El Salvador

The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador geographically nestles on the edge of North America, With nearly 7 million people living in an area of 21,040 km², El Salvador is also the most densely populated country in Central America. Situated on Gulf of Fonseca, El Salvador shares a border with Guatemala, Honduras and Pacific Ocean. El Salvador has one side of the country filled with mountainous lands and the other marked with golden beaches. And inside, the country is strewn with active volcanoes, stunning lakes and culturally and historically rich cities; making El Salvador a destination for all.

It is as if El Salvador is giving out a statement that size does not matter. It has over the years impressed everyone with with its tourism promotion and has in fact turned its small size into a boon. The cities of El Salvador are still only getting the infrastructure in place and gearing up to welcome a lot more for tourists. The country has one of the strongest economies in Central America and it is visible in the cosmopolitan nature of the cities. One can see sprawling shopping malls coming up in almost all corners of major cities. Other attraction of El Salvador is the rich history which is reflected from the many Mayan civilization buildings across the country.

San Salvador is the capital and the largest city of El Salvador. It is home to some of the most historical attractions of the country. Some of the must watch destinations in San Salvador are National Palace, plaza Gerardo Barrios and Plaza Morazan. It is also home to the only international airport in th country. Other major cities of El Salvador are Santa Tecla, Acajutla, and La Libertad.

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Fast Facts

Location – Caribbean
Capital – San Salvador
Population – 6,704,932
Language – Spanish, Nawat
Religion – Roman Catholic, Protestants

Calling Code - +503
Time Zone – UTC -6

Climate –Tropical Climate
Currency – US dollar (USD)
Best time visit – All through the year

 

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Highlights

Balboa Park

This is among the most important natural parks in El Salvador. For its breathtaking scenic views and tranquil environment, Balboa Park has become a popular picnic destination among locals. One of the must see attractions of the park is La Puerta del Diablo, also called the Devil's Doorway, which is a unique and wonderful rocky formation. Situated just 7 miles from the borders of capital city San Salvador, Balboa Park offers lot of other activities like skating in the park, soccer facilities and a playground for kids.

Anthropological Museum of El Salvador - San Salvador

The museum might be a recent addition to San Salvador, but the collection it has is related to the oldest times in the history of the country. The artifacts put on display are from pre-historic to present, including the culturally rich period of pre-Hispanic Mayan and post-Hispanic Colonial. In a world where the difference between cultural and modern is fast diminishing, collections like this help us remember the cultural richness that a country possess.

Lago de Ilopango

This is El Salvador's largest natural lake and one of the most visited attractions as well. Lago de Ilopango lake is nearly 15 km long, 8 km wide and 248 meters deep. A tourist can indulge in boating, swimming and fishing at the lake. Some parts of the lake are covered by forest which also makes it an important destination for bird watching. Situated near Apulo village, enough infrastructure has been developed around the lake to support tourists throughout the year.

Teatro de Santa Ana

Bright paint and a unique built style - Teatro de Santa Ana stands out magnificently in the crowd. Teatro de Santa Ana is the oldest theater in Central America which was built between the years 1911 and 1917. It employs a French renaissance architectural style with flashes of modernity at all the right places. It has stained glass windows and a marble staircase to add to its charm. Even the interiors are lavishly decorated with intricate detailing.

 

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Things To Do

Surfing – Racing The Waves

It is fast climbing to the spot of the top surfing destination in all of America. By the looks of it, it will soon be in a tug of war for the crown of best surfing destination in the world. El Salvador receives some very consistent waves, mainly during November to April, when there is a dry season. Professional surfers who are looking for a bit more challenging conditions choose the rainy season for bigger waves. Another attracting feature for surfers is the many lone surf spots that are available in El Salvador.

Trekking - Exploring The Impossible

Huge mountainous region, numerous volcanic peaks and deep forests, mean loads and loads of fantastic trekking routes. The diverse ecosystem, the great variety of flora and fauna add to your options for a relaxing trekking tour. There are many tour operators who provide packages of different days and for different destinations.

White Water Rafting – Taming The Rough Water

There are better destinations for river rafting than El Salvador, but this country has got specialties of its own. Rivers like Lempa, Sumpul, and Bandera provide class 2 to class 4 rapids for long stretch. The best time to indulge in river rafting in El Salvador is just after rainy season in May to October.

Trip To Deep Jungles

El Salvador has some extremely rich ecological parks which are brimming with various species of flora and fauna. One of the must visit national parks in El Salvador is El Imposible National Park where regular ecological tours are organized. These parks are also good for birdwatching as rare species like Black Hawk eagle are also sighted.