El Salvador
ESMy trip
Lake with small islands and hills, seen above the vegetation.

El Salvador · Centre and north: Suchitoto, Chalatenango & San Vicente

Forest, mountain and lagoon

Cinquera and its forest, El Pital and Apastepeque Recreational Park. Cinquera and El Pital have unconfirmed details: read each card.

3 places2 unconfirmed, flagged

  1. 1

    NatureStatus unconfirmed

    Cinquera

    Western Cabañas. The pin marks the town's central park, not the forest or the museum.16.7 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not confirmed
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A Cabañas town with the Museum of Historical Memory, on the armed conflict and reconstruction, and the Cinquera Forest protected natural area, run by the community, with a guided trail of about 1.5 km to the Paso Hondo river and El Saltón pool, according to the press (2025 and 2026).

    Forest details not confirmed with its operator: the press (November 2025) gave 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every day, and a September 2026 report repeats those figures as a 2025 reference. The sources consulted do not state the museum's hours or fee. Check before you go.

    Source: El Salvador.com – Bosque de Cinquera (7 nov. 2025) · 2025 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Forest, according to the press (November 2025): nationals US$1.50; foreign visitors US$4.50; parking US$0.50; local guide US$20 per group of up to 25 people.

    Tip: According to the press, the pools' flow changes with the weather. The sources consulted do not confirm whether conditions are safe for swimming in them.

    Nearby: Puerto San Juan (Lake Suchitlán) (8.9 km) · Suchitoto (9 km) · Ilobasco (12.9 km)

    Sources: El Salvador.com – Bosque de Cinquera (7 nov. 2025) · El Salvador.com – Qué hacer en Cinquera (20 sep. 2026)

  2. 2

    AdventureStatus unconfirmed

    El Pital

    San Ignacio (northern Chalatenango). The pin marks the summit in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance or a road access.42.6 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not confirmed
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    The highest point in the country, at 2,730 m, in northern Chalatenango, with cool-climate forest and a camping area reached by a path of about 5 km, according to the official tourism portal (2025) and the press (December 2025).

    Fees, access and operator unconfirmed: the sources consulted do not identify an operator. The press (3 December 2025) published approximate prices and recommended a 4x4 beyond the Río Chiquito area because of the state of the road. Check before you go.

    Source: El Salvador Travel – Cerro El Pital · 2025 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Approximate prices according to the press (December 2025): entry US$3 per person from age 7; parking US$3; camping fee US$5. Tent and cabin rental, separately.

    Tip: It is cold, especially at night: the press advises bringing warm clothes.

    Nearby: La Palma (8.7 km)

    Sources: El Salvador Travel – Cerro El Pital · El Salvador.com – El Pital (3 dic. 2025)

  3. 3

    WaterOpen

    Apastepeque Recreational Park

    Cantón Calderas, Apastepeque (San Vicente), 64 km from San Salvador (ISTU). The pin marks the park in OpenStreetMap, not its entrance.44.7 km from the centre

    Entry
    Foreign visitor US$3
    Hours
    Mon–Sun 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
    Booking
    Not stated

    An ISTU park of about one hectare on the shore of the Apastepeque lagoon, opened in 1979, with a pool, restaurant, trails, cabins, a promenade and a floating jetty (ISTU). This card is the park, not the whole lagoon.

    Source: ISTU – Tarifas y horarios de parques (2026) · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Nationals US$1.50; foreign visitors US$3 (ISTU, 2026). The national rate requires a Salvadoran ID (DUI).
    Hours
    Monday to Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (ISTU, 2026).

    Tip: The boat rental mentioned by the press (May 2026) is a service separate from entry.

    Sources: ISTU – Tarifas y horarios de parques (2026) · ISTU – Parque Recreativo Apastepeque · El Salvador.com – San Vicente (15 may. 2026)

More guides for this destination