Morazán

Introducing Morazán

Morazán Department, occupying the northeast corner of the country, has always been poor, at least monetarily speaking. It was a stronghold of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) during the war, in no small part because the farmers naturally rallied to the guerrillas' call for land reforms. But serving as a rebel stronghold earned Morazán the ire of government forces, and some of the war's worst fighting - and atrocities - took place here. Even communities that remained neutral suffered terrible persecution and destruction.

Whether despite that history or because of it, Morazán is now a favorite destination among many foreign travelers in El Salvador. Perquín is the crown jewel, with an excellent museum about the war and a well-organized tourist office. The town itself is charming and cool, and the surrounding area offers great hiking among forest-clad hills, crashing waterfalls and brilliant blue skies. Morazán boasts the country's cleanest river, the Río Sapo, with well-maintained camping facilities nestled in the trees along its banks. Given more time, you can visit Morazán's smaller towns, like Cacaopera and Guatajiagua, or Ciudad Segundo Montes, which are fascinating in their own right, whether for indigenous influence, strong artistic traditions or simply for their small-town charm.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009