As a result, tourism in El Salvador has lagged behind that of its Central American neighbours. Despite its compactness and considerable natural beauty, many would-be visitors are deterred by the half-remembered headlines and the country's oft-exaggerated reputation for violence, danger and difficulty. Despite this, the rate of delinquency and violent crime has decreased significantly in recent years, though there remains an underlying distrust of the political process. The country's geographical position doesn't help, either: tucked into the Pacific underbelly of the isthmus, El Salvador is easily bypassed. Those that do make it here, however, are well rewarded by the sheer physical beauty of the place, with lush lowlands sweeping up through fertile hills and coffee plantations to rugged mountain chains. Almost every journey in El Salvador yields photogenic vistas of the majestic cones of towering volcanoes, while some of the secluded Pacific beaches are as fine as any in Central America.

As in Nicaragua, another country pulled apart by a decade of civil war, travelling in El Salvador brings you into contact with some of the most engaging and interesting people in the region. With a well-deserved reputation for hard work and business acumen, the predominantly mestizo Salvadoreños (or guanacos, as they're often affectionately described), live life with a vigour that's hard to match. That said, however, as the people here slowly find ways to come to terms with their brutal past and uncertain future, some residual suspicion of foreigners – particularly Americans – remains, and initial reactions to tourists can be, on occasion, cool. If you persist, however, and make an effort to speak Spanish, you will find that people begin to unbend and bring you into their lives. They may or may not be willing to talk about the civil war, but most prefer to look to the future with a sardonic humour, designed to lessen the travails of daily life, the corruption of politics and everything else that seems insurmountable.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, tourist infrastructure is at times sorely lacking. This is not the country for those who like everything on tap, and there's little luxury outside the cities, but for those with a spirit of adventure, El Salvador has plenty to offer. One feature particular to the country is its network of government-run tourist centres, or turicentros. Aimed more at locals than tourists, these provide bathing, eating and recreation facilities in areas of natural beauty, offering a convenient way to take advantage of them safely and comfortably.

Travelling around El Salvador is a lesson in humility. Contrasting with the vibrant colour and sweep of the landscape, the overwhelming evidence of the endemic poverty and social divisions that sparked the civil war in the first place hits you right between the eyes. As El Salvador enters its second decade of peace it remains a country painfully divided between haves and have-nots, and the full benefits of redevelopment projects and an improving economy have yet to trickle down to the majority of the population. From the muddy shanty towns of San Salvador to the broken-down shacks in the countryside, many people live in squalor, eking out a living selling fruit, sweets, household goods and sundry odds and ends on the street. In addition, the ever-growing population – at 6.5 million, the densest in Central America – is placing unprecedented pressure on the country's natural resources, with rampant deforestation a particular problem. In response to this, some of the last remaining tracts of pristine forest have been declared national parks to protect the valuable habitat and the animal species that live there. Access to such reserves is deliberately difficult, with permission often being needed in advance. Take the time and trouble to seek permission, though, and you will experience some of the finest natural surroundings in Central America.