Lake Coatepeque

Coatepeque fills a volcanic caldera in western El Salvador, a deep blue crater lake ringed by steep green slopes with the Santa Ana volcano rising behind it. Every few years the water shifts to a milky turquoise for weeks or months - a phenomenon linked to volcanic and biological activity in the lake - and locals treat the change as an event. The shoreline is lined with weekend houses, small hotels and restaurants with wooden docks for swimming, and boats run out to the small island of Teopan. It is the standard escape from Santa Ana and San Salvador heat.

What you actually see

• The caldera setting - deep blue water ringed by volcanic slopes.
• Swimming from the docks - lakeside platforms and warm water.
• Teopan island - the small island with pre-Columbian remains.
• Santa Ana volcano - the crater climb overlooking the lake.

When to go

The dry season from November to April gives the clearest weather and best views. Weekends bring Salvadoran families and full docks; weekdays are calm. The turquoise phase is unpredictable and cannot be planned for.

Honest expectations

Almost the entire shoreline is privately held by houses and hotels, so public access to the water is limited - most visitors pay a small fee at a restaurant or hotel for dock access, which is normal practice. The road down to the lake is steep and winding. Water quality has been a periodic concern with runoff from surrounding development.

Nearby

Santa Ana volcano and Cerro Verde park, Santa Ana city and the Ruta de las Flores.