El Salvador
SMILE. YOU’VE LANDED IN EL SALVADOR.
Known anciently as Cuzcatlán, or “The Place of Precious Things”, El Salvador enjoys a splendid position on Central America’s Pacific Coast. Tucked between Guatemala and Honduras, its brown sugar beaches stretch nearly uninterrupted for 190 miles, welcoming surfers, sun seekers and sports fishers. In the mountainous interior: luxuriant cloud forests, fertile coffee plantations, and charming colonial towns surround an arc of over 100 volcanoes.
LANGUAGE SPANISH
CURRENCY UNITED STATES DOLLAR
READ THE VIOLENCE OF LOVE
TASTE AREPAS
SIP HORCHATA
EXPERIENCE HIKING THE SANAT ANA VOLCANO
El Salvador’s cultural lineage is among the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. The Maya settled here more than 4,000 years ago, adorning their cities with temples and palaces. Other ancient cultures with ties to this region include the Olmec, the Uto-Aztecan Pipil, and the Lenca.
In 1524, Spanish conquistadors arriving from what’s now Guatemala established colonies for the production of indigo, cotton, and balsam. After gaining Independence from Spain in 1821, El Salvador joined the Mexican Empire and the Central American Federation, in rapid succession.
Total independence arrived in 1841, followed by a coffee boom that consolidated El Salvador’s wealth. This set the stage for over a century of class struggle, culminating in eventual civil war. Tumultuous past aside, the acclaimed 1992 peace treaty spawned a new era for the country.
As of late, El Salvador is fast emerging as a regional economic power, with growing agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism industries. The US Dollar officially replaced the Salvadoran Colón in 2001. Today, El Salvador is home to over one dozen free-trade zones.
The best time to visit El Salvador is during the summer months. From November to April, sunny skies prevail. The rainy season begins in May, peaks in October, and ends abruptly in November.
Temperatures are fairly consistent year-round, with highs near 85°F and overnight lows around 65°F. Expect cooler temperatures in the highlands and highs near 90°F on the plains and in the capital.
San Salvador’s Comalapa International Airport is a major regional hub, receiving non-stop flights from the USA including Miami (two hours and 40 minutes), Houston (three hours), Los Angeles (five hours) and New York (five and a half hours). Regional flights connect San Salvador with Guatemala City (50 minutes), Managua (50 minutes), San Jose (75 minutes) and Panama City (two hours).
—— DESTINATIONS
ANCIENT CITIES OF THE MAYA
EL SALVADOR’S PACIFIC COAST
NATIONAL PARKS OF EL SALVADOR
SAN SALVADOR
SUCHITOTO
THE LAND OF VOLCANOES
THE ROUTE OF FLOWERS
—— ALBUMS & STORIES
EL SALVADOR FAMILY TRAVEL ALBUM
TRAVEL
GUIDES
MACHU PICCHU
Machu Picchu is a city of gods. In the same breath, it bears witness to the power of the human imagination. Towering amongst the clouds, suspended between the Amazon and Andes, each rock seems hitched to the moon, sun, and stars.