Central America's Most Underrated Country Is A Land Of Serene Surf Towns And Cosmopolitan Cities

Wedged between Guatemala and Honduras –both stunning, highly-rated destinations in Central America travelers shouldn't miss – El Salvador ends up underestimated in the typical traveler's mind. The tiny spot of colossal volcanoes, alpine lakes, colorful villages, and stretching surfers coast condenses the appeal of most Central American countries into an easily traversable package. Enjoy mornings in the cosmopolitan capital and afternoons half way up a volcano, or spend sunrise on the beach and sunset in a mountainside pueblo. The action-packed nation's tourism industry is undergoing rapid growth, and you should visit before the crowds catch on.

For the bulk of the past century or so, visitors have been scared to delve into the Salvadorian jungle, with good reason. Previously referred to as the murder capital of the world, the once staggering homicide rates have plummeted to virtual nonexistence since a recent harsh crack down on crime in the country. While opinions on the ethics of the initiative prevail, it is undeniable that it has made El Salvador more desirable for travelers. With direct flights running daily from several major U.S. airports, the Central American hotspot is easy to access. They use the U.S. dollar as their currency, and have also installed Bitcoin as official tender, which also simplifies travel for Americans.

Dotted along the black sand shores of El Salvador's coast, surfers gather together to tackle the Pacific swell. Despite the shoreline amounting to less than 200 miles, visitors can still choose from an array of small surf towns lapped by world-class waves. The small nation is a prominent player in the world surfing scene, hosting sections of the World Surfing Games, the World Surf League Championship Tour, and the Olympic qualifiers for 2024. Base in popular El Tunco for a party town with premium surf and solid tourism infrastructure, or in La Libertad is for palm-thatched bamboo buildings and black sand beaches. Though they might not match the novelty of the red, green, and pink sand beaches around the world, the striking sands are only found on 20 black beaches on earth.

Away from the surfers' shore, inland El Salvador is densely packed with outdoor adventures. Travelers can climb some of its more than 170 volcanoes, enjoying the unforgettable experience of visiting an active volcano. Take a day trip out from San Salvador to hike in El Boquerón National Park. The densely forested conserved zone shrouds El Boquerón (the mouth) of one of San Salvador Volcano's two peaks. It's traversable on an easy trail around the crater. For a longer stint mountainside, travel to the south of the country and take a night hike up the side of Conchagua Volcano. Camping at the top, you'll be rewarded with sunrise views over the volcanic plains of El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

As is typical for a post-Columbian metropolis, San Salvador is oriented around its ostentatious colonial center. Each grand Spanish city comes with a white-washed church, a sweeping central plaza, and municipal buildings dressed up as small palaces. Yet, the city is younger and more exciting than it may appear from its neatly paved central laneways. Visit cool Antiguo Cuscatlán for streetside papusas and crowds gathering in the central park, or tussle in the busy street markets on Calle Ruben Dario to pick up fragrant local ingredients, handmade jewelry, and questionably-sourced DVDs laid out on tarpaulin on the ground.

Outside of the sprawling capital, El Salvador's smaller cities are encased in its forests, mountains, and undulating coffee country. Visit an array on the scenic Ruta de las Flores, a road route fringed by wildflower blooms and quaint cobblestoned towns, or base yourself in a smaller city like Santa Ana. Away from the city rush, these smaller urban centers offer quick and easy access to El Salvador's natural splendors while still maintaining city amenities and tourist infrastructure.