La Palma

Introducing La Palma

Surrounded by verdant mountains and bathed in fresh mountain air, La Palma may be 84km north of San Salvador, but it's well worth the climb, and it's a must if you're heading into Honduras via El Poy. Stay here for easy access to the area's hiking and outdoors options, without giving up amenities like Internet access, banking facilities, a grocery store and a variety of restaurants. To get even further away, consider staying in nearby San Ignacio, or one of the several great country lodges nearby.

Wherever you stay, definitely spend an hour or two perusing La Palma's famous artesanía stores. Painter Fernando Llort moved to La Palma in 1972, and developed an art trend that today represents El Salvador around the world. Llort's childlike images of mountain villages, campesinos or images of Christ are painted in bright colors on anything from seeds to church walls. He taught some residents in La Palma how to create the same images and soon began a cooperative that churned out dozens of painted artifacts, from crosses to key rings to napkin holders. Today 75% of the village makes a living by mass-producing this art, none deviating too far from the traditional drawings or colors.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009