{"id":9371,"date":"2022-03-28T07:43:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-28T07:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/elsalvadorviajar.com\/en\/?p=9371"},"modified":"2022-11-23T01:07:18","modified_gmt":"2022-11-23T01:07:18","slug":"chalatenango","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elsalvadorviajar.com\/en\/departments\/chalatenango\/","title":{"rendered":"\u25b7 CHALATENANGO DEPARTMENT \u00bb What to See and Do"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chalatenango is one of the border departments of El Salvador<\/strong>, and although it does not have direct access to coastal areas, it has beautiful tourist sites. One of them is the highest peak in the country, surrounded by an incomparable landscape, formidable weather, and a great variety of activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this is not all. Chalatenango Department<\/strong> is a destination where you can learn much of the Salvadoran culture and traditions. Its history, architecture, and artistic manifestations make this place a favorite destination for nationals and foreigners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are organizing your vacation and want to visit Chalatenango, here are the city’s most emblematic places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chalatenango Data<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Country:<\/th>El Salvador<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Category:<\/th>Departments<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Capital:<\/th>Chalatenango<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Surface:<\/th>2017 km\u00b2<\/td><\/tr>
Population:<\/th>275,100<\/td><\/tr>
Tip:<\/th>Ideal both for enjoying
the cold weather and nature.<\/td><\/tr>
<\/th><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Location of Chalatenango<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Location<\/a>
Location ofChalatenango Department<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What to see and do in Chalatenango Department<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Do you know why tourists increasingly visit Chalatenango<\/strong>? This department alone has it all. You can get accommodation of all kinds, whether you travel with family, friends or alone. In addition, some restaurants offer both traditional and national dishes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Streets
Streets in Chalatenango. Photo by Pitxiquin Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Similarly, you can choose from a wide variety of tours and tourist routes that will take you to know every corner of Chalatenango Department<\/strong>. Among the most popular is adventure tourism, which is linked to ecotourism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is preceded by rural tourism and, finally, agrotourism. In summary, it is a high-altitude department. Given the climatic conditions, it is a destination with fauna, climate, and flora that can only find in this little piece of El Salvador<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monuments and sites of interest<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you want to do some rural tourism, in Chalatenango Department, you will find monuments of great importance in each municipality. One is in Cital\u00e1<\/strong>, and we are talking about the Immaculate Conception of Mary Church<\/strong>, right in front of its central square.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Churches
Churches of Chalatenango. Photo by Huberto Contreras Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In its surroundings, you can find lodging, and if you like, you can go to the pools fed by the Lempa River<\/a><\/strong>. Another monument is the Church of San Antonio de Padua<\/strong> in Comalapa, built at the end of the 19th century.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Bathing
Bathing in the Lempa River. Photo by Daniel chavez castro. Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Next, we find the Municipal Palace of Chalatenango<\/strong>, which has functioned from 1916 to the present. But if we talk about history, we cannot fail to mention the hamlet of Las Aradas, recognized as a Cultural Asset of the Nation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This distinction was granted as a commemoration of the massacre of El Sumpul<\/a><\/strong>, where dozens of people died during the civil war. Every year, a pilgrimage is made along the route, followed by the victims before they were ambushed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last but not least, we find the Santa Mar\u00eda Archaeological Site<\/strong>, which was flooded during the construction of the Cerr\u00f3n Grande reservoir<\/strong>. Now there are only relics of some ruins on its banks.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"What
What to see in Chalatenango. Cathedral of San Juan Bautista. Photo by ElSalvadorTravel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Also, you can visit the archaeological site of Las Mataras where exploratory excavations have been carried out. Access is complicated, so it is not frequently visited.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attractive places to visit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After knowing some of the monuments of Chalatenango Department<\/strong>, it is time to delve into the most attractive touristic places you should know. Let’s start by talking about El Pital hill<\/a><\/strong> in the municipality of San Ignacio<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"El
El Pital Hill, Beautiful hills of El Salvador. Photo by ElSalvadorTravel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This peak symbolizes the region and El Salvador<\/strong>, representing the highest point at 2,730 meters above sea level. Here you can live a unique ecotourism experience, surrounded by a beautiful landscape, ample vegetation, and an incredible view<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Visit
Visit San Ignacio in Chalatenango. Photo by EEnriqueM. Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Once you have reached the summit, you will find areas for camping and the more adventurous. You can paraglide or rappel on one of its slopes. In Chalatenango<\/strong>, you will also find the Cerro Miramundo<\/strong>, with a height of 2,400 meters above sea level.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Miramundo
Miramundo in Chalatenango. Photo by ElSalvadorTravel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

