El Chiflador is an impressive waterfall located in a patch of cloud and pine forest above Marcala. It provides the town’s water. To get there, either drive or walk up the road toward El Salvador and ask in Barrio La Victoria for the turnoff uphill. About four kilometers from town look for a wire fence with a gate on the right, where a steep trail heads down to the top of the waterfall.

Another waterfall, with more facilities for tourists, is Las Orquideas, a small forest reserve with a high waterfall, and also with changing rooms, a picnic area, and walking trails. Trails allow visitors to appreciate a wide variety of rare flora, including the national flower, the orchid. It’s located 1.5 kilometers past the town of Chinacla, which is 2.5 kilometers from Marcala on the road to La Paz. Six hundred meters after the entrance to Chinacla, there is a dirt road next to the church. Follow the dirt road, taking a right at any and all turnoffs, and you should reach the pools after 1.2 kilometers.

The closest waterfall to town is La Chorrera, near a pine forest, and with changing rooms and an area for camping. Four kilometers down the road to La Esperanza take a right on a dirt road, where you will see a sign for a school. La Chorrera is just half a kilometer along the road.

If you have your own transportation, these routes are better approached with a four-wheel-drive if your visit coincides with the rainy season.