Gallery • 6 Photos

Two statues show the colorful art of El Salvador when you enter El Salvador International Airport.

Most people’s initial impressions of El Salvador are presumably of tattooed gang members and brutal jails that Western television occasionally reports on. Except for nations in a state of conflict, El Salvador has the highest murder rate globally and is sometimes referred to as one of the world’s most deadly countries.

That might be the fundamental reason El Salvador, unlike Costa Rica or Guatemala, attracts many tourists. In fact, when I told people about my journey to El Salvador, the first question they asked was if it was too hazardous. No, that is not the case at all. I spent two weeks in the country and found it to be no more unsafe than most of the Latin American countries I’ve visited.

So what makes El Salvador stand out from the rest of Central America? Well, to start it’s an easy journey since it’s a small country. Most of the time the travel time from one place to the other was only thirty minutes to an hour drive. On top of that, car rides are relatively cheap. The EC Tour in El Salvador offers a great price with a comfortable and safe ride across the country.

With the EC Tour, you can see one of El Salvador’s best landmarks, the Santa Ana volcano. While being the tallest volcano in the country, the Santa Ana volcano is also the most beautiful. The volcano displays a beautiful array of concentric craters with crescent-shaped rims. With a clear crystal lake at the bottom of the volcano, the scenery captures you in the moment.

Another must-see area when visiting El Salvador is the beaches. Surf City is one of the best places and most popular places to visit if you’re going to the beach. As a result of the success of Surf City El Salvador, the government designated 21 kilometers of the coast as a Tourist Zone of National Interest. From Walter Thilo Deininger Park to El Zonte Beach, there is a tourism zone. There are about 250 enterprises in the dining, lodging, entertainment, information, and transportation sectors in this region. And of course, it’s one of the places to surf at. In fact, From June 23 to June 30, El Salvador will host the seventh event of the 2022 World Surfing League Championship. With the perfect waves and all the businesses in the area, it truly is El Salvador’s most captivating tourist site.

Though one of the best parts about El Salvador. Their most famous food is the pupusa which is essentially a tortilla that could contain cheese, beans, or meat. My sister Esther Martinez said she actually recognizes El Salvador for their drinks. “The horchata is probably what I best know El Salvador for. The sugary cinnamon taste stays with you and you get full after one glass of it.”

Overall, El Salvador is one of the best places to visit for vacation. There are so many activities for one or more to do and the beauty of the scenery will get you in the moment. So go visit El Salvador and experience the fascinating country for yourself!

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Q & A With Esther Martinez

Q:  WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF EL SALVADOR?

A: Probably the beach was so amazing. Just the beautiful waves made it so special with the sun beaming down on you. I loved seeing the beach soccer matches that were going on. And the waves were perfect for surfing.

Q: OVERALL DID YOU FEEL SAFE AND COMFORTABLE IN EL SALVADOR?

A: Yeah of course! Everyone was so nice to me and I felt rather safe there. The only thing I was worried about is getting lost but there are people all around to help so I was fine.

Q: IF YOU HAD ONE TIP FOR PEOPLE VISITING EL SALVADOR WHAT WOULD IT BE?

A: Just try to go as many places as you can like the volcanoes, beaches, and historical places. It’s a beautiful country and you should just seize and enjoy the moment.