"Hot and Happening Spots"

Week 8: El Salvador

"El Salvador" www.eplerwood.com

By Carla Hunt, Recommend Magazine

   "El Salvador may be Central America's smallest country, but it is filled with lots of things to see and do. From the capital, San Salvador, travelers drive just 30 minutes south to Costa del Sol, where you'll find a stretch of beach to call your own, and a world-class surfing waves to share- ISA World Masters Surfing Championships put the spotlight on Punta Roca. Or go north from the capital to the colonial town of Sochitoto with its cobblestone streets and thriving arts scene, then follow the Route of the Flowers that winds through the mountain coffee producing area to charming villages such as Apaneca and Ataco. The Route of the Artisans weaves along the folk art villages of Ilobasco (clay miniatures), San Sebastian (weavings), and La Palma (crafts inspired by the famous artist, Fernando Llort). In a country with 25 volcanoes, there is some unforgettable scenery, as hikers discover within the tropical forests of El Imposible National Park, and antiquity aficionados will thrill when visiting the pre-Colombian site of Joya de Ceren along La Ruta Maya."

Quoted from Recommend magazine August 2012 vol.27 number 11 page S3