A tiny place that has seen a massive turmoil in history, El Salvador has commendably rebuilt itself after the Civil Wars in 1980s. However, it is still Central America's most dangerous country. Many backpackers and travelers however keep the thought of crime aside and throng El Salvador. The reason behind such a decision by travelers is the warm welcome accorded by the locals here. International surfers over the years have maintained that a sweet break at Pacific coast here can be counted among the one of the best in the world. Not only the coasts the country has a lot of natural beauty to offer -- coffee plantations, volcanoes and beaches -- despite catastrophic deforestation and destruction.

The places

You might not find the capital of San Salvador very attractive as it is poverty-stricken and valley full of smog. However Santa Ana, which is nearby, with its sugarcane fields and beautiful coffee plantations makes for a good travel destination. One can also go to the Mayan ruin of Tazumal, a place that was used for human sacrifice. Then you can move further, almost two hours towards north, and be at La Palma that greets you with cool weather supplemented with eye catchy views.

Being a small country, travelers at El Salvador always remain close to Pacific beaches no matter where they go. Beaches here have water at over eighty degrees with perfect wave breaks and less crowded sands. This is the reason why surfers love to throng beaches here. Some of the famous beaches or the most loved beaches are Las Flores, La Libertad and Playa Herradura. However, if you are not a surfer then you will love to go to the beaches of San Juan del Gozo and Costa del Sol that have calmer waters and beautiful white sand.

If you want to go further then Montecristo National Park, which is almost four hours north of San Salvador, is the place for you. A beautiful cloud forest, Montecristo National Park is the spot where the borders of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras meet. Another natural destination for the travelers is the El Imposible National Park. Here you can trek 9 km to reach the high point at Cerro Leon, which will give you breath-taking views of volcanoes. Montecristo and Imposible National Parks are home to around 500 species of birds and several mammals.

Heartbreak for many travelers is the fact that almost 98 per cent of the country's forests have gone due to massive deforestation in the last 30 years.

Moving around

It is a small country and its tourist infrastructure is not very good for internal travel. The public bus system in El Salvador is inexpensive; they are crowded and do not provide rack for luggage. Most popular choice is to rent a car especially for the travelers moving with surf boards; one can also hire a minivan. You can fly down to the international airport at San Salvador, which has been renovated. Costs in El Salvador are extremely low.

It is rainy season between May and November, and dry between December and April. The busy times here are during the Easter Holy Week called Semana Santa, Christmas and New Years.

Matthew Kepnes runs an award winning budget travel website that has been featured on websites like the Huffington Post, AOL Travel, and the New York Times. He gives people advice on how to travel without spending a lot of money. You can find out more about central america travel tips http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-guides/central-america-travel-tips/ on his destination guide section including Guatemala travel information.