Introducing El Salvador
El Salvador sneaks up on you: in lefty lounge bars in San Salvador, at sobering museums and war memorials, and along lush cloud-forest trails; it's a place of remarkable warmth and intelligence, made all the more appealing for being so unexpected. Travellers tend to skip El Salvador, wooed by marquee destinations such as Guatemala and Costa Rica, and unnerved by stories of civil war and gang violence. But the war ended almost 20 years ago, and crime, while serious, is almost exclusively played out between rival gangs; tourists are virtually never involved. And though El Salvador has fewer protected areas than its neighbors, you get them practically to yourself – including pristine forests, active volcanoes and sparkling lakes. The only place you might find a crowd is on Punta Roca, El Salvador’s most famous surfing spot – it happens to be one of the best right point breaks in the world, yet is a ghost town compared to lesser swells in Costa Rica and elsewhere. And when it comes to cities, none in Central America is smarter or cooler than San Salvador, with first-rate universities, museums and galleries, a vibrant bar and live-music scene, and an array of progressive NGOs, both local and international.
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Sights in El Salvador
Activities in El Salvador
San Salvador
The cosmopolitan center of El Salvador is a city cranking with energy.
Tours in El Salvador
Eastern El Salvador
El Salvador's eastern interior is the least explored of all of its regions.
El Salvador destination guides
Western El Salvador
Western El Salvador is a beautiful part of the country, and a must for an El Salvador itinerary.
Hotels in El Salvador
Budget Hotels & Hostels in El Salvador
Guesthouses and B&Bs in El Salvador
Apartments in El Salvador
San Miguel
San Miguel, one of El Salvador's largest cities, is the main hub for the eastern half of the country.
Entertainment in El Salvador
Northern El Salvador
A short bus ride from San Salvador are the small towns of northern El Salvador and the Chalatenango department.
Shopping in El Salvador