a food festival that shuts down the center of the town as rows and rows of street food installations appear. Juayua even has a seven waterfalls trek if you prefer more athletic adventures when you travel.

Where to Stay

La Casa Mazeta is a great choice for a budget traveler. They have a kitchen which conveniently allows you to save money by preparing your own food. The private rooms are big and luxurious and there are many hammocks in the garden area. This hostel has a social backpacker vibe and many tours and events are offered here.

The Seven Waterfall Hike

This hike takes about 5 hours and costs $20. It includes transport, a guide with repelling gear for the dangerous part of the hike, and lunch. After spending $35 on a hike in El Imposible we decided to skip this one. However, you can walk to the ending place of the Seven Waterfalls Hike and swim in that waterfall for free.

Food festival

Every Saturday and Sunday Juayua has a food festival. Full meals, many including steak, are set up on plates. You can get what would typically be a very expensive meal if you were at a fancy restaurant for $5 or $6. Besides having food, there are performances in the street and a lively MC hosting the event.

Pupusas

We enjoyed our favorite Pupusa in all of El Salvador while in Juayua. It was a garlic and cheese pupusa found at Pupuseria Esmeralda. The cheese was fully infused with the garlic flavor and it was mouth wateringly scrumptious.

Crepe Lovers

This is a crepe chain in El Salvador. There is a location near the main square in Juayua where you can create your own delicious crepes with Nutella, Snickers and Oreos!

After a weekend in Juayua we headed back to Santa Ana to return our rented car.