A wonderful holiday in El Salvador

The Central American nation of El Salvador is ranked as the smallest country in the entire region. On the contrary, the nation is also ranked as the most densely populated of all countries in the region.

This Spanish name of the nation when translated into simple English means “Republic of the Savior.” The nation shares borders with countries like Honduras and Guatemala and is located in the Gulf of Fonseca along side nations such as Nicaragua and Honduras.

Spread over an area of 21,000 sq km, the nation is home to some 5.7 million residents. The capital of the country is the city of San Salvador, without a doubt the largest amongst all cities. A unique part about El Salvador is it dropped its own currency, the colon and adopted the US dollar in 2001.

Spanish is the official language of the nation; however, English is also spoken on a large scale in the country owing to its flourishing tourism industry. The nation has seen the Spaniards rule the country for more than two centuries until the year 1821, when the sovereign nation of El Salvador came into existence.

The country has also seen major destructions and loss of lives in the past and has actually recovered well. The period from 1980 to 1992 saw the nation torn apart during the civil war between socialist left wing guerillas and government forces. However, the country has recovered well from that period and is amongst the most stable nations in the region at present.

Besides, the nation is also prone to natural disasters, and earthquakes and volcanoes are frequent in the region. The year 2001 saw more than 1000 people lose their lives when an earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale caused a major landslide. A month later, another huge earthquake resulted in 20% of the country’s housing being damaged. The nation is very prone to earthquakes and the capital city of San Salvador has witnessed huge disasters with the most recent ones being in 2005, besides the one in 2001 and 1986.

The country has also seen volcanic eruptions and the year 2005 saw Santa Ana Volcano resulting in 2 deaths.

The country lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire and hence is prone to such natural calamities along with the severe climatic conditions. The nation is accustomed to droughts and heavy rainstorms.

In 2001, a drought destroyed around 80% of the country’s crops and as a result the country was hit by a famine. Four years later, the nation witnessed heavy rains along with landslides and floods, causing many deaths.

The nation hasn’t seen damages caused due to hurricanes yet.

Nevertheless, the country has recovered quite well from all the disasters listed above and as per the International Monetary Fund; the country ranks a creditable third amongst Central American nations when comparing spending power and GDP. In short, El Salvador can be termed as a “Developing Country.” The tourism industry is the life line of the economy and there are numerous places of interest in the country. Let’s go through some of the popular places in brief.

Los Chorros:
This place is a wonderful site to visit. Los Chorros is full of clean spring water and is a series of huge and natural pools. The site, part of the Turicentros program is frequented by visitors in large numbers.

Balboa Park:
This Park is a nature lover’s delight. The Park boasts of a huge 70 acres, full of rabbits, sloth and myriad birds. Besides, there are football fields and a skating rink other than the long trails ideal for walks. History lovers can also get busy exploring the sculptures of the pre-Colombian era. The Park is a very popular picnic spot amongst the locals.

Los Planes Lookout Point:
This place offers a breathtaking view of the capital city of San Salvador along with the famous Ilopango Lake.

National Zoo:
This zoo is ranked as the most modern in the entire Central American region. A unique feature of the zoo is it creates a habitat as close to the natural ones for the animals.

Panchimalco Indian Village:
A history lover should visit this site as there is a lot to explore. Some of the archaeological finds only confirm the importance of the site during the pre-Colombian era. Besides, there is a colonial church, which dates back to 1725 and is deservingly classified as a historical monument.

La Laguna Botanical Garden:
This Garden is a must visit for all prospective visitors to El Salvador. This garden is set in the crater of a volcano which is, don’t worry, extinct. In all probability, you may never find such a garden in any other place in the world.

David J Gusman National Museum:
This museum houses some interesting exhibits from the pre-classic period, which date back to as early as 1500 BC.

San Salvador volcano:
Located in the capital city, this dormant volcanic site is famous for its hiking opportunities.

Lago de Ilopango:
This Lake is ranked as the largest in El Salvador and is frequented by visitors for fishing, swimming and boating. The origin of the lake is also interesting as it is a result of a giant volcano crater.

The other must visit locations of this wonderful country includeThe Devil’s Doorway, besides the sandy beaches of El Cuco, El Zunzal and El Espino, which are rich in surfing opportunities.

Besides, there are archaeological sites located at Corinto, Joya de Ceren, Cihuatan and Guija.

Listed below are some of the questions which may be on your mind.

How do I reach El Salvador?

The country has only one international airport in the Comalapa International Airport, located some 50km southeast of San Salvador. This airport connects the nation to the US and other major nations. Once in the country, you can hire a cab to enjoy the country.

You may also enter the country via road or sea through the neighboring countries of Honduras, Panama and Mexico.

Where do I stay during my El Salvador vacation?

The country boasts of good accommodation facilities. Some of the popular landmarks are Courtyard by Marriott San Salvador, Comfort Inn Real San Miguel, Los Almendros De San Lorenzo, Hotel Alicante Montana, Hotel Posada El Encanto and Club Joya del Pacifico.

When is the best time to visit El Salvador?

The country has two mean seasons, the dry season runs from November to April and the rainy season is from May to October. It is recommended you avoid the rainy season at any cost. An ideal visit should be at the beginning or the end of the dry season.

In conclusion, El Salvador has all the ingredients of a wonderful holiday destination. There is so much variety to choose, from a visitor’s point of view. So, what are you waiting for, just go ahead and plan a trip to this exciting country.