Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Volcán de Ipala
The 1650m volcano,
Volcán de Ipala
(admission Q10)
, is notable for its especially beautiful clear
crater-lake measuring nearly 1km around and nestled below the summit at 1493m. The
dramatic hike to the top takes you from 800m to 1650m in about two hours, though you
can drive halfway up in a car. There are trails, a visitor center and a campsite on the
shores of the lake. To get there, take a bus from Chiquimula (1½ hours) or Jalapa (two
hours) to Ipala and transfer to a microbus to Agua Blanca (Q6, every 15 minutes). The
trailhead is at El Sauce just before Agua Blanca; look for the blue Inguat sign. You might
luck on to a pickup to Aldea Chigüiton, where the road ends, 2km from the highway run-
ning south from Ipala. You may also be able to rent a horse in Chigüiton.
Of the very limited accommodation options in downtown Ipala, the
Hotel Peña
(
7942-8064; 2a Calle 2-26, Ipala; s/d Q50/80; )
is about the best, altough it may be worth the
10-minute walk to the
Hotel Dorado
( 7942-8334; Barrio El Rostro, Ipala; s/d with fan Q100/120, r with
air-con Q150; )
, which offers new, vaguely modern rooms out on the highway to Agua
Blanca. There are banks with ATM and
comedores
around the plaza.
Restaurante El Original
(2
Av 'A' 1-20, Ipala; mains Q40; 11:30am-9pm Mon-Sat)
is a down-home steakhouse which does a
good flame-grilled chicken. Buses pull up a block away from Ipala's plaza, from where
everything listed here is an easy walk.
GETTING TO EL SALVADOR
Between Chiquimula and Esquipulas (35km from Chiquimula and 14km from Esquipulas), Padre Miguel junction
is the turnoff for Anguiatú, at the border with El Salvador, which is 19km (30 minutes) away. Minibuses pass by
frequently, coming from Chiquimula, Quetzaltepeque and Esquipulas.
The border at Anguiatú is open 24 hours, but you're best crossing during daylight. Plenty of trucks cross here.
Across the border there are hourly buses to the capital, San Salvador, passing through Metapán and Santa Ana.
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Volcán de Quetzaltepeque
About 10km east of the village of Quetzaltepeque, this volcano tops out at 1900m. The
walk to the top is tough going, through thick subtropical pine forest, and the trail disap-
