Exploring El Salvador with road trips to popular attractions

El Salvador, the smallest and densely populated country in Central America, offers many popular attractions which can be best explored through road trips. These road trips are a great way to relax and enjoy the nature’s bounty that this beautiful place has been gifted with. There are many tourist spots to visit in this “país de la media hora” or “half-an-hour country”, as it is popularly called because most of the places here are closely located. Whether you are visiting the capital city San Salvador or other cities, there is something available for tourists of all kinds to keep them entertained.
 
Before you begin trip to El Salvador, here are a few facts to consider. This will prove to be beneficial during the course of your trip. The weather conditions are important to take note of. The perfect time to visit this Central American country is December. It is the time when the rainy season, which usually begins from March to November, ends. You will find greenery all around. This is also the best time for wildlife-watching as well.

With basic information about El Salvador, it will now become easy for you to take road trips to its famous attractions and enjoy your vacation here. Some of the best attractions to consider visiting in the country include Parque Nacional El Boqueron, Montecristo-El Trifinio National Park, Santa Ana, El Imposible National Park, Joya de Ceren and Tazumal. Exploring these attractions will offer a fascinating insight into all that they have to offer to the visitors.

Parque Nacional El Boqueron
Parque Nacional El Boqueron, also called, El Boqueron National Park, is a major attraction in the country. It is situated on the top of San Salvador Volcano. It is around 20 minutes drive from San Salvador. This volcano is at a height of 1800 meters from sea level. The volcano’s crater, with a 5 km diameter and 558 meters depth, is the prime attraction here. The smaller crater is named Boqueroncito, and can be viewed inside the larger crater. The flora of the park includes begonias, wild sultanas, hydrangeas, and cartuchos. The visitors can also utilize the opportunity to visit the volcano’s rim.

Montecristo-El Trifinio National Park
Montecristo- El Trifinio National Park is situated in an area bordering three countries – El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. It is about four hours drive from San Salvador. The park was established in 1987 and is spread in a total area of 54 sq km. The park is located at an altitude of 2418 meters. It receives heavy rainfall. The high precipitation and humidity here has led to the formation of a stunning cloud forest. The trees growing up to 30 meters high form a thick canopy. The park is home to rare wildlife species including spider monkeys, striped owls, toucans, agoutis, pumas, and two-fingered anteaters. A visit to Montecristo-El Trifinio National Park while on your El Salvador road trip makes it an astounding nature-filled adventure.

Santa Ana
Santa Ana is the second largest city in El Salvador. This popular tourist destination attracts a large number of visitors to the country every year. Santa Ana is situated 64 km north-west of San Salvador, the capital city of this beautiful country. Make a road trip to this place to learn about Salvadoran traditions and culture. You can reach to the summit of Santa Ana volcano for scenic views of the Pacific Ocean and the surrounding volcanic landscape.

El Imposible National Park
El Imposible National Park is a tropical forest-cum-national park in El Salvador. It was founded in 1989. It covers a total area of 38.20 sq km. It is located at a height ranging from 250 to 1425 meters above sea level. The national park was given the name of “El Imposible” because of the dangerous gorge which claimed the lives of many farmers and mules traveling though this place. The park has unusual flora and fauna. The place is less crowded. The people who have a passion to see rare wildlife usually visit this place. The wildlife to be discovered here includes king hawks, boars, black-crested eagles, oncilla and puma. You can spot the wildlife roaming around in the park or see their well-marked trails during the road trip.

Joya de Ceren
Joya de Ceren, an archeological site in El Salvador, is situated in the La Libertad Department. This site prominently features the historic remains of a pre-Columbian Maya farming village, which continued to remain intact under the volcanic ashes. Even after its discovery from the volcanic ashes of Loma Caldera eruption for 1,400 years, this archaeological site remains well preserved, where you can see a sauna, workshops, kitchens and living quarters. It will make an interesting visit whenever on a road trip in El Salvador.

Tazumal
Tazumal is an archeological site situated in Chalchuapa in the country. This pre-Columbian Maya archaeological site is a must visit for tourists interested in knowing all about Mayan history and culture. Tazumal is a spectacular pyramid located near Santa Ana. The visitors can climb on to this pyramid. This Tazumal is spread in an area of 4 square miles and was formerly used for burning the victims.