Northern El Salvador

During the civil war in the 1980's the northern districts of Chalatenango and Morazán were the area that saw major clashes between the government army and the FMLN guerrillas. The military used a tactic known as tierra arrasada (scorched land) to prevent the rebels from living in the area. The tierra arrasada tactics basically involved burning crops and killing livestock. Many buildings are still damaged and it will take decades to repair it all.

Two of the most interesting towns in the region include La Palma and Perquín. There are also numerous smaller villages in northern El Salvador, but they offer little of interest and accommodation is often not available there.

On average food is basic and transportation erratic and infrequent in the region. Be careful when wandering off tracks, as there are still countless land mines, an unpleasant legacy of the civil war.