La Playa - Barra de Santiago

Our free weekend - the one we got during Training - we spent in Ahuachapan, on a beach/estuary by the name of Barra de Santiago. We took a boat tour through a protected mangrove area, where conservationists are working to prevent people cutting down mangroves to repair the roofs of their houses (apparently the wood is excellent for this use), and are trying to protect nesting habitat for parrots and loras.

We also took a night hunt for sea turtles, which nest along the beach. The Pacific ocean waves was the music to our romantic night on the beach. We were searching for the turtles in order to find egg-laying females. Conservationists take the eggs to a nearby conservation center where they raise the eggs and then eventually release them back into the sea. This prevents people from stealing the eggs for food, and each person that brings eggs to the conservation center receives a payment, from the government's Ministerio de Medio Ambiente (Environmental department). Money from international donors also supports the project. There were lots of locals out hunting for eggs and turtles. Apparently they come ashore more often when the moon is full and when it is raining. We were out of luck - no turtles tonight. But in December, in Barra de Santiago, there is a day when they release all of the baby turtles into the Pacific Ocean - "Dia de la Liberacion de las Tortugitas" - The Baby Turtle Liberation Day - and I am just dying to go back and see this sight.

Barra de Santiago was a bit difficult to access (dirt road that floods often, infrequent pickup service, car pretty much necessary), and although beautiful and relatively free of trash by Salvadoran standards, we found the infrastructure at this time of year (winter in El Salvador) somewhat lacking. Affordable restaurants were not open. There was no cashpoint in town, or anywhere near, no one takes credit cards. However, we felt safe and did I mention it was beautiful? There were tons of shorebirds and seabirds, lots of local culture, archeological ruins nearby and rich in indigenous history. In short, the place shows promise for eco-tourism in the future but it's a ways off due to the logistical problems. Let's hope it can develop sustainably and protect its amazing resources along the way.