Experience the best of Acajutla

Acajutla lies on the Pacific coast of western El Salvador, about 67 km west of the capital, San Salvador, and is the country's main seaport. Beyond the port cranes, the town has a working fishing harbour of brightly painted boats and simple seafood restaurants. The beaches nearby have dark volcanic sand and strong surf.

Just along the coast, the reefs at Los Cóbanos are a place for snorkelling and diving, with quiet beaches beside them. Inland, the cone of Izalco volcano, which erupted almost continuously from the 1770s until the 1950s and was once called the lighthouse of the Pacific, rises in the hills inland from Sonsonate. Beyond it, the Ruta de las Flores winds through coffee villages such as Juayúa, Apaneca and Ataco.

Pupusas, thick corn tortillas filled with cheese, beans or pork, are the everyday meal, and on the coast they come with fried fish, shrimp and ceviche. The lowlands are hot all year. The dry season from November to April is easiest for travel, while May to October brings afternoon downpours and a greener, cooler countryside.