The border between El Salvador and Honduras is a critical link in the Pan-American Highway system and a frontier that cuts through rugged, mountainous terrain with a deep and complex history. Your experience here can vary from a major, truck-filled highway crossing to a quiet mountain pass that feels worlds away. The three main crossings are El Amatillo, El Poy, and Perquín. El Amatillo, located on the Pan-American Highway in the hot coastal lowlands, is the busiest by a large margin. It is constantly filled with cargo trucks moving goods through Central America and can have very long delays, so it’s often best to avoid it if possible.
To escape the congestion, many travelers opt for the crossing at El Poy in the cooler northern highlands. This route is more scenic and generally much quieter. A third crossing at Perquín offers a unique historical context. This mountainous area was a key rebel stronghold during the Salvadoran Civil War in the 1980s. Today, the town of Perquín is home to the Museum of the Revolution, which offers a fascinating, if one-sided, look at that conflict. Crossing here allows you to combine the practical step of moving between countries with a powerful lesson in the region’s recent history.