Juayua (pronounced why-YOO-wuh) is a cute little town nestled in the mountains of El Salvador. Known mostly for being along the country’s famous Ruta de Flores and its weekend food festival, this town is becoming a popular destination for travelers exploring El Salvador.
I got to spend three days in Juayua and just fell in love with its small town charm. The mountain elevation brought cooler temperatures, and the easy layout of the town made it a wonderful place to visit. I wish I could have stayed longer in Juayua to explore more of what it had to offer. But in the few days I was there, I did see and do a lot. If you’ve got Juayua on your El Salvador itinerary (and you should), here is what you’ll want to know!
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Juayua El Salvador Travel Guide
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Practical Bits
→ Juayua is not the easiest place to get to. You will either have to ride a chicken bus (the local transport system) or hire a private taxi.
→ There are two large grocery stores in Juayua, so don’t worry about needing to restock anything. They’ve both got a good selection of both Central American goods and familiar US products.
→ There are also several ATMs around town to help replenish your cash.
→ There are fewer tourists in this part of El Salvador. That means fewer people who speak fluent English. I hope you’ve been practicing your español! I’m not a fluent Spanish speaker, but was able to manage alright.
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Where to Stay
Casa Mazeta
Casa Mazeta hostel is an adorable little haven within the town of Juayua. It’s colorful and homey and an easy walk to anything within the town. Plus they’ve got a cute little (totally non-mangey) dog that hangs out, named Chomoco! There’s a lovely garden space in the interior of the hostel, as well as a fire ring, and laundry lines if you need them! The main living space is a great place to hang out. They have great wifi and tons of DVDs to choose from if you get stuck inside on a rainy afternoon.
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Where to Eat
Feria Gastronomica
Juayua is known for its food festival that takes place every Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Food vendors from all over come and set up stations around Parque Central. You will find so much food here, you won’t even know what to do with yourself. Most of what you’ll find will be grilled meats, but if you look hard you can find some other treats too!
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Pupuseria Estelita
This is literally the best place in El Salvador to find pupusas. They are made-to-order, incredibly flavorful, and SO easy on your wallet. We ordered 5 different flavored pupusas, plus two drinks, and paid a total of $3.00. I had the chicken and cheese pupusas every time we went. They tasted just like a flat little chicken pot pie. There are lots of other flavors to choose from too!
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Pasteleria y Cafeteria Festival
Looking for a little breakfast, or a place to satisfy your sweet tooth in Juayua? Look no further than Pasteleria y Cafeteria Festival. This was one of the most legit bakeries I’ve found in my Central American travels. There were a crazy amount of baked goods to choose from, plus a whole cooler of delicious looking cakes. I got an amazing little tartlet filled with my favorite Central American fruit- guava! I could’ve eaten twenty of them…
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What to Do
Feria Gastronomica
This one is on here again! Not only is there some drool-worthy food at the Feria Gastronomica, but the atmosphere itself is something you have to experience! The sounds of meat sizzling on the grill. The smells wofting through the air. The families and friends gathered together at the tables. There are also a few market stalls that set up around the festival if you’re looking to do a little shopping.
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Los Chorros de la Calera
A 40 minute hike outside of Juayua will lead you to these gorgeous waterfalls. You can’t have a trip to Juayua without seeing them. Plus, you can swim in the crystal clear pool that the falls empty into. Just make sure to go with an experienced guide. Here’s everything you’ll want to know before you hike to Los Chorros de la Calera!
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Parque Central
As with all great places, Juayua has its own little Central Park. Here, you can see the beautiful water fountain that sits directly in the middle of the park. You can sit and relax, and people watch as locals go about their daily lives. There are also many restaurants and some market stalls around the park that you can explore.
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If All Else Fails…
Stop in at their tourism office! They’d be happy to help you find more information about what to do in Juayua and its surrounding communities!
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It may take a little more effort to get to Juayua, El Salvador, but it just cannot be missed! The quiet and peaceful vibe of the city, combined with the greenness of the nature around it makes Juayua a perfect and peaceful little stop on your El Salvador itinerary.
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35 Comments
I had to do a double take of those pastries! And your hostel seems super cute from the outside. I love cozy and colorful hostels!
As a huge fan of pupusas I now have to go and get some and being in the UK right now does not lead to a steady supply of said pupusas. I loved this adventure, off the beaten track in Latin American countries is just heaven, the food, the people the colours absolutely adore it.
The pastries were the first thing that made me think that I could actually survive in Juayua. I’m quite the picky eater but as long as I know there are some good looking pastries that I’m good to go.
Can you get to Los Chorros de la Calera without a guide? The waterfall looks amazing!
