Jiquilisco Bay, Biosphere Reserve

Depart from your San Salvador hotel a 7:00 MA to the east to the country and get to the Puerto barillas lodge at 9:00 AM. The morning begins with a visit to the Cocoa Plantation

The local cacao expert guide will guide you through each one of the steps in processing high-quality cacao. Beginning with the first step of grafting either on a young 6-month-old plant or on grounds and continue to learn about the harvest, cutting and extraction of the grains in a cacao pod. Next, you will learn about the post-harvest process: fermentation and drying, which are determining factors in the quality of the chocolate. This is a 45-minute tour. At the end of the tour, we will invite you to try a cup of hot chocolate when retuning to Puerto Barillas.

Hacienda La Carrera in the 60s-70s included a protected, environmentally conscious zoo. After the land reform that took place in late 1979 many innocent animals were killed or sold. However, there was a community of cunning spider monkeys that managed to survive over the years. Today, much of the property at Hacienda La Carrera has been repurchased for agricultural use. Nevertheless, the purchasing company has gone to great efforts to purchase “green areas” with a strong commitment to preserve and protect the flora and fauna. As a result, native wildlife in the area has made an impressive comeback. The monkey population is also thriving, having reached close to 30. Spider monkeys are quite curious and fond of tourists. They will happily accept bananas from visitors and make for a wonderful experience. If you are lucky, you will be hosted by Pancho and Maria, the leaders of the monkey community (or the most popular monkeys).