Welcome To Cinquera

Location:
El Salvador

Rural Eco Tourism

CINQUERA, A REMOTE PARADISE SET IN THE HEART OF EL SALVADOR

Cinquera is a small and picturesque rural community located in the Salvadorian Department of Cabañas, 47 miles or 78 kilometers northeast of the bustling capital city of San Salvador.

Upon your arrival to Cinquera you will find the local people to be very friendly and respectful, the visitor will encounter no beggars nor vendors hawking tourist souvenirs.

The Municipality of Cinquera, itself nestled in a valley, is surrounded by 14 hills that are part of a protected natural preserve, known as "The Mountain of Cinquera." The ecological biosphere of the basin, in which lies the town of Cinquera, and the entrance to the forest preserve, is classified as a 'tropical rain forest'. It lies in a hot and humid climatic zone, some 350 meters above sea level, where the average temperature year round is 28 degrees centigrade. Don't fret, trails through the park ascend to the summit of the mountain, some 1,750 meters above sea level, where the air temperature is far more pleasant, becoming downright cool and pleasant the higher one acscends toward the summit.

The Cultural Heritage of Cinquera has a strong link with the living historical memory of many residents who were involved in the armed conflict that lasted some 22 years in El Salvador from 1970 until the Peace Accords of 16 January 1992 were signed, ending the armed conflict. All of the inhabitants in Cinquera at that time were part of the social bases of the guerrillas of the Popular Liberation Forces (FPL), one of the most important forces that formed part of the Front "Farabundo Martí National Liberation (FMLN).

During the war all the residents of Cinquera and the surroundings fled, leaving the area around it deserted. Beginning in 1992, the residents of Cinquera began to return, in order to rebuild and restore their village. The vision of Cinquera's residents was to restore their town and to preserve the delicate ecology of the surrounding forested area. The natural preserve was developed with the assistance of international relief organizations to preserve and protect the delicate ecological balance, along with the historical monuments.

El Salvador is the most densely populated country  in all the Americas. 64% of the total population now resides in urban areas.

At present, the infrastructure includes the park, trails, uniformed guides and restored historical monuments, to support low-impact sustainable Eco-tourism benefiting the entire community while preserving the ambience of the village with its important links to the Historical Memory of the Armed Conflict 1970-1992

CINQUERA PHOTO GALLERY

 Check out these photos of Cinquera on flickr.com,

www.flickr.com/photos/maxgirin/sets/72157601585516225/

THE HISTORY OF CINQUERA

Cinquera chapter from Kathy's Bloq in English..long and very

informative… View: "The Story of Cinquera" click on:

www.heartlandpresbyterian.org/KathysBlog/index.php

(Story of Cinquera is graphic and not for the faint of heart)

January 18th – The Story of Cinquera

Posted by Kathy Mahler

"This is probably my longest story. And it is very ugly in parts.”

This Bloq is targeted for those wishing to visit or volunteer in El Salvador & Central America in behalf of our dear associates and friends of ARDM:

ARDM

Asociación de Reconstrucción y Desarrollo Municipal

Barrio El Centro, frente al Parque,

Cinquera, Departamento de Caba?as, El Salvador, C. A.

ARDM is a Non Profit Organization registered in El Salvador.

Our eco tourism project is now ready to accept both visitors and volunteers.

E mail or message the writer through (vivatravelguides) for more detailed information in English.

Further Information

Travel tips: Please do contact me first, very remote.
Must see/do at this place: Tour the Rain Forest and visit the monuments, view the article for complete information.
You should avoid here: Trekking at low altitudes midday, very hot and humid.
Other helpful information: attached text from a Cinquera Bloq

Focus: Human Rights

Action Request: Volunteer

Location: El Salvador

Discover the Undiscovered....El Salvador & Central America

We will assist you to adapt every step of the way, so if serious please contact us in advance, no "fees" involved however you shall have to cover your own expenses after arrival for lodging, food, ground transportation and day excursions requiring native guide escort....as well if you are planning a Central American vacation on a budget or as an independent traveler our drivers and experienced native guides are at your disposal and if not having time to volunteer, you will be able to visit several humanitarian aid projects, make valuable contacts and more important..friends!

We are "into" people...not "destinations".

entonces...so...

CINQUERA EL SALVADOR CULTURE, CRAFTS, ECOLOGICAL TREASURES AND LIVING HISTORY OF THE

RECENT ARMED CONFLICT...ALL ROLLED INTO ONE!

Le Esperamos con gusto....

Cinquera El Salvador... Seeking short term volunteers presently in or

traveling through Central America to assist with eco and cultural tourism project..non profit cooperative funded in part by international aid organizations ....

Association for the

Reconstruction and Municipal Development of Cinquera

ARDM ..Cinquera Cabañas

El Salvador, Central America

Offices also located in San Salvador, El Salvador, the capital city

Contact information upon request, please message....

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***Cinquera-Rural Tourism-Pilot Project

As well as eco tourism Cinquera boasts historical and cultural sites, the

village was destroyed during the worst years of the civil conflict in El

Salvador in the early 1980s and those residents who survived either hid out in

the nearby caves (which are viewed on tour with trained uniformed guides from

the community) of fled the country. After the peace accords of 1992 former

residents began trickling back to Cinquera and in effect this small town was

"reborn". Aside from the Rain Forest tour, there exist in Cinquera historical

and cultural sites such as the Church, a building which stood alone and empty of

worshipers throughout the armed conflict." The Uniformed native guides will

escort you every step of the way through the rain forest, trails have been

constructed. Local transportation to and from Cinquera provided from San

Salvador or Suchitoto, Cinquera is a village, crime free, very welcoming people..bienvenidos!

