Pristine forests, active volcanoes and sparkling lakes: El Salvador possesses some of the world’s most striking natural beauty on earth. Home to exotic plant and wildlife, the Parque Nacional Montecristo-el Trifinio spans the borders of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.
Tall oak and laurel trees form a canopy almost impenetrable to sunlight, producing a cool, humid climate beneath that’s great for hiking. Lucky visitors may catch glimpses of spider monkeys, anteaters, porcupines, skunks or even pumas, while the forest’s 87 bird species – including hummingbirds and nightingales – play nature’s version of jungle music.
Parque Nacional Los Volcanes contains three major volcanoes, including the active Volcán Izalco.
Now standing at nearly 6,500 feet (2000 m), the “lighthouse of the Pacific” has been spewing sulphuric smoke, lava and fire for the past 200 years.
The 6km-wide (3.75 miles) crater lake of Lago de Coatepeque sparkles blue beneath the looming peaks of Cerro Verde, Izalco and Santa Ana.
The lush green landscapes that envelope the lake make for a peaceful midweek retreat, when San Salvador’s elite remain hard at work in the city.
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to…
(Images: Izalco volcano – Ben Beiske; Lago de Coatepeque – JoePhilipson; Lago de Coatepeque – brito photo; Parque Nacional Los Volcanes – AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker; Los Mananteales (The Fountains) – LShave)
