El Salvador Attractions

San Salvador

San Salvador is a powerhouse - the cultural and cosmopolitan heart of the country. Lying in a valley at the foot of a volcano, it abounds with museums, cultural centers, bars and cafes. Six-lane avenues and glittery malls keep the city buzzing.

What San Salvador lacks in colonial grandeur, it makes up for in class and personality. Wander through the Teatro Nacional, with its red velvet opulence and sensuous mural, or around one of the city's five markets; the interesting Mercado Ex-Cuartel has handicrafts, hand-woven textiles and ceramics.

Montecristo Cloud Forest

The borders of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala converge in an area that receives 200cm (80in) of annual precipitation, experiences 100% humidity and rises to an elevation of 2400m (7900ft) - ideal conditions for the Montecristo cloud forest.

Oak and laurel trees grow to 30m (98ft), and their leaves form a canopy impenetrable to sunlight. Ferns, orchids, mushrooms and mosses coat the forest floor, and the local wildlife includes rare and protected spider monkeys, two-fingered anteaters, pumas, agoutis, toucans and striped owls.