Okay, so I wanted to make a visitor’s guide for El Salvador, and I figured, why not just dive in and do it? Here’s how it all went down.
Figuring Out the Basics
First, I needed to decide what kind of guide I was even making. Was it going to be a super detailed, every-single-thing-you-need-to-know kind of deal? Or more of a highlight reel of the best spots?
I thought about my own trips and how I usually like to travel. I’m not one for those jam-packed itineraries. I like to have a few key things I want to see, and then just wander and discover stuff along the way. So, I decided to go for a guide that was more about inspiring people than telling them exactly what to do.
Gathering Intel
Next up, research! I had a notebook filled with ideas, and notes, and thoughts.
- Been There, Done That: I started with the places I’ve personally been to in El Salvador. What did I love? What was “meh”? What did I wish I’d known before I went?
- Asking Around: I hit up some friends who’ve also traveled to El Salvador. Got their recommendations, their warnings, all that good stuff.
- Deep Dive: Then came a huge amount of time reading other blogs, official tourism sites. I needed to make sure I wasn’t missing anything major, and also to get some up-to-date info on things like safety and the best way to get around.
Putting It All Together
Now for the actual writing. This part was kind of a mess at first, I’m not gonna lie. I had all this information, but I needed to organize it in a way that made sense. I ended up doing it like this:
- Must-See Spots: I picked out, the absolute best places to go, like the volcanoes, the beaches, the colorful towns.
- Food, Glorious Food: A whole section on pupusas, obviously! And other local dishes that people should try. I also included some tips on finding good places to eat, because that’s always important.
- Getting Around: This part was tricky, cause advice on transport can change pretty quickly. I focused on the different options (buses, renting a car, etc.) and the pros and cons of each.
- Staying Safe: No sugarcoating here. I gave some realistic advice about safety, based on my own experiences and what I’d read from reliable sources.
- Random Tips: This was kind of a catch-all for stuff like what to pack, a few basic Spanish phrases, that kind of thing.
Making It Pretty (or at Least Readable)
Last step was to polish my visitors guide. I reread it multiple times and fixed some words.I wanted it to sound like I was talking to a friend, not writing a textbook.
And that’s it! It was a lot of work, but it was also really fun to put together. Hopefully, it’ll help someone else have an awesome time in El Salvador!
