7 of the Top Maya Ruins in El Salvador

After being preserved under volcanic ash for around 1,400 years, the ruins of the farming village of Joya de Cerén have now become one of the must-see Maya sites in El Salvador. Admittedly, this small village isn't quite as impressive as Pompeii, but archaeologists have used similar techniques to excavate the UNESCO site and learn more about everyday Maya history in El Salvador, including farming techniques and religious traditions. Most visitors combine a trip to Joya de Cerén with other nearby Maya cities and pyramids, such as San Andrés, best visited with a guide.

Don’t miss: Walk around the well-preserved 6th-century Maya village, exploring homes, kitchens, crop fields, a sweat lodge, and ceremonial buildings.

Dating back to the 8th century, the pre-Columbian Maya city of Tazumal is not only one of the best Maya ruins in El Salvador, it's also the best-preserved. This is largely thanks to the now-controversial efforts of archaeologist, Stanley Boggs, in the 1940s and ’50s, who coated some of the pyramids in cement. Nevertheless, the site, which is all that remains of a once powerful city, is well worth a visit—especially when combined with a visit to nearby Casa Blanca.

Don’t miss: The on-site Museo Sitio Arqueológico houses some spectacular archaeological finds, including ceramics and metal artifacts, although much of the information is written in Spanish.

Perfect for day trippers looking to visit Maya ruins, El Salvador’s San Andrés Archaeological Park (Parque Arqueológico San Andrés) is just 30 minutes from the capital, San Salvador, and 10–15 minutes from nearby Joya de Cerén. First settled nearly 3,000 years ago, the city went on to become a great political ceremonial center; evidence of trade with Maya cities in Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras have been found around the site. Other highlights include a 17th-century Spanish indigo processing facility that was partially buried by a volcanic eruption in 1658. Learn more on a Maya ruins and volcanoes tour.

Don’t miss: Inside the Museo Sitio Arqueológico there is a fascinating scale model of what archaeologists believe the historic city would have looked like in its heyday.

Casa Blanca may not top the list of any El Salvador Mayan ruins guides, but this Preclassical Maya archaeological site is still a great place to visit—especially if you like museums. Featuring relics from around the country (and English translations), the on-site museum is one of the best outside of San Salvador. The natural surroundings and mostly untouched pyramids—restoration efforts have been focused on preservation rather than excavation—also offer an intriguing insight into how nature and exposure to the elements have transformed the ruins.

Don’t miss: At the Indigo Workshop inside the Casa Blanca Museum, specially trained punteros showcase how indigo is extracted from jiquilite plants, fermented, and used as a natural dye to color cloth and fabric.

Featuring pyramids, palaces, ball courts, houses, and Maya temples, El Salvador’s “newest” Maya ruins, Cihuatán, may have only officially been declared an archaeological park in 2007, but, if excavations continue, it has the potential to be even more impressive than Tazumal. Yet, despite the grand scale of Cihuatán, the city’s fate was short and not-so-sweet, with a massive fire appearing to have destroyed the bulk of the settlement around 100–150 years after it was built.

Don’t miss: The Cihuatán Interpretive Center and the Antonio Sol Museum offers a glimpse of artifacts recovered from the site, including ceramics that link the ancient city to Mexico.

While El Salvador’s Maya ruins may provide fascinating insights into where people lived, the National Museum of Anthropology (Museo Nacional de Antropología Dr. David J. Guzmán), which features many of the best Maya artifacts found across the country, offers visitors a more in-depth look into how they lived. Established in 1883, the museum—also known as MUNA—is conveniently located in the heart of San Salvador and can also be visited as part of a guided tour of the capital.

Don’t miss: Dedicated to all things death, the museum’s permanent Pre-Hispanic Burials of El Salvador exhibition encompasses rituals, relics, sacrifices, and more.

While Copán isn’t actually in El Salvador, many visitors find themselves crossing the border on a day trip purely to visit the ancient city. One of the most important—and impressive—Maya sites in Central America, Copán’s well-preserved ruins are quite different from those found in El Salvador, with the UNESCO–listed site famed for its intricate carvings and detailed hieroglyphs. Opt for a full-day tour or a 2-day trip, depending on how long you want to spend exploring the ruins.

Don’t miss: While entrance to the Rosalila and Los Jaguares tunnels isn’t usually included as standard, you can pay extra to go down in the tunnels and catch a glimpse of the original structures that sit underneath the current temples.