Recreation
Doña Edith teaching tourists how to cook pupusas on her wood-fired stove.
Pupusa Making
Longo Mai guests can learn how to make a pupusa, a common Salvadoran dish frequently found on Longo Mai tables. Pupusas are made from handmade corn dough that is molded into a bowl shape with the hands. The center is filled with foods that can include beans, squash, cheese, herbs, spices and much more. From there, the pupusa is sealed shut, flattened and cooked over a wood-fired stove until brown and delicious. Visitors can enjoy this treat at the end of the workshop.
Guided hikes
Longo Mai is surrounded by 450 hectares of forest, and guests have the option to take a guided hike through the forest to see the amazing biodiversity that surrounds the town. The forest houses a wide variety of different plant and tree species, and animals such as butterflies, bats, coyotes, anteaters, ocelots, and whiteface monkeys can be spotted here as well. Guests can also hike through Longo Mai’s sugar cane and coffee fields, or hike to the rivers to visit Longo Mai’s “beach,” a natural pool popular with locals and guests alike.
A group of tourists on a guided hike through one of Longo Mai’s sugarcane plantations.
Doña Consuela (left) and Doña Olga (right) are two of the Spanish teachers in Longo Mai.
Spanish Lessons
Whether you are looking to learn the Spanish language upon arriving at Longo Mai or wish to improve existing Spanish skills, Longo Mai offers visitors the opportunity to further develop their Spanish skills. The school here is nontraditional, with classes being held in homes, under trees, and next to the rivers to take advantage of situated learning. Within one month of studying here, students usually have enough knowledge to communicate with people in the town. Adults and youth are welcome to come here and learn Spanish, and people from all over the world have come here to study.
Coffee Picking
Longo Mai farmers grow coffee throughout the year, and guests have the option to pick coffee beans and learn about the processing. If a guest does not want to do the coffee picking activity, there is also simple, freshly roasted coffee available for purchase. If you purchase coffee, it is safe to take on planes. The type of coffee grown here varies depending on what time of year guests come, along with what picking is available.
A handful of newly processed coffee beans. They will dry out for a specific period of time before they’re ready to be sold.