El Salvador

Quick Facts

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Capital

San Salvador

Population

6,240,000

Government

Republic

Religions

Christianity (Catholic)

Languages

Spanish, Nahua

Calling Code

+503

Nationality

Salvadoran

Local name

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Introduction

CIMG2172

© All Rights Reserved elliemike

Tortured by a violent past, El Salvador has been on the reparatory path since a long and arduous civil war was resolved in 1992. And despite the additional hardship of a disastrous earthquake in 2001, El Salvadorians maintain a warmth and hospitality that is refreshing.

With 300 km of coastline in its domain, El Salvador has recently become recognized as something of a hot-spot for surfers. But El Salvador's real attractions lie beyond its beaches. Inland, monumental volcanic peaks dot the landscape; the mystifying Montecristo cloud forest captivates visitors; and the ancient Mayan ritual sacrifice site of Tazumal bears testimony to the central significance of El Salvador in a past era.

Brief History

Geography

Regions/Departments

El Salvador is organised into 14 departments.

• Ahuachapán
• Cabañas
• Chalatenango
• Cuscatlán
• La Libertad
• La Paz
• La Unión
• Morazán
• San Miguel
• San Salvador
• San Vicente
• Santa Ana
• Sonsonate
• Usulután

Cities

• San Salvador
• Delgado
• Mejicanos
• Apopa
• San Miguel
• Santa Ana

Martin Perez Island, gulf of fonseca

© All Rights Reserved joaco

Sights and Activities

El Salvador, together with Belize, is some of the smallest country in Central America, but still has a lot to offer on culture, nature and beaches.

Beachlife

The beaches in El Salvador are a great spot to relax, enjoy the local atmosphere but above all the coastline of El Salvador is gaining a reputation of having some of the best surfing in the world. The best spots include La Libertad (near San Salvador), El Sunzal, Playa Las Flores, El Zonte and the wild El Este, which make El Salvador the fastest growing surf tourism hot-spot in Central America.

Suchitoto

Suchitoto - Church at Parque Centenario

© All Rights Reserved sabrinakam

Suchitoto is located in the Cuscatlán department and is known throughout El Salvador for its cobblestoned streets and its famous historic Church. In fact, Suchitoto is one of the few places left in the country were one can still find cobblestoned streets. On top of that, it also is surrounded by some great landscapes and has an excellent view of the Suchitlán lake. Both among foreigners and Salvadoreans it is a very popular destination for Salvadoreans and besides its picture perfect looks it has some wide activities and sights including art galleries, handicrafts markets and cultural centers.

Joya de Cerén Archaeological Site

Joya de Cerén Archaeological Site is one of the highlights of the country and is placed on the Unesco World Heritage List. It is known as a former pre-Hispanic farming community that was buried as a result of an eruption of the Laguna Caldera around 600 AD. One can call it the Pompeii of El Salvador. Because of the exceptional condition of the remains, they provide an insight into the daily lives of the Central American populations who worked the land at that time.

Other sights and activities

• Ruta Las Flores - or "The Flower Trail"
• Santa Ana volcano
• La Palma - the handicrafts capital of El Salvador
• Montecristo Cloud Forest
• Mayan sites - San Andrés and Tazumal

Events and Festivals

Weather

Getting there

Plane

TACA is the national airline of El Salvador, actually comprised of 5 different Central American airlines. Its base is Cuscatlán International Airport (SAL) near San Salvador. It mainly flies to cities in the United States and neighbouring countries. Several other airlines fly these routes as well, although there are seasonal flights to Prague and Milan.

By Train

For the time being, there are no rail links to neighbouring Guatemala.

By Car

El Salvador has four border crossings with Guatemala and three with Honduras, where you can enter by car. You must have proof that you own the car of have your rental documents ready. An international driving permit is sufficient to enter the country and you have to leave the country within 30 days.

By Bus

Trans Mermex offers services between El Salvador and Guatemala, while Pullmantur has buses to Guatemala and Tegucigalpa in Honduras. Transnica has buses between El Salvador and Managua in Nicaragua. Ticabus has a wide range of services, from Tapachula in Mexico through Guatemala and on to San Salvador and buses from San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa in Honduras to San Salvador. There are even buses from as far as Panama, through Costa Rica and Nicaragua to El Salvador.

By Boat

You might be able to catch a boat to neighbouring countries like Guatemala, Honduras and even Nicaragua, but these do not include scheduled passenger services, rather irregular boats now and then. La Libertad and La Union are your best bet to shop around.

Getting Around

By Plane

There are no domestic flights, as distances are small.

By Train

For the time being, there are no regular passenger services by rail in the country.

By Car

Getting around by El Salvador by rental car is a good option and roads are generally in a relatively good shape. You can rent cars from both international and local agencies at the international airport or downtown in San Salvador. Driving is on the rights side of the road and try to avoid driving when it's dark, as car jackings are quit common. A national or international driving permit is required when renting or driving your own car for less than a month. Otherwise, you need to buy a El Salvadorian permit, or just cross borders and come back again.

By Bus

There are regular bus connections all day long between all major cities and towns. Services are cheap and reliable in general, but when the weather is bad, delays can be the case. Buses are old American school buses and bus stations are not a fancy place, to say the least. Many buses originate and terminate in San Salvador and services start early in the morning but become much less frequent after 6 or 7 pm.

By Boat

There are regular passengers boats around the Bahía de Jiquilisco and a passenger and car ferry across Lago Suchitlán.

Red Tape

Money

See also: Money Matters

The US Dollar, or "greenback", is the national currency of El Salvador. One dollar consists of 100 cents. Frequently used coins are the penny (1¢), nickel (5¢), dime (10¢) and quarter (25¢). 50¢ and $1 coins also exist, but are rarely used. Frequently used banknotes are the $1, $5, $10 and $20 notes. $2, $50 and $100 notes can also be found, but are rarely used.

Work

Study

As in other Spanish-speaking countries, the opportunities for taking classes are countless, but include:

• Pajaro Flor (Suchitoto)

Language

Related article: Spanish: Grammar, pronunciation and useful phrases

Spanish is the official language of El Salvador.

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

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