A blastingly hot and unattractive border post in the midst of desolate hills, El Amatillo is a place to depart as quickly as possible. Expect short and fast lines on the Salvadoran side, but mystifyingly long and slow ones on the Honduran side. The folks that approach you to help you fill out your immigration form often have horrible handwriting, but they can expedite the process by cutting in the front of the line for you, for a negotiable fee, of course.

The border is open daily 6 a.m.–10 p.m. The nearest town in El Salvador is Santa Rosa de Lima, reached by frequent bus until late afternoon. Most buses to Tegucigalpa (4.5 hours on the direct bus, longer by the local bus) and Choluteca (three hours, local bus only) run 4 a.m.–5 p.m. Sometimes (with smooth skills) it’s possible to talk your way onto one of the lujo (luxury) buses to Tegucigalpa. One bus runs direct from the border to San Salvador every day around noon (US$5, 3.5 hours). If you do get stuck, there’s Hotel y Comedor Remar, near the Texaco gas station. El Amatillo is 42 kilometers from Jícaro Galán on a paved two-lane highway.