An excellent jumping off point for the Ruta de las Flores is the laid-back Capricho´s Beach House. Situated on the protected peninsula of Barra de Santiago, the hostel offers a holiday experience nearing VIP luxury - Pristine beaches, aqua-marine waters and towering palm trees that feel a million miles away from the masses..all this but with a backpacker price tag.
The tranquil scenery and the friendly local community are a winning combination in providing paradise at El Salvador´s purest shores.
It is highly recommended to make reservations in advance.
A dorm bed costs $10 and double rooms vary in price between $40 - $50. There is a nice restaurant on the premises where meals, drinks and snacks are served and there is a guest kitchen that can be used ($1 a time). There are convenience stores in the nearby village where you can buy essential supplies, but it is recommended to stock up before you arrive. The hostel also has an outdoor BBQ.
The hostel offers a laundry service for $4 per load, but there are also facilities to wash your own clothes. You can rent surfboards ($3 per hour, $10 per day) and bikes ($1 per hour, $5 per day).
Surfing classes ($5 per hour) are available on request and tours can also be booked, such as deep water fishing, turtle walks from (March - November), tours to the local turtle and alligator farm as well as to El Salvador´s best preserved mangrove forest and estuary. Ask the staff for the latest prices for these tours.
The hostel has 2 beach-front terraces with hammocks as well as safety deposit for valuable items.
Note: The hostel prides itself on being member of a recycling program. Help this initiative to preserve the ecology by separating your waste.
Also: Bring enough money with you as the nearest ATM is about 40 minutes away from the hostel.
In Sonsonate take any bus to the border with Guatemala from platform 10 ($ 0.80) and ask to get off at Caretera a Barra de Santiago (Km 98.5). From the beginning of this dirt road, pick-ups ride up and down to collect locals and tourists and these can drop you off near Capricho´s Guesthouse for $1. From the end of Calle Principal in Capricho, take a right and walk to the beach. You will find the hostel´s entrance on your right.
From Guatemala (Pedro Alvarado):
Take a bus towards Acajutla or Sosonate until Km 98.5 (Caretera a Barra de Santiago) and take a pick-up at the beginning to the dirt road to Capricho. At the end of Calle Principal in Capricho, take a right and walk to the beach. You will find the hostel´s entrance on your right.
Barra de Santiago
