Lake Coatepeque is a quiet and serene crater lake. A few days can easily be spent here with kayaking, jet skiing and relaxation. It is also on the way to the Santa Ana Volcano, making it a more convenient starting place for your volcano trek.

El Tunco to Coatepeque

Unable to find a shuttle directly to Coatepeque we took three chicken buses to get there. One chicken bus dropped us off at the main bus station in San Salvador. Next we transferred to a bus going to Santa Ana. We got off before Santa Ana, in a town called El Congo. From El Congo there were two buses headed to the side of the lake we needed to be on. Locals were friendly and helped us figure out what bus to take.

Where to Stay

Captain Morgan’s is the place that all backpackers stay at on Lake Coatepeque. Despite being so popular, it is far from a party hostel. Kayak and paddle board rental is included in your room rate. There is a dock and bar that juts out over the lake and it is the perfect place to melt into a hammock. Captain Morgan’s also has a kitchen which is rare in remote lodging. The only problem is that there are no grocery stores nearby. You can get tomatoes, pasta and onions from a nearby tienda but I’d recommend going grocery shopping before you make it to this remote lake. If you don’t want to cook there is one restaurant neighboring Captain Morgan’s that serves tasty cocktails and expensive dinners.

Activities

Water Sports

Local El Salvadorians jet ski up and down the lake, asking people if they want to rent equipment. You can take a ride on a raft that is pulled by a jet ski. Alternatively, you can rent the actual jet ski and circle around the small lake. There is a tiny island inside the lake that is fun to explore. Two of us shared a jet ski and it was $30 for 30 minutes.

Santa Ana Volcano Trek

Most people start this adventure from Santa Ana but you can shave an hour off your commute each way if you simply start from lake Coatepeque. Many pickup trucks ride around the lake and hitchhiking is the way most locals get around. We stood outside of Captain Morgan’s and walked toward El Congo. Within minutes we were in the back of a pick up truck. Every hour local buses go around the lake but you might as well try hitchhiking while you wait.

We got off where SAN01S met RN10 (before Carretera Panamericana). We started walking along RN10 (around the lake on the opposite side of Captain Morgan’s) and within minutes we had found another ride. The second ride took us until the fork in the road at Cementerio El Pacun. From here we walked along Carr al Cerro Verde until a family heading to the National Park picked us up. It is important that you get out at a restaurant called El Tibet. Here you can enjoy pupusas and coffee as you wait for the 11 AM volcano trek. Our three hitchhiking rides took us less than 45 minutes and were a fun adrenaline rush to start the day.

It is required to go on the Santa Ana Volcano Trek with a guide and police escort. The park entrance fee is $6 and it is polite to tip your guide an additional $1. At 11 AM everybody that has made it to El Tibet begins their hike. The hike is 45 minutes to an hour, uphill. Unfortunately, wind and clouds appeared in the last 5 minutes before we reached the summit and we were unable to see the turquoise crater lake. There was no way of predicting this so good luck with your volcan trek, I hope the weather is favorable for you.

The trek ends at around 2 PM and the next bus passing El Tibet is at 4PM. Many people choose to hitchhike back to town. I’d recommend walking up the hill to be the first one trucks see when leaving the park.

After three days at Captain Morgan’s we had Daniel Victor deliver us a rent-a-car. From there we explored El Salvador from the freedom of our own vehicle.