To reach the summit, you must go through the middle of a dark forest of cold weather, but the view and the sunsets at the end of the tour will leave you fascinated. From there, you can observe a significant part of El Salvador while enjoying the best evening<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We continue the tour to reach the Sumpul River<\/strong>, which originates in Honduras and enters from one of the highest points of Chalatenango, and its natural course takes it to flow into Cerr\u00f3n Grande.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Chalatenango
Chalatenango in El Salvador. Photo by Business Call to Action. Flickr.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Given its size, you can choose whether to take advantage of its waters in San Isidro Labrador, San Jos\u00e9 Las Flores, and Ojos de Agua<\/strong>, among others. If you want to enjoy the river, you can go to Turicentro Sumpul, which offers full-service facilities at no cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, we have La Puntona<\/strong>, whose history is fascinating. It is located at one end of the enormous artificial water mirror in the country, Lake Suchitl\u00e1n<\/a><\/strong>, and its name comes from the point formed during the construction of Cerr\u00f3n Grande<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Visit
Visit Lake Suchitl\u00e1n. Photo by Christopher Arturo Arag\u00f3n Vides. Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It caused flooding in nearby towns and municipalities of Chalatenango<\/strong>. It is in La Punta, where the most popular tourist spot is throughout the year. You can go on boat and jet ski rides, camping, cooking, fishing, and many other activities there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Destinations near Chalatenango that you should visit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you are looking for a quiet vacation experience, we recommend visiting the nearby towns in Chalatenango Department<\/strong> on an agro-tourist route. Starting in La Palma<\/a><\/strong>, a city known as “La Cuna de la Paz” (the cradle of peace).<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"La
What to see and visit in La Palma, Chalatenango. Photo by ElSalvadorTravel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You can find restaurants, lodging, and craft stalls in its historic center. Next, we see the Chalateco town of San Ignacio, where you can choose whether to go up to Cerro Miramundo, El Pital, or Las Pilas<\/strong>. But you can also go to Rio Chiquito<\/strong> and discover the cultivation of the region.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Cascada
Las Pilas de Arambala Waterfall. ElSalvadorTravel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Now, if you want to visit Las Pilas<\/strong>, you will not only be able to enjoy fields full of crops. At any time, you will feel how the weather invites you to rest, but if you decide to walk the streets, you will come across wildflowers that grow on the sidewalks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History of Chalatenango Department<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Etymologically speaking, Chalatenango means “Valley of water and sand,”<\/strong> a name given by the Pipil people. According to the records, its first inhabitants were the Lenca tribes that had to abandon their lands after the invasion of the Pipils led by Cuzcatl\u00e1n.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Chalatenango
Chalatenango Church. Photo by MARVIN SOLIS. Wikimdia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

From 1500 to 1536, the Pipils resisted other invading indigenous peoples<\/strong> and even the Spaniards without being able to achieve victory. Once the Spaniards settled in the place, they gave the region the name of San Juan Chalatenango.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was part of a mixture of both cultures. All because they used to baptize the towns with the names of saints. By the XVIII century, Chalatenango became part of San Salvador<\/strong> after families repopulated it from Galicia and Asturias.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Chalatenango
Chalatenango Department. Photo by Javier Itzhak Flickr.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Later in 1847, it received the title of the villa, but it was in 1855 that the region acquired the department’s distinction. By then, Chalatenango shared territory with Tejutla<\/strong>, divided into district areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geography and municipalities of Chalatenango Department<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Chalatenango Department is located in the northern part of El Salvador. Given its geographical position, it borders Honduras and Caba\u00f1as department<\/a><\/strong> to the north and southeast, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Arcatao
Arcatao in Chalatenango. Photo by lizdinovella. Flickr.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

While to the south are the departments of San Salvador<\/a>, La Libertad<\/a>, and Cuscatl\u00e1n<\/a>, and to the west are the department of Santa Ana<\/a><\/strong>. On the other hand, it has a territorial extension of 2017 km2 divided into 33 municipalities, which makes it one of the largest departments of El Salvador.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its municipalities are organized as follows:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n