Goodlife People: A Q+A with Rivas From El Zonte S-cool
Next up, in our #GoodlifePeople Series, we are featuring Luis Rodrigo Rivas, aka Rivas by locals in El Zonte and its surrounding neighborhoods. Rivas knows El Salvador like no other — he was born and raised in El Salvador, working the majority of his life in tourism and the coffee industry, and offers a unique lens on the country. Learn more about him and his services in the full Q+A below.
PS… Contact us if you, or someone you know, would like to participate in this series! Enjoy.
Hi there! I am Luis Rodrigo Rivas creator of El Zonte S-cool your local tour guide with more than 10 years of experience. I am originally from Merliot, Antiguo Cuscatlan, in the city. I’ve always been surrounded by the farm life; so my ways are very simple and I consider myself a nature lover. I am outgoing, friendly and patient ; and many of the skills I have are self taught.
Tell us about El Zonte S-cool, what was the inspiration for the business and the name? When did it start?
I went to high school and studied business administration. Then, I got a job as an English teacher and decided to go on a special adventure: I moved to El Zonte 16 years ago and that’s when the business idea switched roles. I started my business using my knowledge of an English teacher and instead, I began teaching Spanish for travelers. This was a pivot change for what I initially had in my head; and because of this, I started developing tours and tailoring each of them until I was able to setup the coffee and chocolate business. The coffee and chocolate business was born during the pandemic, since there were no tours to give lol.
Where can we access your services?
Our services are outsourced by different hotels and airbnb services that work in the same network. We provide the most high end and all inclusive services to our most demanding customers. You can find us through our social media page named @elzonteschool, website, we have a physical store in Esencia Nativa Hotel, and also by word of mouth. The surf community is quite small so everyone knows us; plus we are one of the oldest in the business, hence the vast experience. We hand tailor all of our tours.
Okay, do you accept Bitcoin…?
You can contact us to our Instagram profile El Zonte School . We accept cash, Bitcoin, cc or payment links.
This is more a personal question, what would you recommend to others when they visit El Salvador? You can be specific, list restaurants or activities or hotels?
As a Salvadorian, I want you to experience my culture so I will definitely promote full immersion in it. The food is amazing, the scenery is beautiful and Salvadorans are always willing to lend a helping hand.
If you could share one message with the world about El Salvador what would it be?
The message to the world would be: come to El Salvador and experience the simple life we live.
Rapid Fire, Vamos!
One word to describe El Salvador?
Safe
One community/town you’d recommend visiting
Playa El Zonte and its community
One of your favorite hotels?
Esencia nativa hotel for a surfer feeling
One of your favorite restaurants?
Restaurante km59
A local brand you are loving right now?
La Reserva
One item you can’t live without?
Surf and motocross
One thing you want to try in 2023?
I wanna try to camp more
Please, do yourself a favor and book a Rivas experience, besides seeing and learning about the Salvadoran culture, you will have tons of fun! Here are El Zonte School social platforms:
Instagram: @elzonteschool
Whatsapp: Rivas Tours
Website: http://www.elzonteschool.com
