Juayúa

Introducing Juayúa

Juayúa (pronounced 'why-you-uh') is awesome - no two ways around it. Besides attractive colonial architecture, a pleasant central plaza, and a historic church - gotta have one of those - Juayúa also hosts a wildly successful weekend feria gastronómica (food festival), when local and invited restaurateurs serve terrific food at tables set up around the parque central. The event draws scads of local and international tourists, and has been copied by towns throughout El Salvador - though none quite equal it. Around Juayúa are excellent hiking and other eco-outdoorsy activities, from rappelling down waterfalls to mountain biking in private fincas (coffee plantations). For something less sweaty, you can take a tour of a coffee processing plant or - if you come midweek - simply soak in Juayúa's small-town charm.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009