El Salvador
Top 10 Destinations in El Salvador
Top 10 Tourist Destinations in El Salvador
Rich geography and culture have made the country El Salvador an attractive tourist destination. This Central American country is small but it has stunning long stretches of beaches, forests, mountains, national parks and a huge collection of inland attractions to lure people from all around the world.
Despite the country’s bad reputation for its over two decades civil war, El Salvador is now one of the safest travel destinations in the world. Here are top 10 tourists destination I would recommend to those planning a trip to this country:
Tazumal
Tazumal is the most impressive pre-Columbian Mayan archeological site in Chalchuapa, El Salvador. This advanced society thrived for over 3000 years until the Spanish arrival in the 16th century.
Tazumal complex was excavated and restored by Stanley Boggs during 1940s and 50s though most of the ruins remained unexplored. There is a cluster of unusual and mostly intact pyramids and the largest one among them is up to 75 feet tall. The portion Boggs uncovered is a very small glimpse of the civilization but you can experience those artifacts, potteries, and statues in the onsite Stanley H. Boggs Museum.
Lake Ilopango
In center El Salvador, Lake Ilopango is a crater lake which is filled with volcanic caldera. This caldera preserved the second largest lake in the country. The lake was created when the caldera collapsed sometime between 410 and 535 AD.
San Salvador
The San Salvador is the capital and the largest city and is one main tourist attraction in El Salvador. You won’t regret staying here for two or three days because there are lots of museums and sites to explore which depict different aspects of the city.
You can step into the Military History Museum, the Children's Museum, the Museum of Words and Images and the Museum of Popular Art, and explore a lot about the culture and history of this country. The city also offers a lot of natural beauty to its beholders like some gorgeous volcanoes, the beautiful crater lake, and also some best national parks
Punta Roca
Known as the busiest place in El Salvador, Punta Roca is the best place for the surfers as it is a home for great surf spot in the country. Beginners can take a lesson and use a rental board from the resort and enjoy the surf while beachgoers and sunbathers can lie their back and enjoy the sun and amazing tropical weather.
Santa Ana
As the second largest city in the country, Santa Ana is painted with full of tree-lined streets, vibrant structures, and tranquil environment that have caught the attention of people and lured them from far countries. The city’s decorated theater Teatro de Santa Ana, which is an early 20th-century neo-Gothic cathedral and picturesque main square, have made the city worth a day trip.
Playa El Cuco
Playa El Cuco is a beautiful beach town with a shaggy palm-lined shore, beach sports like volleyball and soccer, incredible natural views, seafood restaurants, and vendor huts as well as the calm water here makes it quite a nice place for swimming.
Ruta de las Flores
The Ruta de las Flores is a trail named after the wildflowers that grow along the road that leads travelers through some beautiful villages. The route starts from Sonsonate through Juayúa, Ataco, Apaneca, and Ahuachapán. The best time to travel on this route is the dry seasons from October to February.
Joya de Cerén
Joya de Cerén is an amazing archeological well-preserved and intact Mayan farming village which was abandoned for the first time in AD 200 due to the eruption of the Ilopango volcano.
After being repopulated around AD 400, for the second and final time the village was buried under 14 layers of ashes due to the eruption of Loma Caldera. The village was finally discovered in 1976.
Joya de Cerén is a perfect place to visit where you can easily step into the past.
El Tunco
El Tunco is one of the most popular and visited coastal towns and surf spots in El Salvador. It is like the dreamland for a surfer. One can easily get surf classes here as well as rent boards from surf shops. El Tunco is a beautiful black sand beach and has around 20 hotels, eateries, cafes, boutique shops and bars.
Lake Coatepeque
Lake Coatepeque is a lake located in the heart of a volcanic crater surrounded by wooded hills in western El Salvador. The lake formed due to the constant volcanic eruption and collapses around 72,000 years ago. Now, it is one of the most beautiful tourist sites in the country.
The unspoiled lake water is perfect for swimming and also some great water sports like jet skiing and scuba diving and fishing are available here.
