El Imposible National Park The 3,800-hectare (9,400-acre) El Imposible National Park 7 [map] , the largest in El Salvador, was named for a dangerous gorge that often claimed the life of farmers transporting coffee to the Pacific. The birthplace of eight rivers and home to extensive rare tropical dry forest, the park ranges in altitude…
LA BORN, SALVADOR RAISED While the criminal gang Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, originated in Los Angeles, California, the majority of its members are ethnic Salvadorans. National Geographic went as far as to call them the World’s Most Dangerous Gang in a 2005 documentary. They have expanded across urban areas of North America and their reach…
San Salvador’s historic center would not fare as well as those of other Central American capitals, with the natural disasters that plagued the city preventing it from reaching its full potential. In 1873, an earthquake wiped out much of the city, and the San Salvador volcano erupted in 1917 while it was still being rebuilt….
EL SALVADOR Famed surf breaks, hikes through untrammeled cloud forests, and exploring the Mayan Pompeii await the traveler looking for Central America’s next big thing. Main Attractions San Salvador Joya de Cerén Los Volcanoes National Park Suchitoto Montecristo National Park Balsamo Coast Despite frequent earthquakes and a tumultuous history that includes a brutal civil war,…
INSIGHT: ECOTOURISM IN BELIZE For centuries, Belize’s small population and lack of industry caused it to be left behind in the development race. When it comes to ecotourism, however, this has worked to its great advantage. Belize has long been the region’s ecotourism titan, with some of the world’s most accessible tropical wilderness and the…
Tobacco Reef Some 20km (12 miles) offshore from Dangriga lie a row of tiny coral cayes, including Carrie Bow Caye, South Water Caye, and Tobacco Caye, all perched on top of Tobacco Reef like gems on a necklace. All are lined by perfect sands and dotted with coconut palms and can be easily reached in…
SETTLEMENT DAY A carnival atmosphere consumes Dangriga during the celebration of Garífuna Settlement Day on November 19, which commemorates the landing of Garífuna leader Elijio Beni and his followers at the mouth of the North Stann Creek River. The town swells with Garífuna from all over Central America and the United States. Singing and dancing…
BELIZE: THE PATH TO INDEPENDENCE It took Belize many years to win its independence. After the decline of the Maya settlements in Belize, it was British settlers – known as ‘Baymen’ – and their slaves from the Caribbean who began to occupy the territory in the 17th century. These new inhabitants were interested above all…
Belmopan Founded in 1971, Belmopan ‚ [map] is the Brazilia of Belize: an artificial capital that has never quite caught on. Government departments are based here, but most politicians would rather commute from Belize City than take up permanent residence. Belmopan has few historical monuments, and most of the buildings are administrative offices − in…
THE MENNONITES IN BELIZE Belize’s Mennonite community is a resilient, religious sect that traces its roots to the 16th century Netherlands. They stand out in any Belizean crowd: blond, blue-eyed men in denim overalls and cowboy hats; modestly dressed women whose home-made outfits – ankle-length, long-sleeved frocks and wide-brimmed hats tied down with black scarves…