El Salvador travel guide

El Salvador is one of Central America’s tiniest and most overlooked nations, yet it has far more to offer than you may think. With a rich culture, beautiful villages, tasty traditional food, thriving craft scene and a 500-year-old capital city, there is plenty here to keep you busy for a week or two – before chilling on the surf-drenched beaches of the Pacific. Discover more in our El Salvador travel guide.

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El Salvador travel guide

El Salvador is far more likely to feature in newspapers than travel brochures; perhaps this is why it remains off most tourists’ radars. Maybe they also stay away because there is so little known about its attractions – who knows off the top of their head what there is to do here? Most stories focus on the Salvadorians who are emigrating, rather than the small but growing number of travellers who are arriving. But as our El Salvador travel guide shows, these intrepid travellers have stumbled across a well kept secret.

Tiny El Salvador would fit inside the UK more than 10 times, yet it is home to some 600 bird species, and 20 volcanoes, two of which are active.

Four sea turtle species nest on El Salvador’s wild Pacific shores, and its sweet, shade-grown coffee is drunk the world over. The country’s dark past is revealed along the ‘Route of Peace’ that winds between former guerilla strongholds and once-devastated villages. The ‘Route of Flowers’, its creative counterpoint, leads travellers through artisan villages and vibrant food markets, in a wonderful display of the resilience and spirited culture of the Salvadorian people.

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El Salvador is…

the smallest country in Central America, but the third most populous.

El Salvador isn’t…

at war, and hasn’t been since the 13-year-long civil war ended in 1992.

Things to do in El Salvador...

El Salvador’s Pacific coastline will delight wildlife fans, twitchers, surfers and anyone who likes to watch the sunset while sipping from a coconut. Jiquilisco Bay is a labyrinth of islands, mangroves and channels, where you can kayak out to spot rare birds, and see hawksbill turtles nesting from May to September. Surfers should head to El Tunco, a popular spot for urban Salvadorians to get away from it all. The black sand beach is lined with caves and curious rock formations and you can rent a board to tackle the surf. The Gulf of Fonseca, meanwhile, is bordered by El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua; small boat cruises reveal volcano views, small fishing villages and perhaps the odd dolphin. For a gorgeous tour-within-a-tour, head to the Ruta de las Flores – the Route of Flowers – a 36km route which passes through quiet, traditional villages and weekly markets, all lined with colourful wildflowers in the dry months. Juayúa’s food market is a real highlight. Each Sunday, the streets are shaded beneath tarpaulin, and filled with plastic tables and chairs; you may be able to sample various specialities before choosing a plate to tuck into. Many colonial towns are also leaping off points for waterfall treks and crater lakes, as well as coffee plantations; visit the farmers and learn how to prepare coffee from bean to cup.

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Things not to do in El Salvador……

Ignore the history. While El Salvador’s past should certainly not deter you from visiting, we strongly recommend learning as much as you can about recent events. The 1979-1992 civil war feels all too recent for many Salvadorans, whose loved ones were killed, injured or disappeared. Follow the Ruta de la Paz through a former opposition stronghold to learn about how the war unfolded, and visit El Mozote, a farming village where 800-1,000 civilians were massacred, to meet local residents. At the Museum of the Revolution, your guide might be a former guerrilla. Avoid the capital. Central America’s cities don’t have the best reputations, but that’s all the more reason to explore San Salvador, a pretty colonial city whose wide boulevards and leafy plazas are safe to stroll around – a rarity in the region. Discover Mayan and indigenous Pipil history in the Museum of Anthropology, and more recent history in the Military Museum, which displays the 1992 Peace Accords. There is plenty of unusual architecture, too, with Art Deco mansions, and the almost German castle-style Castillo Venturoso. Miss out on the food. El Salvador is famed for its pupusas– corn tortillas stuffed with pork, cheese, beans and/or veg. They’re the perfect street food: delicious, ubiquitous, filling and dirt cheap! Otherwise, expect the usual heavy yet tasty Latino fare, from corn tamaleswrapped in leaves and fried pasties (pastels) filled with meat, to fried belly pork, cassava fries and coriander-infused beef soup.

El Salvador travel guide