El Salvador
Safety
- El Salvador has one of the highest crime rates in the world. Crime — including armed robbery, carjacking, burglary, home invasion, sexual assault, homicide and petty theft — runs rampant throughout the country. While criminals do not specifically target foreign citizens on the basis of their nationality, the high crime rate poses a significant risk to foreigners
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El Salvador also suffers from an especially high degree of gang activity. Street gangs, locally known as “maras,” are both heavily armed and ruthless.
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Ground transportation, both on major highways and less-frequented roads, poses significant security and safety risks throughout all areas of the country.
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Armed robberies of vehicles traveling on the Pan-American Highway, which runs between San Salvador and Santa Ana, have been reported during daylight hours.
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Armed robberies of vehicles traveling on the Pan-American Highway, which runs between San Salvador and Santa Ana, have been reported during daylight hours.
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There have been a growing number of attacks against public transportation buses conducted by gangs, especially in and near San Salvador.
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Teams should remain in groups and avoid remote or isolated locations in order to minimize their vulnerability.
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Teams should also avoid displaying or carrying valuables in public places. Passports and other important documents should not be left in private vehicles.
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Armed assaults and carjackings take place both in San Salvador and in the interior of the country, but are especially frequent on roads outside the capital where police patrols are scarce.
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Criminals have been known to follow travelers from the international airport to private residences or secluded stretches of road where they carry out assaults and robberies.
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Teams in El Salvador should exercise caution at all times and practice good personal security procedures throughout their stay.
Safety in El Salvador
What do other Racers need to know in order to be safe? Current safety protocols/precautions in place? Any relevant issues/concerns? Any precautionary suggestions?
People’s Opinions
- I was with a team in Kombinat, an area of the city of Tirana. We did have an incident of being harassed by a man who clearly did not like us Americans helping at the church we stayed at. Be aware at all times and watch out for pick-pocketers. Did have a few incidents of kids grabbing on and reaching for pockets and straps of backpacks.
Health
- Areas affected: Rural areas of Santa Ana, Ahuachapan, and La Union departments.
- Estimated risk: Low
- Recommended chemoprofylaxis: Atovaquone/ proguanil, chloroquine, doxycycline, mefloquine or primaquine
- Symptoms
- Fever
- Chills
- Sweats
- Headache
- Body Aches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue
*The medicines used to prevent malaria can be very effective when used properly, but none of them are 100% effective.
- Areas Affected: All of El Salvador
- Symptoms
- Principal
- High fever and at least two of the following
- Severe headache
- Severe eye pain (behind eyes)
- Join pain
- Muscle and/or bone pain
- Rash
- Mild bleeding manifestation (e.g., nose or gum bleed, or easy bruising)
- Low white cell count
- Severe warning signs (IMMEDIATELY go to an emergency room if the following appear)
- Severe abdominal pain or persistant vomiting
- Red spots or patches on the skin
- Bleeding from nose or gums
- Vomiting blood
- Black, tarry stools
- Drowsiness or irritability
- Pale, cold, or clammy skin
- Difficulty breathing
- Principal
Health in El Salvador
Any special health concerns?
People’s Opinions
- If you need to go to the doctor in Tirana there is a clinic that works a lot with missionaries and they speak great English. Cost of an appointment ranges from 7USD to 25USD.Address: ABC Health Foundation
Rruga “Qemal Stafa” Nr., TiraneClinic: +355(0)42234105
Mail: healthcenter@abchealth.org
Web: www.abchealth.org - My team was doing Unsung Heroes in the city of Pogradec when one of our team mates needed to go to the doctor. A contact connected us with a Christian doctor in the area who speaks great English. The cost up front was only 15 USD and there is a pharmacy around the corner where you can fill any prescriptions.Dr. Klajdi Vampa Clinic: +069 235 01 01
Address: Sheshi “Gjimnazi”
Pall. Reja
Prane Teatrit te Kukullave
Pogradec
Visa Info
Visa Info in El Salvador
Do you need one? Where did you get it? Cost? Resources/sources:
People’s Opinions
- US Citizens can enter Albania with no visa and can now stay for up to 12 months without a residence permit.
Currency Info
Currency Info in El Salvador
Name of currency? Where can you exchange money?
People’s Opinions
- Comments
Communication
Communication in El Salvador
Did you have cell reception / Internet service? Where? Carrier / Provider, where did you get phones / SIM cards, cost? Country code?
People’s Opinions
- Comments
Transportation
- From Honduras:
- From Guatemala:
- From Nicaragua:
- etc
Within the country, we usually just used the public bus. It was 20 cents to get anywhere in the city (San Salvador) Other buses might be a little more, but we always used the same one to take us into the city and then back home. The taxis are fine, too. They are more expensive ($5 per taxi for a ten minute drive), but it is worth it if it is night. Getting between Central American countries, we used Tica. It was more expensive ($30 from San Salvador to Managua, Nic), but it is absolutely worth it. There is a bathroom, they are clean and safe, and there is no hassle in crossing the borders.
Transportation in El Salvador
What transportation did you use to enter the country? Where were you coming from? What transportation was used to move throughout the country? Be sure to include the cost per person in USD and contact info if applicable.
People’s Opinions
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We used the TICA bus to get our squad from country to country within Central America. Generally cost around $25 USD per person. Really nice bus, similar to a Greyhound bus in the States. Easy to work with, just be prepared with everyone’s passport info when you go to make your reservation. If you offer to pay a little extra, they can take you exactly where you need to go – instead of just dropping you off at a port in the nearest city from where you need to go. WARNING: They will try to scam you sometimes. Stick to your guns. They last minute tried to get us to pay an extra “visa fee” at the border which they made up for themselves to make more profit off of us. As logistics, we just got of the bus and took care of the visas ourselves. They also set up an additional form of transportation for our squad to get to the actual city we needed to get to, and those people tried to scam us into giving them more money. Stick to the original amount you agreed to when the reservation was made.http://www.ticabus.com/esp/
Culture
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Communication: El Salvadorans are good conversers and very comprehensible with foreign people. You do not have to be worried about your Spanish; they will try to understand you one way or another, and a lot of people in the country can speak English due to the close relationship with the United States.
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Greeting: El Salvadorans enjoy speaking about everything but, particularly, about their job, family, and customs. If you do not begin the conversation, they will. It is possible that El Salvadorans would like to know more about Canada and its people. Do not be surprised by the spontaneity of the people. El Salvadorans feel proud about their beaches, typical foods and some other beautiful places in the country. As an initial recommendation, any of these topics can be a good beginning for a conversation and a future friendly relationship with a Salvadoran.
Culture in A El Salvador
Anything Racers need to be aware/respectful of? Suggestions/Recommendations?
People’s Opinions
- Comments
Shipping / Mailing
Shipping / Mailing in El Salvador
Company used and contact info? How did you get packages to them?
Tips
Be smart. Ask your contact about safety precautions that are necessary in your specific area. Know where you are going and just be aware of what’s around you. It’s a really Americanized country, and that might be frustrating, but be thankful for where the Lord has you and ask what He is trying to teach you through El Salvador. LOG Editor- 5/13/2013
People’s Opinions
- Comments
Additional Info
Embassy and Consulate Information
Additional Info in El Salvador
Anything we’ve left out? Any additional suggestions to make travel easier for others?