Nicaragua to El Salvador by Boat

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCmZtbnpCrk]
After a couple years of doing retreats in Northern Nicaragua, there were a list of Suave Dulce alumni who wanted to do another trip but this time see a different place. I went to Southern El Salvador for the first time in September of 2011 and had an awesome time surfing Las Flores and Punta Mango. I figured it would be a great place to bring a group of ladies who already knew how to surf, but that wanted to improve their skills on some really good waves.

Of course, one of the benefits of retreats in Nicaragua is the wide range of surfboards available. We have a huge selection of boards from little wide 5’4″ fishes to big long 9’6″ super tankers. Airlines charge ridiculous rates to travel with boards these days, so it just wasn’t feasible to bring a solid quiver by plane.

The last time I went to El Salvador in Feb 2012 I flew, and was dismayed by the long travel time to go a relatively short distance. 3 hours from Coco Loco to Managua, a couple hours spent waiting for a quick 45 min flight to San Salvador, then another 2.5 hours in the car from the airport to El Cuco. With the taxi ridess included, it ends up costing 8 hours and close to $500 per person!

By boat, it was a much more pleasant experience. Just 1.5 hours by car from Coco Loco to Potosi, then a nice lunch at a hotel while someone else does the passport paperwork, we loaded a little boat for a 2 hour ride with a gorgeous view, then another passport stamp on the other side followed by a 1 hour ride to El Cuco. Grand total: 5 hours and $350 total! Plus all the boards you can fit on a boat!

I will never fly between El Sal and Nica again!
: )