El Salvador - Guatemala round trip

- Pullmantur bus from San Salvador to Guatemala City
Barberena, Inlacsa, Cuilapa, Rio Los Esclaves, Jutiapa, Santa Ana

We had the opportunity to visit Guatemala City as a 2.5 day long trip fro El Salvador. It took about 7 hours by the cheap luxury bus Pullmantur to get there from San Salvador, from where we flew back to Europe.

We were only two persons that went there, without any guide or locals to guide us, so I had to make a lot of planning before we arrived, in the last minute since the trip to Guatemala wasn't planned from the beginning. With only 2 days to spend, we chosed between visiting the popular historical city Antigua (situated just a few km from GC) and the capital, but as usual we ended up in the big city.

The bus, operated by Pullmantur, was impressive; it was a large black double decked bus featured black leather seats, air condition, two bus maids, meals, toilet, headphones, TV displays that showed movies, and toned windows. It stopped right in front of our hotel, the Holiday Inn, so we didn't have to worry about walking around in this dangerous city with our bags looking for the hotel, or be fooled by a taxi driver (that likely wouldn't happen but we didn't know that at that point). It is very advisable to stay at this hotel if you go by Pullmantur (that we highly recommend), and to make plans for everything before entering the city.

It was driving through narrow, winding roads, many in bad condition, through green mountains, towns and villages. When it reached the southern outskirts of Guatemala City, it was very impressive, since there were views over the city from the road to El Salvador.
The bus departed from the Sheraton Presidente Hotel in San Salvador's Zona Rosa district and stopped at the Holiday Inn in Guatemala City's Zona Viva district, both among the safest areas in each city.

At the border between El Salvador and Guatemala there is a small river. The bridge above it is so weak so we had to get off the bus (with only explanation in Spanish so we were a bit confused), and enter a small mini bus where we had to stand up as we were driven through the border bridge. A small truck was carrying our bagage across the border bridge. The large tourist bus would only manage to cross the border bridge without passangers and bagage! Meanwhile the customs did the passport control and there were really annoying and impolite salesmen that tried to force us to change currency to qetzal, telling that dollar is not valid in Guatemala. But that is not true, it is rather the opposite, the local currency is about to disappear! This was a huge inconvenience, but the rest of the trip was incredibly comfortable.

The bus drove along the so called Pan American highway. Some of the places we passed by in Guatemala included: the small towns Barberena, Inlacsa, Cuilapa, Rio Los Esclaves and the midsized city of Jutiapa (162 000 inhabitants).
In El Salvador the bus passed by the second city, Santa Ana, Santa Lucia, Candelaria de la Frontera and El Congo. Everywhere there were a lot of greenery.

Waiting at Sheraton San Salvador Pullmantur bus at Sheraton San Salvador Early morning at the Sheraton in San Salvador Pullmantur bus Pullmantur bus Pullmantur bus Leaving San Salvador Leaving San Salvador Border bridge to Guatemala from El Salvador Trip to Guatemala - first sight Trip to Guatemala Town in Guatemala Town in Guatemala Town in Guatemala Town in Guatemala Town in Guatemala Guatemala mountains Church Principe de Paz Trip_ES_Guatemala_19 Pan American Highway Town in Guatemala Village in Guatemala Village in Guatemala Trip to Guatemala City Pan American Highway Trip to Guatemala City Trip to Guatemala City Trip to Guatemala City Trip to Guatemala City Guatemala City outskirts Trip from Guatemala to El Salvador Trip from Guatemala to El Salvador Trip from Guatemala to El Salvador Small town in Guatemala Trip from Guatemala till El Salvador Pan American Highway Trip from Guatemala to El Salvador Mountains in Guatemala Town in Guatemala Trip from Guatemala to El Salvador Trip from Guatemala to El Salvador Trip from Guatemala to El Salvador Border- Welcome to El Salvador River at the border Near the border in El Salvador