When I visited El Salvador for this issue, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I knew that the U.S. Travel Advisory was at a Level 3—“Reconsider Travel”—and that gang violence and large groups of people fleeing the country made the news with frequency. I’ve always been interested in the effects that tourism can have in a place like El Salvador—how it can provide a much-needed boost to the economy, though its growth requires a careful balance of outside resources and local empowerment. Too often an influx of foreign businesses and visitors means a place loses out on both economic impact and cultural preservation.

What I found, though, is a country that is building their tourism industry from the inside out—slowly and with soul. The violence has meant that fewer outsiders want to claim El Salvador as theirs, leaving space for local people to build their own projects. And a severe drop in land prices following the country’s 12-year civil war actually opened up opportunities for Salvadorans looking to invest in their home—perhaps the only silver lining. As a result, those willing to consider traveling here will find unspoiled beaches, active volcanoes that are open to hikers, and fresh seafood.