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WESTERN EL SALVADOR

Western El Salvador is a small region that somehow contains the majority of the country's attractions. The cloud forest and conical splendour of Parque Nacional Los Volcanes, the mysterious and at times unvisited Mayan ruins at Tazumal, the Ruta de las Flores and a volcanic lake are all within a 90-minute drive of Santa Ana, the charming provincial capital with the finest plaza in El Salvador and a good alternative base to the capital for exploring.

With three major volcanoes in hiking distance – one prehistoric, one impossibly steep and one recently exhausted – the burning heart of El Salvador is justifiably a highlight for many travellers to the country. The volcanic peaks of Izalco or Santa Ana can be tackled in a day – not the same day – or you can take a short stroll on a nature loop in the forested area of Parque Nacional Los Volcanes.

From the wilds of Parque Nacional El Imposible near the Guatemalan border – where you can find pumas, boars and tigrillos – traverse waterfalls until you pick up the famed Flower Route, a pin-up region of hot springs, food fairs and artisan villages. Indeed, if you fly into San Salvador, you can reach it all in a day and end at the far western tip at Barrio de Santiago, a wind-swept beach with massive surf where turtles lay eggs by moonlight.

EASTERN EL SALVADOR

Most travellers race down the Carretera Interamericana in search of El Salvador's western attractions or, if heading east, the Nicaraguan border. However, the east of the El Salvador is a diverse geographical region that warrants greater consideration.

The quaint village of Alegría, the visceral war history around Morazán, and the long, sandy surf beaches near El Cuco and Las Flores will give even the most worldly traveller something to savour. They see only fleeting traffic from nearby cities such as San Miguel, the working-class capital with a distinctly cavalier attitude. Real off-the-beaten-track coastal adventure is found at Bahía de Jiquilisco, where birdlife soars, and in tiny fishing villages with little contact with the outside world.

There are two ways to travel east – along the Carretera Interamericana or along the Carretera del Litoral (CA2); the latter accesses the beaches, and the former the northern reaches. The Ruta de La Paz (peace route; CA7) runs north from San Miguel.

NORTHERN EL SALVADOR

The small province of Chalatenango constitutes the northern region of El Salvador, where mountains run to the Honduran border. It's a very pretty, peaceful area, easily accessible from San Salvador and, the more so since the construction of a new freeway, the Honduran border too. Suchitoto – everyone's favourite Salvadoran colonial town – is deservedly the area's most well-known attraction. On some weekends it can feel like the cultural centre of Central America, and it makes a fabulous base for a visit to the country.

La Palma is a unique artists' hangout, famous for art which continues to capture the world’s imagination, while hiking trips from San Ignacio and Miramundo are world class. The commercial hub of Chalatenango – the center of what is now El Salvador’s safest province – is a proud farming town with a strong community spirit, as seen in an ongoing dispute with international mining companies.

The countryside around Chalatenango climbs into dry forest studded with toothy peaks and rugged tawny hills. The small villages in this remote area have stunning landscapes and interesting histories. La Montañona is a pine-forest reserve at 1600m with prime views and pre-Columbian rock carvings. The civil war left several tatús (cave hideouts), including one used by clandestine guerrilla radio station Radio Farabundo, as well as an underground guerrilla hospital. Beyond the Río Sumpul, Arcatao is a beautiful village in the mountains bordering Honduras. Northwest of Chalate, Concepción Quezaltepeque is a hammock-making centre.