I’m totally a picky eater and trust me, you’ll have no problems in Juayua. You can get to the waterfalls without a guide, but it is highly recommended to get a guide. I will be publishing another article specifically about Los Chorros de la Calera, so stay tuned!
This looks like a beautiful little town to visit in El Salvador! I’ve yet to even visit Central America, but seeing these pictures makes me want to! The food looks delicious there as well! Thanks for the post, it’s very informative.
Hi there! Great post! I am a travel agent and literally just attended a webinar about El Salvador and now this post – I am loving El Salvador. The food you talked about is making me hungry! That bakery and those pupas have me rolling over they look so delicious!
El Salvador is really overlooked as a travel destination. I don’t think it’s ready to become the next Cancun yet, but if you have customers looking for something off the beaten path, El Sal may be a great choice!
Looks like a very chilled out place. I think I’d spend my time there just eating and soaking up the atmosphere. Although I could be persuaded to visit the waterfall! I haven’t been to Central America but I hope to get there one day soon; I’ll put El Salvador on the list.
I’m curious about the chicken bus! Where do you sit in one? Are you literally beside chickens or is it just what is also used to transport chickens? I think I might pick a private taxi since it seems easiest haha.
Oh, the Chicken bus. Umm I think the majority no longer allow chickens but I’m sure there are some out there that still do. They’re basically school buses that have been pimped out with bright colors and smaller seats. It was an interesting cultural experience, but I was happy to pay a bit more for seats that my legs fit in!
This is my first time hearing of a pupusa but based on your description I am absolutely craving one right now! I think El Salvador in general is often overshadowed by the more popular Central American destinations like Belize and Costa Rica, but it looks like Juayua would be the perfect place for an off the beaten path adventure.
If I am ever gonna visit this place, your post is going to be my ultimate guide. Since it covers all the information neatly. Thanks for sharing!
I love little towns and I am sure Juayua would be no exception. The food looks great, even if I would have trouble pronouncing it. And how that scenery, especially at the Los Chorros De la Calera falls, it looks more than worth the 40 minute hike. I need to get myself on that chicken bus.
Amazing post Brianna and very well detailed 🙂 . Never been in Salvador, but I whish to visit one day…my neighbour is from San Salvador, and she cooked pupusas for me 😀 so delicious, and of course really spicy…she told me many awesome things about the people and the places there 🙂
Interesting! The pupusas I had weren’t spicy at all. Maybe that’s because they were catering to my weak tastebuds 😛
I love the fact that you have to take a chicken bus to get there – and that food looks delicious. I love finding out of the way places like this! Great shout!
Juayua sound really fascinating. The Chicken bus is something that sounds unique. The natural beauty and the landscapes sound very appealing too.
Brianna, El Salvador has never been on my bucket list. All I knew was that San Salvador is the capital. Now I know two places in El Salvador.
I love hearing about a captivating small town. I would love to try the pastry with the guava! Yum! That waterfall looks very inviting. Guide tip noted.
The chicken bus sounds like a lot of fun! We love tiny villages, and this one seems ideal with the incredible bakery and nearby waterfall!! Score, score, score! This tiny place in El Salvador sounds exactly like the type of destination we look for. Bravo!
Juayua looks like a neat little colourful town with plenty to see. I’m glad you had a good time there. The food was cheap!
That’s a lovely little guide you put together, very usefull. Was just wondering what the pupusas are actually made from?
I think it’s a mixture of corn/flour tortilla, and then inside you can choose what you want. I highly recommend chicken and cheese!
Fascinating place. I didnt know that El Salvador was becoming popular with tourists but with places like these where you can get a variety of experiences, i am sure more people will flock the place in future. Hope to visit it someday
Jauaya seems like a cute little place to be. I have never really given thought to travelling to South America as it is very far from India but would definitely like to do so. The pupusas sound really interesting. How did they taste?
I have actually just returned from the World Travel Market in London where El Salvador was tempting their visitors with traditional sweets. They were so good! I bet the Gastronomical Fair from Juayua was a very delicious experience. I would definitely love to the that hike also, the waterfall looks very inviting to see and swim at the bottom of it too.
I frankly din’t have much idea about El Salvador. I knew its a small country with a turbulent history but this post presents a very different picture of the same. Guess I’ll have to include it my plans when I finally make t to the new world.
Your photography is awesome. In all honesty, I don’t know much about El Salvador (or Central America in general). Thank you for showing us this! I have a plan to go to Central America for 6 months late in 2017. I hope it happens, I am so excited! 😀
This is such a helpful guide. I don’t even know how to pronounce the name of the place. Haven’t heard of it either. Anyhow, nice to know that I must really practice my Spanish before heading to El Salvador!
This post is filled with unusual / off-the-beaten path recommendations. Loved reading about them and viewing your pics! Thanks for sharing.
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