Lake Ilopango
Lago de Ilopango
A large crater lake east of the capital; in the 5th century AD it saw Central America's largest eruption, and today it is a weekend destination for boat trips, diving and lakeside restaurants.
Ilopango Lake is a crater lake about 11 km long. A supereruption around AD 431 left large parts of the surrounding Maya region abandoned. In the middle of the lake is Quemados Island, a lava island formed by an eruption in 1880. Lakeside restaurants and boat landings can be found on the southern shore at Apiranga and on the north shore. You can take a boat around the lake, swim, or go diving with a professional operator to see underwater volcanic landforms. Weekends bring many local families. It is about 20 km from downtown, roughly 40 minutes by car.
Opening hours
Daytime
Nearby sights
- Iglesia El Rosario
- Panchimalco
- National Theatre of El Salvador
- Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador
- National Palace of El Salvador
- Puerta del Diablo
- Tin Marín Children's Museum
- Monument to the Divine Savior of the World