Backpacking Perquin | El Salvador
Perquin, a tiny little town, 3 hours north of San Miguel.
The climate is probably the best you'll find in El Salvador. At just over 1000m asl, gone is the oppressive heat of the planes, especially the last days, back down in San Miguel.
So what brings me to Perquin?
The climate is probably the best you'll find in El Salvador. At just over 1000m asl, gone is the oppressive heat of the planes, especially the last days, back down in San Miguel.
So what brings me to Perquin?
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You know how I love to visit the lesser known places. Perquin is not a secret but it's mostly off the backpacker map.
Between 1980 and 1992, the Salvadoran Civil War raged between the US-backed government forces and the FMLN, the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, a left-wing political party in El Salvador.
The FMLN takes its name from El Salvadoran Farabundo Marti who, in the 1920s, helped establish the El Salvadoran Communist Party.
Between 1980 and 1992, the Salvadoran Civil War raged between the US-backed government forces and the FMLN, the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, a left-wing political party in El Salvador.
The FMLN takes its name from El Salvadoran Farabundo Marti who, in the 1920s, helped establish the El Salvadoran Communist Party.
A war that saw 70,000 to 80,000 killed, 8,000 people "disappeared", 550,000 internally displaced and 500,000 refugees in other countries.
Another country which the USA saw as a "communist threat", supplying almost 5 billion USD in military assistance to the government forces.
The small town of Perquin, was considered the "guerrilla capital" during the fighting, and it served as the FMLN's headquarters.
In Perquin itself, you'll find the Museo De La Revolucion El Salvadoreña 2 USD and the attached Campemento Guerrillero 1 USD.
It's worth the visit if only to be aware of the war that most don't even know about.
Both are open Tuesday to Sunday from 8 or 9 am onwards.
It's worth the visit if only to be aware of the war that most don't even know about.
Both are open Tuesday to Sunday from 8 or 9 am onwards.
And across the road from the museum starts the short hike to the Cerro de Perquin:
There's a 1 USD ticket:
There's a 1 USD ticket:
10 km away is the town of El Mozote.
El Mozote is the site of the massacre where government troops killed more than 1000 unarmed civilians back in 1981, wiping out the entire village population.
There is the Monumento De La Paz y la Reconciliación just out of town and the Monumento a la víctimas de El Mozote (which is, as of July 2022, under total reconstruction):
El Mozote is the site of the massacre where government troops killed more than 1000 unarmed civilians back in 1981, wiping out the entire village population.
There is the Monumento De La Paz y la Reconciliación just out of town and the Monumento a la víctimas de El Mozote (which is, as of July 2022, under total reconstruction):
How to get from Perquin to El Mozote
There are buses, even perhaps one which will take you all the way to El Mozote. I saw it.
But the way I got from Perquin to El Mozote was to take a combi van out of town (Perquin) just before 7:20 am.
I rode it to the El Mozote turn-off (0.25 USD), jumped in a shared tuk-tuk (1 USD) to the small village of Arambala and then started walking. The same tuk-tuk came past again, he was delivering beer and flour and I rode for free for 2 more kilometres, then walked the rest.
Total distance from Perquin to El Mozote is about 10 km.
Coming back, I walked to the El Mozote turnoff, 6 km and then got on a San Miguel-bound bus (0.25 USD) to the Mirador Monseñor Romero restaurant, a few kilometres down the road.
But the way I got from Perquin to El Mozote was to take a combi van out of town (Perquin) just before 7:20 am.
I rode it to the El Mozote turn-off (0.25 USD), jumped in a shared tuk-tuk (1 USD) to the small village of Arambala and then started walking. The same tuk-tuk came past again, he was delivering beer and flour and I rode for free for 2 more kilometres, then walked the rest.
Total distance from Perquin to El Mozote is about 10 km.
Coming back, I walked to the El Mozote turnoff, 6 km and then got on a San Miguel-bound bus (0.25 USD) to the Mirador Monseñor Romero restaurant, a few kilometres down the road.
But you don't have to walk as I did. People will offer to take you. No one walks here.
Awesome view to the west:
Awesome view to the west:
Awesome "Plato Vegetariano", probably the nicest meal I have had here in El Salvador and a few beers:
And then I walked almost 9 km back to Perquin.
Enjoy the day. Getting around is easy but just remember, buses don't run after dark. And on Sundays services are very much reduced. And take cash with you, not forgetting a rain jacket and sunblock.
There are no ATMs in Perquin. Top up with cash at the Banco Hipotecario.
Enjoy the day. Getting around is easy but just remember, buses don't run after dark. And on Sundays services are very much reduced. And take cash with you, not forgetting a rain jacket and sunblock.
There are no ATMs in Perquin. Top up with cash at the Banco Hipotecario.
Where to stay in Perquin
The only place in town is the Hostal Perquin Real. It's 10 USD a night. The rooms are basic. There's no hot water, no kitchen, no free coffee, and no free water. Wi-Fi is a bit slow
For a budget traveller, it does the job.
But it is quite noisy. The road is right by the window. The shop across the road is sometimes a makeshift bar. And the trucks and motorbikes don't have silencers on their exhausts.
Everyone gets up early here.
It was nice to escape the heat but restful it wasn't.
For a budget traveller, it does the job.
But it is quite noisy. The road is right by the window. The shop across the road is sometimes a makeshift bar. And the trucks and motorbikes don't have silencers on their exhausts.
Everyone gets up early here.
It was nice to escape the heat but restful it wasn't.
Where to eat in Perquin
There aren't many options. For my morning coffee, I'd get one at the market, from 7 am onwards:
Across the road is the Camino de Brasas. Good for breakfast and lunch:
You can get pupusas at the market until around 6 pm. There is not much on offer.
The Don Rafa Restaurant and Bar near the museum has more choice but I just went there to drink a beer.
The Don Rafa Restaurant and Bar near the museum has more choice but I just went there to drink a beer.
How to get from San Miguel to Perquin by bus
I took bus #332E from San Miguel. Not all 332s go to Perquin.
I paid 1.77 USD and the ride took 3 hours.
If you can't get a 'directo' go to Gotera and change there. It's pretty straightforward.
I paid 1.77 USD and the ride took 3 hours.
If you can't get a 'directo' go to Gotera and change there. It's pretty straightforward.
How to get from Perquin to San Miguel by bus
The first directo goes at around 7:20 am but #329 combi vans run half-hourly to Gotera for 1 USD and start much earlier.
I took the #329 and picked up another bus #328B 1 USD to San Miguel.
The combi van and big bus combo was faster than the big bus on the way out. Just 2 hours 15 minutes as opposed to 3 hours.
I took the #329 and picked up another bus #328B 1 USD to San Miguel.
The combi van and big bus combo was faster than the big bus on the way out. Just 2 hours 15 minutes as opposed to 3 hours.
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This post is the property of Nomadic Backpacker
This post is the property of Nomadic Backpacker
