There are so many beautiful places to visit in El Salvador and among the endless, exciting things to do there is scuba diving. Diving in El Salvador is not restricted to ocean waters; you have the option of open water diving and crater lake diving, exciting!
Open water diving:
The warm coastal waters of Los Cóbanos, in the department of Sonsonate are excellent for diving and exploring the underwater world.
Los Cóbanos enjoys a rich bio-diverse eco system and has been declared a Natural Marine Protected Area in the country. Needless to say, the area boasts amazing underwater rock formations, reefs as well as shipwrecks, making the diving experience all more exciting.
Open water diving tours are available in El Salvador between October and May (the dry season) as this is the time when the waters are nice and calm.
Crater lakes:
Because there is a volcanic range in El Salvador, several crater lakes have been created making crater-lake diving another option here. Two of the most popular lakes for diving in El Salvador are Coatepeque and Ilopango. Night diving tours are also offered to these 2 lakes, so you can see the fish asleep!
Lake Coatepeque in the department of Santa Ana was created by a volcanic eruption and it's about 120m deep. The waters are clear, warm and with rich volcanic surroundings it is a haven for underwater creatures. As a side note; very close to Lake Coatepeque is the Cerro Verde National park, a must-see beautiful park that can be visited after a diving trip.
Lake Ilopango is about 20 minutes east of San Salvador city, also created by a volcanic eruption (actually by several eruptions that date back thousands of years) is the largest lake in El Salvador. Ilopango lake has an interesting edgy and rocky topography which makes it great for exploring the rock formations and is about 230 m deep.
Ilopango lake is the most popular lake among locals so it is quite busy during weekends and holidays, therefore it's best to schedule diving trips during the week. Many restaurants and other facilities are readily available in this area so it is a very comfortable place to visit.
Scuba diving training:
There are several scuba diving shops in El Salvador that are fully equipped and PADI certified. They offer training, diving gear, repairs, maintenance and diving tours to all the diving spots in El Salvador. It is best to arrange diving tours with these agencies as they are run by locals who know the area.
The best thing about diving El Salvador is that because it is not a well known diving destination, there are relatively few tourists which means that there is no overcrowding of these places. Most of all, for the same reason, the locals treat visitors more like friends instead of tourists which makes for a more relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
So diving El Salvador is a really awesome adventure and a visit to one of the local archaeological ruins is also a great idea for a more rounded experience.
There is more to El Salvador beaches than diving, do you enjoy surfing, fishing or kayaking... this can all be part of your El Salvador adventure. Check out this website http://www.explore-beautiful-el-salvador.com/ElSalvadorBeaches.html for other fun and exciting things to do in El Salvador.
Are you interested in diving in other areas of Central America? There are also many other beautiful places to visit, all with their own unique and enchanting characteristics. Visit http://www.adventure-travel-tales-and-tips.com/latin_america.html for ideas and travel tips for other countries of Central America
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vanessa_Henriquez
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