Jiquilisco Bay

About Jiquilisco BayJiquilisco Bay

The Jiquilisco Bay, located on the coast of the Usulután department, is the largest estuary and mangrove forest in El Salvador, featuring twenty-seven inhabited and uninhabited islands. It was designated a Ramsar site in 2005 and is part of the Xiriualtique-Jiquilisco Biosphere Reserve. Two ports on the bay serve as the main embarkation points to the islands and the mangrove channels. At dawn, flocks of shorebirds rise above the estuaries. The mangrove channels can be explored by boat or kayak, surrounded by herons and other waterfowl, and the area serves as a nesting site for endangered sea turtles. Traditional activities of the island communities include artisanal fishing and shellfish gathering. The Surf City II corridor, expanded in 2025, improved land access to this part of the Usulután coast.