\nAnd this is an opportunity that some local companies are understandably seizing. In addition to the plethora of open-source bitcoin wallets available, there are applications such as Osmo, which, in addition to allowing people to receive and send bitcoin, allows them to instantly convert them into quetzales, the local currency, or even U.S. dollars. There are local payment services such as IBEX that offer merchants a state-of-the-art implementation of the Lightning Network, ideal for larger businesses that also have reporting requirements. These services, thanks to the Bitcoin protocol, really do brilliantly replace a bank account or point-of-sale (PoS) provider. This is perhaps why there is so much enthusiasm on the lake for this technological innovation, and why adoption is growing so strongly. When you consider that the Bitcoin Lake experiment began not even a year ago, it is impressive how many businesses and merchants are already accepting bitcoin: a system that is faster, safer and cheaper than credit cards.<\/p>\n
What Is It Like To Live On Bitcoin In Bitcoin Lake?<\/h2>\n But what is it like, then, to live on bitcoin in Bitcoin Lake?<\/p>\n
Super fun!<\/p>\n
There are so many options available to Bitcoin travelers. We ate lunch and dinner at grassroots restaurants, had breakfast tasting the excellent local coffee, danced late into the night drinking great cocktails, even flew paragliders over the lake, rented a boat and took a tuc-tuc: all while paying in bitcoin. There are dozens and dozens of businesses that already accept them, and one is honestly spoiled for choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nThe comparison with Bitcoin Beach is, in this respect, merciless. Atitl\u00e1n is a much larger and more organized resort, so the supply in bitcoin will be greater considering such a wider reach for adoption. El Zonte, outside of the ocean and the surf, has little to offer and is a very small village, where at 8:00 at night you struggle to find an open restaurant. But Panajachel, for example, is a resort that manages to entertain well into the night. Here, you can happily come on vacation with your wife or pre-coiner friends while enjoying a wonderful Bitcoin holiday without the fear that they might get bored. <\/p>\n
But how do merchants react when, upon entering their store, you ask if you can pay in bitcoin?<\/p>\n
We were also very impressed by their reactions! They often gave us toothy smiles and said \u201cyes\u201d with a pride and enthusiasm not often encountered with most merchants in El Salvador. When it was time to pay a bill, they took their tablets or smartphones with incredible confidence, opened their wallets and, with four taps, showed us the correct QR codes \u2014 amazing awareness and knowledge of the technological tool.<\/p>\n
Needless to say, of course, this was not always the case. There were also those who panicked, those who answered us that, right now they could not accept our transactions because the owners were not there and the bitcoin wallet was on their smartphones, those who told us that today “Bitcoin is not working” and therefore, they were sorry, but they could only accept cash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nIn short, there is everything and more in Bitcoin Lake and it is still so early! But the feeling we have is that there is a lot of curiosity in the streets. When we stopped to talk about Bitcoin with locals, we always sensed a keen interest. They often asked us questions, they wanted to know more. <\/p>\n
“Is it true that it’s free? Really with the right application, even if you pay in bitcoin, I can receive quetzales or dollars?” <\/p>\n
No testy expressions, huffing faces or politically-aligned answers like, “I don’t care about bitcoin because I hate Bukele.”<\/p>\n
In Bitcoin Lake, we were only a few hundred miles further north than El Salvador, but a totally different wind seemed to be blowing. We have no doubt that this will soon be a very popular destination among Bitcoiners. After all, for what reason should anyone visiting Bitcoin Beach in El Salvador not spend a few days here as well? There are private buses that directly connect El Tunco, the town right next to El Zonte, with Lake Atitl\u00e1n. It only takes a few hours of travel time, is an extremely inexpensive transportation option and you will pass through majestic landscapes, traveling along safe roads.<\/p>\n
Our journey in Central America continues but our impression is that this part of the continent is waking up. There is a lot of economic and tourism potential here, and Bitcoin meets real needs. The Bitcoin traveler’s horizons, in short, are expanding rapidly and, as we have shown, the number of options is not limited only to El Salvador.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nThis is a guest post by Rikki. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n