El Salvador will exceed all the expectations you never had. Home to spectacular Mayan ruins at Tazumal, dense tropical forests at the Montecristo National Park, and gnarly surfing at Punta Roca, El Salvador has all the attractions of its more popularly visited neighbors without the hassles of large, foreign crowds. On top of being one of the smallest and most densely populated nations in the region, El Salvador is also one of the most economically developed, having emerged from the turmoil of its civil war in the 1980s and ’90s. The capital, San Salvador, is an icon of this progress, boasting monuments and museums remembering the new peace and funded by the new prosperity. The city itself is a bustling metropolis, with universities, high-end restaurants, and the largest shopping complex in Central America. And Salvadorians themselves are very passionate about their patria; after all, they are the only nation ever to have gone to war over a soccer match. This exuberance is only matched by their welcoming attitude and openness to share their beautiful country with the world, making this "Savior" nation an undiscovered treasure.