Cinquera is located well off the beaten path, short term volunteers now

would need to stay in nearby colonial town of Suchitoto or in San Salvador until

the hostal in Cinquera is constructed. Transportation arranged for visitors/volunteers to and from sites in rural areas. Cost of Lodgings and transport borne by vistors and volunteers as the project has limited funding.**

**Travelers note...prices of fuel and foodstuffs have risen dramatically in our region in the last several months, please message in advance of your journey for assistance in reserving budget to moderate lodging places As of 10 May 2008 Regular Gasoline in El Salvador was $4.13 USD US Gallon while Diesel stood at $4.35 USD US Gallon, salaries and pensions in Central America are low by US and European standards. We are unable to provide short term volunteers with room, board and free transport. All visitors to the Rain Forest/Nature Preserve are required to pay admission to park and guide fees if wishing an escorted tour. No exceptions.

***After volunteering in El Salvador we are able to connect you with other worthy projects and

humanitarian aid organizations throughout Central America

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** The Story of Cinquera (As related to the author of the bloq below by a survivor of the massacre during the armed conflict)

Sunday, January 20, 2008, 10:24 PM

Posted by Kathy Mahler (Aid worker assigned to El salvador at that time)

(url upon request)

"This is probably my longest story. And it is very ugly in parts.

This is a brutal story. The first part is largely what the conditions of life were in the 70’s and 80’s. The last part is about the massacres that occurred in 1983 and 1984 and a bit on life today.

The words are horrible to hear first hand from a survivor. Poor Ashley, our young translator (the former Drake student now working in El Salvador) was a bit pale at times. I don’t think she had heard this before. I have, but it was just as difficult the second time around as it was the first. And there were more details this time …

I had a notebook with me so I caught most of the story. I had time to write because of the translating process. That was both a blessing and a curse. I will be paraphrasing at times, but much of the story is in his words because he spoke slowly and in short phrases. And the narrative seems to jump from topic to topic, but that is the way he spoke. It was a powerful delivery.

Don Pablo introduced himself as one of the few remaining people living in Cinquera from the days of the war. The town was absolutely leveled during the war. All the houses we see today were built after the Peace Accords in 1992. The majority of the original inhabitants were killed. Most everyone else has gone to another department (like a state) or has left the country because they were being persecuted. He held up a calendar produced by Equipo Maize which has small pictures of the faces of those who died. On the calendar part, the date and place where they died is entered. These were people from all over the country – not just in this area.

So here is his story:

He asked: Why did this happen in El Salvador? What was the life in El Salvador before the war?

“I first became socially aware in about 1950. Conditions were poor and nothing had changed in favor of the people since then. The great majority of the people who live in the country live miserably: lacking basic things for life. Everyone cultivated little plots of land for basic grains just to survive. But the land was not theirs. The majority of people worked the land but they did not get paid. They could not rent the land and pay with money so they had to pay to use the land with the harvest. And the harvest was never sufficient to survive. So people left Cinquera to go to other Departments to look for work. The Departments of Cabañas, Morazón and Chalatenengo were the poorest areas. Most people between November and February left Cinquera to work the coffee finca, also the sugar cane and cotton fields on the land of the very same people who were exploiting them with their little plots of land where they were cultivating in their home town. Almost everyone had to leave in order to work and they were treated very badly. They were paid badly and the exploiters took away part of their wages if they were being provided a place to sleep. So people would sleep under the trees. And lots of children and older people died on the plantations because they were always exposed to the elements. There was never enough water to bathe. People would go 15-20 days without bathing. They were only given 2 liters of water per day to drink. There were no clinics to take care of people.” ....... for the entire story message for url.....

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Cinquera undergoing reconstruction since 1992

The Rain forest and nature preserve is now completely developed and the town is ready to receive visitors. Three Uniformed Guides/Park Rangers on duty 7 days a week.

If planning to visit Cinquera and the rest of El Salvador.....

Cinquera and other projects are in fairly remote rural areas and native guides are unable to accompany low budget travelers on public transport (buses) for reasons of comfort, safety and time factor..for visitors and volunteers we utilize insured vehicles owned by local drivers...

Backpacking - Those of you on a very low budget will find that that though time consuming and at times crowded and a bit uncomfortable, getting around El Salvador and Central America by bus on your own can be an unforgetable adventure and very inexpensive. Of course, use common sense and take precautions for your personal security. Never walk alone at night, in cities and large towns, especially women alone or in pairs, best take taxi or ride with friends back to your lodging place after dark.

Avoid walking or hiking alone in unfamiliar remote areas, all organized volcano climbs in both El Salvador and Guatemala now require local tour operators to provide both guide and security for visitors.

In general, except for marginal areas in San Salvador metropolitan area, El Salvador is quite safe for visitors and local people are quite open, friendly and helpful to visitors.

Le esperamos con gusto.

Association for the

Reconstruction and Municipal Development of Cinquera

ARDM ..Cinquera Cabañas

El Salvador, Central America

Offices also located in San Salvador, El Salvador, the capital city

Care2.com members message me

Bloq with more detailed and our direct contact information....http://elsalvadoradventures.blogspot.com/

About this Page

By Donald Lee
US Citizen, long term ex pat resident of Central America. "Assisting Travelers, Language Students and Volunteer Workers in Latin America" San...

Created: 14 Aug 2008

Updated: 14 Nov 2008