What to know about El Salvador to enjoy your trip to the fullest? Find the answers with this guide to exploring the so-called Tom Thumb of the Americas. It has earned this name for its tiny and charming size, but it is also known as the “wonder”. You need only walk among its volcanoes, lakes and coffee plantations. Ready to start your adventure?

1. Don’t leave without photographing its volcanoes

Santa Ana is 2,382 meters high and is one of the highest in the country. Add Izalco, considered the youngest volcano, to the list. Meanwhile, Tecapa is accompanied by fumaroles and hot springs. A movie landscape…

2. Be amazed with a turquoise lake

Volcanic beauty does not end with craters. It extends to the lakes. Would you like to discover a turquoise one? Well, come to Coatepeque. Its waters have mysteriously been dyed this colour on several occasions.

3. Join the Route of Flowers

The charisma of El Salvador is not limited to nature. Her appeal also lives in its friendly people and their eternal smile. Dive into the customs and traditions of Nahuizalco, Salcoatitán and Juayua, three of the picturesque colonial towns that make up this 35-kilometre route (from Sonsonate to Concepción of Ataco).

4. Get to know the Pompeii of the Americas

Move to the year 400 by just gazing at the Jewel of Cerén. This pre-Columbian archaeological site, a World Heritage Site, was abandoned by its agricultural population around the year 600. The cause? The eruption of Caldera Lagoon.

5. Surf at El Tunco

If you love to surf waves of up to six metres, take your board and go straight to this beach. It is one of the most touristy beaches. It holds surf tournaments and stands out for having black sand and for its rock formation of this colour on its banks. Beauty and exoticism in the same place.

6. Fall in love with its sunsets

See these beautiful prints from the Pier of the Puerto de la Libertad and on beaches like El Sunzal, El Zonte, Mizata or Los Cóbanos, one of the most idyllic. Watch the sundown among coconut trees… can you think of a better plan?

7. Enjoy yourself at ‘The Little Prince’ Park

The Salvadoran Consuelo Suncín, the wife of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, inspired the French author to write The Little Prince. One of the most acclaimed works of world literature has its park at Plaza la Transparencia (La Libertad). A poetic story made into a sculpture…

8. Follow the Coffee Route

Discover the history of the grain, the particularities of the arabica species, the cultivation process and the folklore associated with the coffee tradition. You can participate in the harvesting process! Remember this name: the Lake of Joy, one of the strategic areas.

9. Try a pupusa

In the practical guide to El Salvador you can’t miss a classic dish, with apologies to the yucca: the pupusa. It is a cake of corn or rice filled with ground beans, chicharrón and chiclado cheese, to literally suck your fingers. You will run into pupuserías everywhere

10. Advantages of multi-destination

The proximity of El Salvador to another land of volcanoes and idyllic beaches, Guatemala, makes it possible to admire myriad natural gems on the same trip. Prepare a single suitcase to explore several territories. The Pacaya and Acatenango Volcanoes, Tilapa beach, Punta de Manabique… They are just some examples of Guatemalan treasures.

You already have all the answers on what to know about El Salvador. Take advantage of your visit to meet its residents. The aforementioned Guatemala and its largest prehistoric settlement or the Cayos Cochinos of Honduras will dazzle you. Make the most of the advantages of multi-destination!