El Salvador - Black Sands

August 27-28

Hello everyone!

Hannah and I have a list of criteria for a place in which we want to live. It ranges from no winter (Hannah) to being a modestly-sized city with good travel links (me). One got added when we left Malawi: being near the ocean. Time for me to get that sea breeze!

The Pacific Ocean. Go straight and you'll hit Antarctica!

Enjoying our weekend at the beach

That image above may not have been what you were picturing if someone said ‘beach’. Those white sandy beaches you may have been imagining aren’t a thing for El Salvador. Black beaches actually can be found across the world. If you follow this blog, you’ll know that I visited one on a very rainy day in Iceland last summer. The connection between these two countries is a clue for the existence of their black sands…

A section of beach at El Zonte

Reynisfjara beach in Iceland, June 2021

According to scientists far smarter than myself, the black sand is to do with the nearby volcanoes. When volcanic material such as lava is spewed, it cools as it reaches the sea. The subsequent erosion of the lava into fine particles, in addition to other minerals such as basalt, creates the fine black powder. Not all black sand beaches have a volcanic connection but the ones in El Salvador definitely do.

Black sand at El Zonte. El Salvador apparently has 20 volcanoes.

Where there is no sand, there are rocks.
Crabs regularly scuttle across them.

The beach seems to be a big part of life for many here, both expat and local. I know people from school who go every weekend. Even my estate agent seems to go all the time when he’s not helping me fix up the house! Part of the reason is that it is so accessible. Without traffic, I can get from my house to the doorstep of the Pacific Ocean in half an hour.

A shop giving off the surfing vibe in El Zonte

Looking east from our AirBnb, lights are coming on at Playa Mahajual

A group of us were staying at an AirBnB next to the sea, a little bit to the east of one of El Salvador’s most popular beaches: El Tunco. Some had gone out there on the Friday night; owing to the ever-growing list of needs for my house, I wasn’t able to come down until Saturday lunchtime.

Though I missed Friday shenanigans, I did witness the nicest
sunset I've thus seen from my house in Santa Tecla on that Friday

The drive down is comfortable and
quick, costing $20 in an Uber

We weren’t able to access the beach from the surprisingly large house. With sunshine, a swimming pool, eager barbecuers and cold beers, it wasn’t overly missed.

Men at work. I don't possess BBQ
skills so left them to it!

Meat feast. There were also some amazing ribs.

We were able to pop down some rocky steps to touch the ocean. It felt…warm. In my mind, an ocean is quite cool. I could already get a sense of its power and accompanying surfing opportunities just from watching the waves accelerate and crash into the dark, jagged rocks.

Early morning waves crashing beneath a slightly moody sky

What a difference a bright blue sky makes to it!

I ended up sleeping in a hammock that night. Partly it was to give others privacy, rather than invading their rooms (though no one seemed bothered about that), but also…porque no? Why not? The answer came at about 2am when a flash of lightning illuminated the sky and woke me up. Not that I could get up for a little while as I’d lost some feeling in my feet. I then kipped on a slightly-sloped sofa until just after sunrise.

Our communal area, including my beds

The following morning I headed with two friends to El Zonte, another beach about 10 km to the west. Their plan was to have a surf lesson. Mine…wasn’t. Not yet, anyway. Apparently the best time for learning is November to February. Also I don’t have a spare $40 for each lesson. Gotta love inflation.

According to people who know more than me, Zonte isn't as
touristy and built-up as other beach areas such as Tunco

Surf lessons are for an hour and stick to shallower 'white water'

Instead, I had a walk along the beach and a quick dip in the ocean. There were quite a few people, though it wasn’t as packed as I had anticipated. The current can be quite strong, even close to the shore. Have to be careful. 

Waves can get above 3 metres

Some surf, others splash about

Having accessibility to the beach was a big pull factor in our decision to move to El Salvador. The weekend was a lovely, gentle introduction to its sights, sounds and smells. I’m already heading back to the Pacific in a couple of weeks, and can see myself spending many a weekend down here once a car is sorted. 

A stunning Saturday sunset

Me gusta la playa!

Love you all,

Matt