natural wonder
Lake Coatepeque
A stunning volcanic crater lake in western El Salvador with turquoise water, surrounded by forested hills and lakeside restaurants.
14 km · about 25 min drive
North AmericaEl SalvadorSanta Ana Department
Santa Ana
Santa Ana Department, El Salvador · North America
About Santa Ana
Santa Ana is worth a stop: 15 minutes from Coatepeque, 14km from Lake Coatepeque.
Santa Ana is in Santa Ana Department, El Salvador, with about 180,000 people. The nearest town is Coatepeque, about 9 km away.
The Cathedral of Our Lady Saint Anne (Spanish: Catedral de la Señora Santa Ana), is a neo-Gothic cathedral located next to Parque Libertad in Santa Ana, El Salvador.
Where to Stay in Santa Ana
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Santa Ana?
Within an hour or so of Santa Ana: Lake Coatepeque (14 km), Santa Ana Volcano (Ilamatepec) (17 km), Joya de Cerén (28 km), Ruta de las Flores (34 km).
Are there any good drives near Santa Ana?
The nearest famous roads are Ruta de las Flores.
Where is Santa Ana?
Santa Ana is in Santa Ana Department, El Salvador, about 9 km from Coatepeque.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 176,661
- Continent
- North America
- Country
- El Salvador
- Region
- Santa Ana Department
- Timezone
- America/El_Salvador
- Coordinates
- 13.9883, -89.5568
Tags
Worth the detour from Santa Ana
7 notable places within an hour's drive.
scenic viewpoint
Santa Ana Volcano (Ilamatepec)
El Salvador's highest volcano, whose nested craters hold a sulphurous turquoise lake. A two-hour guided hike from Cerro Verde car park ends on a rim looking down at the acid lake and across to Izalco and Lake Coatepeque.
17 km · about 20 min drive
ancient ruins
Joya de Cerén
A UNESCO site known as the Pompeii of the Americas, a Maya farming village preserved under volcanic ash from the 6th century.
28 km · about 35 min drive
famous road
Ruta de las Flores
A picturesque route through the western highlands of El Salvador connecting colorful colonial villages and coffee plantations.
34 km · about 40 min drive
natural wonder
El Boquerón Crater
The 1.5-km-wide crater of San Salvador Volcano, reached by a scenic road climbing from the capital to 1,800 m: peer into the perfect cinder cone left by the 1917 eruption.
41 km · about 45 min drive
landmark
Suchitoto
El Salvador's best-preserved colonial town: cobbled streets and a white timber-columned church above Lake Suchitlán, a reservoir that draws huge flocks of migratory birds each winter.
57 km · about 65 min drive
beach
El Tunco
El Salvador's top surf beach with a distinctive pig-shaped rock formation, vibrant nightlife, and consistent Pacific waves.
58 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Santa Ana
- 17 kmSanta Ana Volcano (Ilamatepec)El Salvador's highest volcano, whose nested craters hold a sulphurous turquoise lake. A two-hour guided hike from Cerro Verde car park ends on a rim looking down at the acid lake and across to Izalco and Lake Coatepeque.
- 34 kmRuta de las FloresA picturesque route through the western highlands of El Salvador connecting colorful colonial villages and coffee plantations.
When to drive here
Year-round
Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.
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